Claiming the corner office: Female CEO careers and implications for leadership development

Formal Mentoring and Protégés’ Leadership Development: The Roles of Protégés’ Informal Mentoring Networks, Political Skill, and Gender

We seek to better understand how formal mentoring may impact protégés’ leadership development by arguing that protégés’ informal mentoring networks help explain the relationship between formal mentoring and two protégé leadership development outcomes: motivation to lead and promotability. We also argue that protégés’ political skill and gender serve as boundary conditions of these mediated relationships. Using 100 South Korean mentor-protégé dyads in four organizations across three points in time, we find that a higher level of formal mentoring is positively associated with the quality of protégés’ informal mentoring networks, which, in turn, is positively associated with protégés’ motivation to lead, but not protégés’ promotability. We also find that the relationship between a higher level of formal mentoring and the quality of protégés’ informal mentoring networks is strengthened when protégés have a higher level of political skill. In addition, we find that female protégés obtain more informal mentoring networking benefits from their formal mentors than male protégés. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

A two-nation investigation of leadership self-perceptions and motivation to lead in early adulthood: the moderating role of gender and socio-economic status

Purpose

Drawing on the social-cognitive and motivational literature of leadership, the present study examines the influence of young adults' self-perceptions of leadership on their leadership self-efficacy (LSE) and motivation to lead (MTL) in their future career. The authors further examine gender and socio-economic status (SES) as important moderators of the proposed relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The present investigation consists of a two-study research design, based on data collected from young adult samples across two culturally different countries, namely the UK (N = 267) and Japan (N = 127).

Findings

The study presents evidence of self-perceptions of leadership influencing LSE and MTL. The results further support the mediating role of leader self-efficacy. Regarding the moderating role of gender, results in both samples showed that the effects of leader self-efficacy on MTL were stronger for males. SES was found to moderate the effects of leadership self-perceptions of negative implicit leadership theories (ILTs) on LSE in the UK sample and the effects of leadership self-perceptions of positive ILTs on LSE in the Japanese sample.

Originality/value

This study fills the gap of empirical research focused on early adulthood influences on leadership development. In particular, this study has a three-fold contribution, by, firstly, developing a conceptual model that examines the role of young adults' self-perceptions of leadership on their self-efficacy as leaders and MTL; secondly examining contingencies of the proposed relationships; and thirdly testing the conceptual model in two countries.

Overcoming risk for women in leader identity development

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to advance our understanding of the role of risk in leader identity development for women by identifying processes women leaders employ to overcome perceived risk.

Design/methodology/approach

Twenty-five women leaders in the Irish healthcare sector took part in an 18-month long identity-based leadership development program. Qualitative data from interviews, focus groups, critical incident diaries and individual exit surveys and observations were analyzed using the constant comparative method.

Findings

Four key processes are identified as women leaders work through risks associated with structural elements (perceiving and mitigating structural risk) and agency of the leader (accepting agentic risks and developing agency).

Research limitations/implications

Like many focused qualitative studies, generalizability to a larger population might be limited. The authors, therefore, recommend future research to consider these issues in other industries, levels and national contexts.

Practical implications

Organizational members should pay attention to structural factors that affect women's perceptions of risks in internalizing a leader identity such as perceptions of organizational support for development, role models, mentoring and behavioral norms. Programs should aim to increase individual agency through personal reflection and freedom to experiment.

Originality/value

This paper offers an original and nuanced perspective on the role of risk in the leader identity development process for women.

Women leaders' views on demand-side strategies

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine female leaders' attitudes toward demand-side strategies to close the gender-leadership gap and discuss implications for organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

This article describes the process of knowledge co-creation that took place using an engaged scholarship epistemology over 23 interviews with North American women in senior leadership roles.

Findings

Five key themes related to women leaders' attitudes toward demand-side strategies are discussed. Some felt uncertain or opposed toward these strategies, whereas others supported them. Support for these strategies was dependent on perceptions of backlash regarding the implementation of these strategies and the participants' career stage. Finally, participants acknowledged that demand-side strategies are insufficient in isolation and require additional organizational supports.

Research limitations/implications

These findings enhance our understanding and provide theoretical refinement of the mechanisms that drive female leaders' reactions to demand-side strategies to close the gender-leadership gap.

Practical implications

Participants advocated for certain practices to be considered when organizations contemplate the adoption of demand-side strategies. Importantly, participants advocated that the implementation of demand-side strategies would be insufficient unless organizations encourage greater dialogue regarding the gender-leadership gap, that top management support more gender inclusive leadership, and that male colleagues act as allies for women in leadership.

Originality/value

This article extends past research and theory by integrating the pragmatic perspectives of successful female leaders with previous empirical evidence to illustrate different reactions to demand-side strategies and ways for organizations to manage those in their efforts to close the gender-leadership gap.