Advancing Women in Leadership Journal
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Beyond the Skin: How African American Women Senior Administrators Describe Their Experiences of Developing an Authentic Leadership Style
Get PDFIn this paper, we used a qualitative multiple case study approach. We used the authentic leadership framework (Luthans & Avolio, 2003) to examine how African American women in senior administrator roles, particularly in the president’s cabinet, at a member institution of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) in Alabama describe their experiences of developing an authentic leadership style. Following previous studies and recommendations for future research (Davis, 2016; Milner, 2006; Pace, 2017; Robinson, 2017; Wiggs-Harris, 2011), the following research question guides this work: How do African American women senior administrators describe their experiences of developing a leadership style? The results of this study revealed six common themes that are related to the authentic leadership style development of African American women. Code-switching was also an interesting element that emerged from some of the interviews, which may impact how some of them may present themselves and are perceived by others. In relation to the findings, theories of authentic leadership and intersectionality are discussed along with suggestions for future research.
Keywords: African American women, authentic leadership, senior administrator
Are We Teaching College Women to Aspire for Elite Leadership Roles: Teaching College Women to Aspire for Leadership
Get PDFIn this longitudinal study we conducted annual interviews with 19 randomly selected college women for four years to ask them to describe the skills of an effective leader, their current leadership skills, post-college leadership aspirations, and college experiences that adversely and positively affected their aspirations for future leadership roles. As anticipated, growth and changes were not uniform among all participants; in fact, the varieties revealed a complex picture of women’s leadership aspirations and the leadership skill development they favored to enliven their aspirations, as well as the college experiences that shaped their evolving notion of their own desire for top leadership roles.
An analysis of their interview responses indicated that over the span of four years: although most women increased their beliefs that effective leaders should possess both relational and task-oriented skills, the majority reported that they developed stronger traditional authoritative leadership skills; women reported stronger leadership aspirations, particularly those who had developed stronger traditional leadership skills. Those who developed stronger relational skills reported lower leadership aspirations. Suggestions for leadership mentors, professors, administrators, college student personnel and faculty are presented.
 
Gender-Related Pay Equity by State and Industry
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine whether there are differences in gender-related pay equity in the public sector, among states, and among industries in the United States. The study was conducted with archival data from The American Community Survey. Results of two one-way ANOVAs showed a significant difference in the gender-related pay equity among the 51 states (including D.C.), F(50, 1740) = 1.69, p = 0.019, and among the five major industries, F(4, 1735) = 17.00, p < 0.01. These empirical findings provide a basis for the development of policies needed to address pay inequity
ASSESSMENT OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE OF THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM
Get PDFWomen face unique barriers that their male counterparts do not experience in male-dominated disciplines and careers, such as agriculture. The purpose of a recent study was to provide insight into the organizational culture (and viability) of the Cooperative Extension System by examining the leadership dynamics, power relationships, and cultural impacts experienced by women County Extension Directors/Coordinators (CEDs/CECs) across the United States. Using a critical feminist collaborative autoethnographical approach and utilizing methodologies of interviews, dialogue, and prolonged engagement, the findings of this study have given voice to those individuals in these unique positions, allowing all individuals to better understand the challenges and barriers to equality in this context. Resulting conclusions (valuing sexism, resisting change, etc.) were posed to address misogyny in all forms (i.e., exclusion, promotion practices, etc.) that currently exist. By enacting these strategies, Cooperative Extension can create meaningful change that is so direly needed
What\u27s Power Got to Do with It? Seeking Gender-Equity in Organizations through Male Ally Initiatives
Get PDFWith the persistence of women\u27s limited advancement into senior leadership, organizations have employed an arsenal of diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies such as implicit bias training, intentional mentoring, and efforts to authentically support work-life policies. Male allyship has emerged as a recent strategy aimed at gender equity. The asymmetric power between advantaged and disadvantages groups is central to the concept of allyship in studies across disciplines, such as sociology, social justice and economics. Management scholars have identified power, specifically the requisite sharing of or fear of diminishment of, as a barrier to men participating in gender equity initiatives to advance women. To examine how organizations might address the power inherent in the male ally role, we employ the Bolman and Deal Four Frames Organizational Model. We propose that while male ally programs reside in the Human Resources Frame, the success of that strategy depends on managing the Political Frame. In promoting gender equity, organizations are seeking to distribute power more broadly to enable both men and women to fully contribute. By considering organizational politics, the competition for scarce resources, power and influence, we argue that practitioners will benefit from a realistic assessment of the role that power plays in both hindering and advancing male ally endeavors. We draw on the literature, survey data, and ongoing work with men and women engaged in male ally initiatives, and use the Bolman and Deal model to make recommendations for practitioners, male allies, and women in using power while building gender-equitable organizations
Women and Professional Generativity: Voices from the Field
Get PDFAging brings with it a certain commitment to improving the lives of future generations and to giving back by engaging in productive pursuits that provide psychological well-being (Versey & Newton, 2013). Leaders and adults develop a heightened sense of communion with self and others and derive meaning and satisfaction through serving others (Slater, 2003). We present findings from a focus group comprised of nine college-educated women professionals from three countries, gathered for the purpose of discussing generativity in educational leadership. Purposeful sampling was employed to allow variation and representation of women in educational leadership. Positions held by focus group members ranged from principals, directors, professors to deans. The specific purpose was to obtain an in-depth understanding of experiences of women as they engaged with the concept of generativity in their personal and professional lives. The results suggested that commitments to generativity activities varied by experience, age, and race. Another important finding was the categorization of participant women into distinct identity markers of pathmakers, guardians, searchers and drifters (Josselson, 1996) as reflected by the focus and nature of their generativity activities. Further studies with women from different socioeconomic backgrounds and fields other than educational leadership need to be conducted to establish the universality of our findings. Keywords: women, educational leadership, generativit
RE-THINKING THE IMPACT OF ORGANISATIONAL SPONSORSHIP WITH LACANIAN THEORY
Get PDFSponsoring has been positioned as a powerful intervention for the career advancement of women, with career resilience as a key benefit of sponsorship. In this paper we utilise a psychoanalytic framework namely Lacanian discourse theory, to argue that this may not be the case, and that sponsoring may actually create a diagonally opposite result by creating (ir)resilience in individuals being sponsored. Our theoretical critique is supported by empirical data from qualitative interviews with participants across Europe, as well as an examination of extracts from accounts of sponsoring in published research. Our analysis supports an alternate way of thinking about sponsoring and has implications for human resource practice. We suggest reversing the hierarchical positioning of sponsors and sponsees to counter the (ir)resilience created in a hierarchical sponsoring relationship. The resulting artificially introduced hystericisation will set the scene for radical change and build career resilience in women, both as sponsors and sponsees.
 
Would You Send Your Daughter to Howard? Historically Black Colleges and Universities Advancing Black Women in Leadership
Get PDFIn this article, we address the influence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on Black women’s participation in American politics. Focusing on the rise and record number of Black women running and winning political office in 2018, a remarkable list of over 400 Black women candidates were collected. Focusing on lives of three Black women whose dedication, determination, leadership, and activism are shifting the American political; Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, Lucy McBath, its evident that HBCUs have empowered Black women to continue to lead, make a change and break barriers in American politics. These results highlight some of the long-term impacts supporting HBCU environments has created for Black women in politics and America.
Keywords: black women, politics, underpresented, gender, leadership, historically black colleges and universitite
Men’s Perceptions of the Value of Women Leaders in Higher Education
No full textThis qualitative research study, framed by social role theory, explored the perceptions of 20 men faculty and academic administrators at doctoral-granting highest research-intensive universities located in the Southwestern region of the U.S. The focus of the study was their perceptions of the value of women leaders, the differences between how men and women are valued in higher education, and the stereotypes and challenges that contribute to how women are valued as leaders. Findings from this study show that men faculty and administrators do not always value women as leaders; differences between academia and industry may exist surrounding how women are valued as leaders; institutional leadership may perpetuate the devaluation of women as leaders; and the value of women in higher education leadership remains a reflection of how women are valued in society. Differences between how men and women are valued were also explored, finding that men faculty and administrators may not see the differences in value based on gender; gender differences exist in regards to standards for evaluation and reward in higher education; and women are perceived to devalue themselves. Challenges that contribute to how women are valued were identified, including the continuation of homosociality that promotes men supporting other men, and the existence of stereotypes and biases that give men an advantage and undermine women in leadership roles.
Keywords: social value, women’s leadership, gende
WOMEN IN THE WORK PLACE – AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CHALLENGE OF WORK LOAD
No full textFemale employment has witnessed a drastic paradigm shift. Several factors like improving literacy, change is the socio-economic scenario, zest for financial independence and ambition; are responsible for this changing trend. Being the largest employer of women in India, education sector is witnessing drastic changes. The present study examines Work-Life Balance of women working in various universities of J&K with emphasis on work pressure the females face in the course of trying to balance their professional life with their personal life.
Investigation shows that most working women are upset with the amount of work-load in the universities. Women who work for longer hours tend to be more dissatisfied with their Work-Life Balance. The study strongly suggests that academic expectations must be attuned with the demands of a woman’s personal life or else a woman can never give her best