Caribbean Executive Dr Luz Longsworth Examines the Unseen Side of Leadership in New Book

SOUTH FLORIDA – Leadership is often measured by professional accomplishments, promotions and the ability to overcome barriers. But Dr Luz Longsworth believes understanding what happens beneath the surface is just as important as reaching the top.

In her new book, Through the Glass Bottom: Navigating Leadership’s Hidden Currents, the Caribbean executive examines the organisational dynamics, personal beliefs and workplace relationships that influence how people lead. She pays particular attention to the experiences of women navigating professional environments.

The 2026 book is now available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.

Born in Venezuela to a Jamaican mother and Venezuelan father, Longsworth moved to Jamaica at five. Her career has since taken her across several Caribbean territories, as well as Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. She spent nearly three decades at The University of the West Indies. Ultimately, she served as Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the UWI Open Campus. Later, she moved into her current role as Senior Corporate Director of Sandals Corporate University. There, she oversees training and development across nine Caribbean countries.

Her experiences across academia and the private sector have shaped her understanding of leadership as a discipline that requires continuous learning, self-awareness and a commitment to developing others.

The idea behind Through the Glass Bottom emerged while Longsworth was driving along Jamaica’s north coast and reflecting on a difficult experience within an organisation. She began to question whether her focus on breaking through professional barriers had caused her to overlook the less visible forces influencing her experience.

“It struck me that while I was looking up and trying to break glass ceilings, I had neglected to understand the undercurrents that were also affecting me and other women in the organization,” she recalls.

The glass-bottom boat, a familiar feature of Caribbean tourism, became a metaphor for the book. Just as passengers can look through the boat’s transparent floor to observe what lies beneath the sea, Longsworth encourages readers to examine the dynamics that operate below the surface of professional life.

These may include unspoken workplace expectations, organisational culture, informal power structures and internal doubts that affect confidence and decision-making. As a result, recognising these influences, she argues, allows individuals to respond more intentionally to their circumstances.

“You do not have to participate in every undercurrent in your organization. But you do need to see them, because awareness gives you choice and agency,” she says.

Rethinking what it means to lead

Longsworth’s understanding of leadership has evolved throughout her career. Although she initially aspired to become a professor, opportunities to lead emerged during her education and professional life, prompting her to study leadership as a discipline rather than an innate talent.

Her approach places particular emphasis on mentorship, service and the responsibility to prepare others for leadership.

“As my career developed, I also began to understand that leadership was less about being the person in front and more about developing the people around you,” she says.

Longsworth credits her mother as her first mentor, teaching her the importance of fairness and service. She also acknowledges the influence of Professor the Hon. Gerald Lalor, former Principal of the UWI Mona Campus. He gave her opportunities to develop her confidence and competence.

Their examples helped reinforce her belief that leadership should be measured not only by individual achievement but also by the opportunities created for others.

“The title of leader is temporary,” she says. “Your best legacy is to develop others to lead and to lead even better than you did.”

Women, confidence and professional advancement

A central theme of the book is the experience of women who must navigate workplace dynamics while managing expectations about how they should behave and perform.

Longsworth observes that women continue to feel pressure to demonstrate their competence repeatedly. Often, they work harder or acquire additional qualifications to establish their credibility. Self-doubt can persist even among accomplished professionals.

She believes mentorship and solidarity can help women navigate these challenges, particularly when experienced leaders share their knowledge with those coming behind them.

Longsworth is encouraged by younger women who are actively seeking mentors and recognising the importance of supporting one another. Additionally, she stresses that effective leadership does not require women to abandon their values or adopt a particular style to succeed.

Empathy, kindness and authenticity, she argues, are essential qualities in leaders entrusted with the development and well-being of others.

For Caribbean women in the diaspora, these questions may be especially relevant as they navigate different professional environments and cultural expectations. Furthermore, Longsworth’s framework encourages readers to understand the systems in which they work. At the same time, readers should remain conscious of their own values, strengths and ambitions.

Investing in Caribbean talent

Beyond individual career development, Longsworth sees leadership as essential to the Caribbean’s institutional and economic future.

Her experience at the UWI Open Campus, which operated across 52 locations in 17 countries during her tenure as principal, reinforced the importance of developing capable leaders throughout an organisation rather than concentrating authority at the top.

In her current role at Sandals Corporate University, she continues to focus on building skills and leadership capacity across the region.

Longsworth believes the Caribbean must invest consistently in education, training and mentorship to ensure that talented people have opportunities to contribute meaningfully to their communities and organisations.

“Leadership development is not a one-day workshop. It has to be a long term investment,” she says.

Through Through the Glass Bottom, Longsworth invites readers to look beyond conventional markers of success and consider the forces shaping their professional experiences. She also encourages readers to reflect on the ways they can continue to grow and the responsibility they have to help others progress.

For her, leadership is not a destination defined by a title or position. Instead, it is an ongoing commitment to personal growth and service.

“Leadership is a lifelong journey of intentionally setting out to improve yourself and the people around you,” she says.

Through the Glass Bottom: Navigating Leadership’s Hidden Currents is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.

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