To lead or not to lead: exploring how young women’s early career experiences impact their leadership ambition

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to explore and better understand the workplace experiences of young professional women, as they relate to their leadership ambition. Research has shown that women graduate from college with equal or greater leadership ambition than men. By mid-career, however, a significant gender ambition gap emerges, which may be a contributing factor to the gender leadership gaps that persist across all sectors of the economy.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews were conducted with young American professional women who excelled and had leadership ambition in college. The theoretical framework is the expectancy–value–cost model of motivation.FindingsAnalysis reveals a consistent decline in the young women’s leadership ambition after entering their professional career, stemming from a general sense of dissatisfaction with their jobs, a lack of connection with their organizations’ leadership and culture and an expectation that moving up the ladder would result in a less satisfying personal life.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough this study is not statistically generalizable to a broader population, the findings are relevant for colleges and universities that prepare women for their careers, and organizations that seek to recruit and retain female talent.Originality/valueBy focusing on the experiences of young professional women, this paper contributes to the exploration of gender leadership gaps as well as to the discussion of policies and programs that may contribute to keeping more women in the leadership trajectory.