Advancing Women in Leadership Journal
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Factors Impacting Female Senior Enlisted Leaders’ Representation in the U.S. Army’s Basic Combat Training Units
Full text linkThis qualitative study explored the lived experiences of 10 retired female senior enlisted leaders assigned as first sergeant (1SG) and command sergeant major (CSM) in initial entry training (IET) to ascertain if their experiences shed light on the underrepresentation of female leaders in the basic combat training (BCT) environment. Data collection emphasized factors that led to success in the IET environment, as well as challenges and barriers they faced. The theoretical framework underpinning this study included the social role theory, which holds that the expectations for men and women are based on sex differences that regulate behaviour in an adult’s work and family life, and the role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders, which suggests women do not reach top-level positions because they are less capable than men and because women are judged more harshly when they are in leadership roles. Having to prove oneself, reaction to female leadership, family obligations, and fighting stereotypes emerged as barriers and challenges. Attributes needed for success in the IET BCT environment included Army values, toughness, and tenacity. Coding of positions and male perception of female leaders emerged as barriers that preventfemales from attaining 1SG and CSM in the BCT environment. The findings support the social role theory and role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders. The results extend research on the representation of women in senior leadership positions because they illuminate female leaders in a nontraditional educational environment in the largest branch of the U.S. military.
Keywords: women, leaders, U.S. Army, basic combat training, glass ceiling, women in leadership; leadership theorie
Emotional Labor and the Helper Identity: Student Affairs Mothers of Children with Disabilities
No full textThe field of student affairs is considered a helping profession as it requires the provision of assistance and support to others. Likewise, having a child with a disability and/or illness places a burden of help and support on caregivers in the home setting. Through a narrative portraiture lens, this qualitative study examines how women who work in student affairs and who have at least one child with an identified disability, describe emotional labor and strategies they utilize to navigate the aforementioned across work and home environments. Findings suggest that the women interviewed assume a helper identity at both work and in the home, which requires them to use emotional labor frequently in both arenas. For many women, the organizational culture of the workplace coupled with demands associated with parenting a child with a disability drives their need to mask, which ultimately influences overall satisfaction with work performance and home life. We provide higher educational leaders with practical and sustainable recommendations to transform organizational culture, policies, and practices that have the potential to reduce emotional labor for this population of employees.
Keywords: emotional labor, helper identity, higher education, student affairs, mothers of children with disabilities
The Role of Empathy in Strategic Thinking: Women Leaders Championing Change and Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders
Full text linkWomen leaders are often credited with demonstrating empathy, nurture, and compassion during a crisis (Vongas & Al Hajj, 2015). Empathy is considered an added value that women leaders offer the workplace; however, it is worth exploring their strategic abilities. Strategy is a skill historically linked to masculinity (Laurie, 2015). A more inclusive understanding of both leadership practices for women is necessary. Strategic thinking and empathy are essential in stabilizing and creating future opportunities during an economic crisis (Beilstein et al., 2021; Khaund, 2023; Yorke, 2023). I provided a phenomenological analysis to gain insight into how women leaders engage both skills, develop future leaders, and practice resiliency through change. An exploration linking empathetic leadership and strategic thinking prompts leaders to reimagine the evolving marketplace needs and address ongoing organizational issues. The study was guided by the following research questions: (a) how do empathy and strategic thinking present in women leaders’ abilities to manage crisis, and (b) how do empathy and strategic thinking present in women leaders \u27ability to develop emerging leaders? An interpretative phenomenological analysis study was framed in social capital theory (SCT), and cognitive and affective empathy was used to interview 10 women leading in different industries. Women leaders shared their experiences, highlighting advocacy, accountability, decisiveness, creativity, commitment, and community, resulting in the creation of a leadership development model.
Keywords: women leaders, empowerment, empathy, strategic thinking, emerging leaders
Female Bodies: Gender Inequalities, Vulnerability, HIV and AIDS in Kenya
Full text linkThis paper emerged from a lack of literature on women\u27s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in AIDS discourses. Women have been vulnerable to HIV/AIDS since the epidemic emerged but not much research has been done specifically on Kenyan women. The ways in which women are vulnerable to HIV infection were explored by examining social, economic, and cultural identities that affect women\u27s sexual relations using a feminist lens. In this research, it is postulated that HIV vulnerability has to be studied in the context of patriarchy and cultural constraints.To address women\u27s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, secondary analysis of data from the 2003 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey was utilized. Hence, demographic variables of age, education, religion, ethnicity, region of residence, marital status, and employment were the independent variables that were used to discern the factors associated with HIV vulnerability among women. A dependent variable, HIV vulnerability which I constructed from the 2003 Health and Demographic Survey was conceived of as a larger concept comprised of powerlessness in basic decision-making processes within the household, AIDS-related knowledge on transmission and prevention, cultural practices which encompassed polygamy, wife inheritance, and sexual behavior, and perceived risk of contracting the HIV/AIDS disease. In this study, the data strongly suggested that women in Kenya are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS when they are younger, have low levels of education, are from different ethnicities and from certain regions, are unmarried, and not employed. The findings supported the literature that women\u27s vulnerability is strongly influenced and tied by broader forces present in the society. Women\u27s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS is real and needs to be tackled for any progress to occur in the fight against AIDS. HIV/AIDS is a very expensive disease that totally drains economies of households, communities, and countries. Until HIV vulnerability is acknowledged and fought, women will continue to succumb to the disease overwhelmingly and Kenya will eventually disintegrate as it will be full of sick people intensifying underdevelopment. Women\u27s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS is an urgent issue that needs dire attention for Kenya to prosper. A healthy population fosters development and stability. However HIV/AIDS produces instability, suffering, extreme poverty, and underdevelopment
Academic Reality "Show": Presented by Women Faculty of Color
Full text linkAlthough the resolution of World War II brought dramatic growth to higher education, it was not until the 1950s and 1960s with social movements of equal and civil rights that women faculty of color had foray into faculty positions. Unfortunately, data on sex and minority status were limited in large studies during these decades, and any numbers of minority women faculty were estimated proportions of total faculty (see, e.g., Menges & Exum, 1983). In his analysis, Graham (1978) noted that women faculty positions actually declined from 1930 to 1970. Higher education after 1970 continued to expand due to the Civil Rights Movement, and this Movement propelled women and women of color to enter the academy.In academe today, women faculty of color know their own reality""they live in a world where an academic reality "show" would point out the truth, that is, all progress made in higher education does not represent them or their story. To begin, numerous quantitative studies do show that women have made significant progress in education over the decades. For example, The Condition of Education 2008 noted females account for nearly two-thirds of undergraduate and graduate (i.e., Master\u27s level) degrees through 2007 (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], n.d.). For graduate and professional degrees, women have almost equalized the total number of degrees awarded to men (U.S. Department of Education, as cited in The Nation, 2007; see, also, NCES, "Participation," n.d.). Even though increases in male and female graduate students are expected through 2018, female enrollment is expected to increase at a rate faster than male enrollment (NCES, "Participation," n.d.). Along a similar line, women of color (i.e., American Indian, Asian, Black non-Hispanic, and Hispanic) earned more doctorate degrees than male ethnic minorities in 2004-05 (U.S. Department of Education, as cited in The Nation, 2007).Women faculty of color hold only 3% of full professorships, representing an important difference from their classification of 10% as assistant professors (Snyder, in Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2009). This supports research that has found that women, and especially women of color, face significant barriers as they move toward tenure. Then, too, there has been only a sluggish increase in hiring racially and ethnically diverse faculty members, and this increase includes hiring these individuals into certain types of higher education institutions -- two-year colleges and community colleges (American Association of University Professors, 2009; Gappa, Austin, & Trice, 2007).As Jackson (2004) emphasized in her article, there are numerous other factors behind the numbers that tell the story of progress of women in academe. Personal experiences in the academic workplace are not found in percentages or other representative numbers. To understand the academic reality "show" for women faculty of color, we need to listen to their stories. These stories articulate messages that are often suppressed or ignored in academe. Perhaps the time has come to rethink again current practices in the academy""practices that confine, restrain, and dehumanize lives
African American Women in Student Affairs: Best Practices for Winning the Game
Full text linkCurrent research regarding the experiences of African American women in higher education clusters staff, faculty, and students together, overlooking the unique contributions and challenges of each cohort. The purpose of this article is to explore the opinions and experiences of African American women in student affairs administration, in order to add to the body of knowledge regarding women in student affairs. Implications for best practices for African American women in student affairs administration are discussed, and recommendations for further research are provided
Black Women College Administrators Perspectives on Informal Mentoring: A Phenomenological Case Study
Full text linkAbstract
Within this qualitative phenomenological case study, I explored the perspectives of informal mentoring as a coping strategy to navigate workplace and career stagnation for Black women college administrators in the United States. Findings from their experiences indicate that while formal mentoring and sponsorship existed for their counterparts, it was not accessible for them. The participants described informal mentoring was needed and helpful for their workplace challenges and for the cultivation of their leadership growth strategies, particularly as employees at predominately white institutions. Seven themes emerged: (a) Defining Supportive Relationships; (b) Relevancy of Race and Gender in Mentoring; (c) Cultivating Kinships and Networks; (d) Identifying Salient Challenges; (e) Navigating Campus Culture; (f) Penetrating Boundaries to Leadership; and (7) Leveraging for Leadership.
Keywords: mentoring; Black women college administrators, counterspaces; Black feminist theor
Examining and Overcoming Barriers to Leadership for Black Women in HBCU Spaces
Full text linkThe researchers in this study aimed to explore the barriers Black women face when ascending to leadership roles at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the coping strategies they employ to overcome them. Guided by two research questions, we gathered data from 93 Black women who currently work or have worked at HBCUs and aspire to leadership roles. Our findings, integrated with existing literature, reveal several significant barriers: microaggressions and gender oppression, limited access to professional networks and mentors, and work-life imbalances. Gender Oppression and Workplace Microaggressions emerged as prominent barriers, aligning with previous research on gender discrimination in academic settings. Most respondents reported not having access to formal mentorship programs, significantly impacting career progression. Additionally, balancing work and personal responsibilities, coupled with discrimination, adversely affects well-being and career advancement. The stereotypes and perceptions of Black women also emerged as a significant issue, placing undue emotional and psychological burdens on Black women. Respondents highlighted the importance of personal support networks, professional networks, and mentorship in coping strategies. Support from family and friends, professional networks, and seeking additional education were commonly cited strategies, with mentorship being particularly valued.
Keywords: Black, women, Historically Black College and University, HBCU, ascension, leadership, barrier
Editorial Overview: Exploring Leadership, Mentorship, and Gender in Academia: Insights from Recent Research
Full text linkThe 2024 Volume of Advancing Women in Leadership Journal (AWLJ) includes researchers from around the world. They are from Canada (Ontario and British Columbia), the Philippines, Australia, and the United States, including California, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio, and the work that is published here also highlights women from these locations and Trinidad and Ghana. These researchers dealt with structural impediments to women’s opportunities, highlighting the transformative power of mentorship, resilience, and targeted strategies against professional obstacles. This is a valuable collection because it underlines how gendered expectations, cultural biases, and organizational structures continue to be essential factors in the construction of women\u27s leadership experiences. Yet it also points out some novel approaches, such as informal and peer mentoring, narrative inquiry, and digital advocacy, reflecting the potent role of collective action and relational support in promoting better levels of empowerment and equity
Mentoring in Salary Negotiation for Female Sport Management Students
Full text linkFemale professors continue to make less than their male counterparts. In traditionally male dominated fields, such as sport management, the pay gap can be even greater. To gain further insight into the salary negotiation process, the specific role of mentoring was examined utilizing qualitative research, and specifically semi-structured interviews conducted with female sport management professors. Open-ended coding was employed to analyze the data. Female participants reported they had limited mentoring for the salary negotiation process and felt there were barriers that influenced if mentoring took place. Participants did indicate informal mentoring occurred, and some reported the development of meaningful relationships specifically with major advisors who intentionally provided advice and mentoring related to the salary negotiation process. Being cognizant of gender roles and utilizing mentoring strategies is critical to addressing salary and the continued gap in salary amongst female and male professors in sport management