Women and the University Presidency: Increasing Equity in Leadership

Leadership Characteristics Through The Lens of Translocational Positionality Framework: Trailblazing Women in Policing

“…Effective leadership goes beyond the realm of skill and capability; it involves self-awareness and personal breakthroughs and knowing the rules of the profession and the path to promotion (Reis & Grady, 2018). Previous research supports the perception that effective leadership in police organizations is primarily the domain of men.…”

“…The constructivist grounded theory allows data collection, data analysis, and theory to stand in reciprocal relationships with each other and prescribes to an iterative process of comparison within and amongst data cases, theory and researcher notes, and memos (Charmaz, 2011;Gordon-Finlayson, 2010). The selection of a qualitative approach was important, as the intent was to expand beyond description; to obtain an understanding of the experience of the unique women leaders studied (Reis & Grady, 2018).…”

“…One of the most potent factors in the development of effective police leaders is the nature of their job assignments and the challenge is to ensure women leaders recognize the importance of making decisions to move up the chain of command in a mindful manner that supports entry into the leadership labyrinth (Reis & Grady, 2018). This was important because even after women were promoted and had achieved new heights for themselves, they still faced scrutiny at a level greater than their male counterparts.…”

“…Previous research has posited that the leadership characteristics and identities of women police leaders have been impacted by organizational challenges and the ''glass ceiling,'' an imaginary term, which is identified as an artificial or invisible barrier that prevents qualified individuals from advancing vertically in their organization into high-ranking positions (Reis & Grady, 2018). Carli and Eagly (2016) suggest this process is more appropriately described as a labyrinth or maze, with winding paths, dead ends, and unexpected obstacles.…”

“…The examination of how trailblazing women police leaders identify themselves as leaders is important to realizing potential differences between trailblazers and their colleagues. A significant portion of the existing conceptual work on leader identity development views women through a bifurcated lens defined by gender (Reis & Grady, 2018). The subtle, cultural, structural, and attitudinal barriers to women's advancement may influence women's ability to see themselves as leaders and discourages women from becoming supervisors and commanders (Guajardo, 2016).…”