Gender & leadership: the perceptions & experiences of black women in senior leadership.

Abstract

Women experience the world of work vastly differently than men do. This occurs despite the mandate for equality, empowerment and diversity through various policies and legislation for the advancement of female participation in historically male-dominated occupations. Women continue to be subjected to prejudice and marginalisation in their functioning as leaders in senior roles, occupying positions that have been dominated by the male gender. Literature on gender and leadership has primarily focused on gender differences between men and women’s leadership styles as well as the existence of barriers to the advancement of women. This research has shown that due to these barriers, there is an under-representation of women in leadership positions. This research has been qualitative in nature, focusing on the personal experiences of Black women leaders, as well as their perceptions of gender dynamics within the organisational context. It becomes of interest how some women manage to advance into senior positions, despite research indicating that women continue to be faced with many obstacles in doing so. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of Black South African female senior managers with regard to gender and leadership roles. The objectives of the study were to explore the perceptions of Black South African women based on gender roles and leadership, their experiences in leadership positions, their home and family lives and notions of gender stereotypes and prejudice. An exploratory qualitative framework and purposive sampling methods were used. Five Black female individuals with at least a year of experience in a leadership position in the private sector who were based in the Kwazulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces of South Africa were part of the study. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were used in collecting data and an interview guide containing open-ended questions was used in guiding the interview process. Braun and Clarke’s Six Step Method of Thematic Analysis was used and themes that emerged were coordinated and coded accordingly. Participants identified certain characteristics that they believed are attributed to leaders and were also of the opinion that women and men display different types of leadership styles while at the same time sharing how they approached their leadership positions. The participants also identified various socio-cultural and organisational barriers that they viewed as preventing women from advancing to leadership positions. The participants shared anecdotes with regard to work/life balance and the various strategies that they employed in maintaining this. The participants made use of support structures composed of various individuals who provided support. Finally, the participants provided advice and strategies that could be used in advancing women’s careers as well as improving the representation of women in leadership positions.