Broadening our Sight: Integrating Research Methods to Mitigate the Dichotomy of Women and Leadership

Abstract

A host of research demonstrates that despite the increase in women’s participation in the labour force, women continue to experience stereotypical backlash, particularly as they enter leadership ranks. Warner, Ellmann, & Boesch (2018) describe women’s leadership advancement as “an uneven and imperfect revolution” (para. 10) given the disillusion between women in executive roles and women in the workforce more generally. While there are many reasons that women are underrepresented in leadership, the popular press has tended argue that it is an individual rather than systemic problem (e.g., internal barriers to advancement, not leaning in) and many discussions focus on increasing the number of women in leadership roles as an outcome, rather than as an input to creating inclusive workplaces (Arnold & Loughlin, 2019). While these may be contributors to the lack of leadership advancement for women, several other factors (i.e., individual, couple, contextual, organizational, and societal) may also contribute to upholding traditional beliefs regarding women’s lack of leadership advancement. In our proposed symposium, through six papers, we aim to “broaden our sight” on women in leadership by drawing on theoretical, quantitative, and qualitative research approaches to examine these factors. We will explore potential avenues for diminishing the dichotomous nature of women and leadership, thus allowing both men and women to participate without being constrained by gender role stereotypes (Mercer, Loughlin, & Arnold, 2019). Gendered Performance Pressure, Work Demands, Control and Their Role in Leader Wellbeing Presenter: Corinne McNally; Saint Mary's U., Canada Presenter: Catherine Loughlin; St. Mary's U. Measuring Leadership-Specific Stereotype Threat Susceptibility Presenter: Stephanie Gilbert; St. Mary's U. Chronic Stereotype Threat and Leadership Aspirations Presenter: Amanda J. Hancock; Memorial U. of Newfoundland Presenter: Megan Marie Walsh; U. of Saskatchewan Presenter: Erica Carleton; U. of Saskatchewan Overqualified, Yet Excluded? Gender and Context in Incivility Experiences of Overqualified Employees Presenter: Vanessa Myers; Saint Mary's U., Canada Presenter: Dana Kabat-Farr; Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie U. Presenter: Camilla M. Holmvall; Saint Mary’s U. Presenter: Fran McKee-Ryan; U. of Nevada, Reno Presenter: Benjamin M. Walsh; Grand Valley State U. Relative Subjective Spousal Status – How Spouses Impact Leadership Role Occupancy Presenter: Alyson Byrne; Memorial U. of Newfoundland Presenter: Anika Cloutier; Smith School of Business, Queen's U. Presenter: Julian Barling; Queen's U. How Leaders Can ‘Walk the Diversity Talk’: The Promise of Diversity-Specific Leadership Presenter: Shasanka Chalise; PhD Candidate, Memorial U., NL, Canada Presenter: Danielle Mercer; Acadia U. Presenter: Cara-Lynn Scheuer; Coastal Carolina U. Presenter: Corinne McNally; Saint Mary's U., Canada Presenter: Catherine Loughlin; St. Mary's U. Presenter: Kara Anne Arnold; Memorial U. of Newfoundland