Exploring Womens Perceptions of Respectful Leadership: A Qualitative Study

Purpose: This research aims to explore women's perceptions of respectful leadership, and the challenges they may face in embracing this leadership style. Particularly, the study examines the gap between the expectations placed on women in leading respectfully - being empathic, collaborative, socially responsible - and the societal norms and pressures that may hinder the full adoption of these traits. We ground our research on the Stereotyped Content Model, suggesting that women are often perceived as high in warmth but low in competence, contrary to the assertiveness expected of leaders. This may lead women leaders to downplay warmth traits. Design: The methodology involves semi-structured interviews with 30 women leaders from Italy and the UK across different age groups and career stages. A validation questionnaire is also administered. Leximancer software is used to analyze the qualitative interview data and identify key themes and concepts around respectful leadership and women's perceptions. Results: Preliminary results indicate women value respectful leadership for organizational success and relationships with employees. However, some hesitancy in expressing the associated behaviors may occur because of the organizational contexts. Limitations: A possible limitation of the current study is represented by the limited sample size which could have limited the reliability of the group’s scores and might have reduced the variation seen in the trends across the different groups. Implications: By understanding women's perceptions of respectful leadership, organizations can develop more effective strategies for promoting this approach and supporting women's leadership development. This can lead to a more diverse, equitable, and sustainable leadership culture, wherein women can fully express their leadership potential. Value: The study aims at contributing to develop insights on the complexities women face in leadership, informing strategies to empower female leadership and promote gender equality in organizations.