Exploring positive leadership development strategies for adolescent girls · ICGS Research Library

Title

Exploring positive leadership development strategies for adolescent girls

Author

Eva et al.

Year Published

2021

Description

Most leaders experience their first exposure to “formal development training in adolescence” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 1). Despite many intervention programmes across many environments, a leadership gender gap still persists. In an effort to address this gap, researchers from Monash University, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Sydney have been considering research about adolescent girls’ leadership development. To date, this research has occurred across a range of disciplines and has become fragmented with a variety of theories and approaches. The authors have brought together a comprehensive review of 108 papers on this topic, published from 2000 to 2019. Through this review, they have identified five themes that “hold important implications for the leader development of adolescent girls” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 1).

This is an important topic for educators in girls’ schools across Australasia. Many programmes exist to encourage leadership development in adolescent girls, yet the leadership gender gap persists in numerous industries. The outcomes of this research are important for educators as it brings together important perspectives on this topic that can influence how girls interact with leadership development opportunities at this crucial age. Adolescence is a “critical time to examine leader development” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 1) This is particularly important when considering how adolescent girls view “ who is a leader and what leadership looks like” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 1).

The researchers consulted existing published literature and developed two advisory groups to give input into the project. Participants in these groups included board members from a secondary girls’ school and researchers from a range of fields. The project identified five broad themes about adolescent girls’ leader development: “(1) Leader emergency, motivation and identity; (2) Relationships with peers and adults; (3) Varieties of leader development opportunities; (4) Exercising agency in leader development programs; and (5) Integration of leader development into the school curriculum” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 4).

Adolescent girls’ leader emergence, motivation, and identity was one of the “most prominent themes” observed. There was clearly an emphasis on conceptualising leader emergence as “a combination of self, other, and role attainment” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 4). The literature exhibited examples of single-sex educational environments where girls cited feelings of freedom from “gender-based leader stereotypes” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 6). Girls’ motivations to lead reflected a focus on affect, with girls perceiving leadership roles “as an opportunity to make meaningful change… rather than just doing (social normative) jobs for teachers” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 6). When girls see positive outcomes as a result of their leadership actions, they are also more likely to continue or seek leadership positions. Two key themes about leadership identity emerged during the project. The first suggested that girls view leadership as an inherently gendered role. The second instead suggested an absence of this stereotype, where leadership is instead viewed as a “relatively stable set of meanings associated with a particular role” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 6). This poses important considerations for girls who do not consider themselves to be “leadership material”, especially if they are facing barriers to their leadership aspirations.

Interpersonal relationships can have a significant influence on girls’ leadership aspirations, especially if these relationships encourage gendered behavioural cues. The research surveyed showed that girls consider whether or not peers offer encouragement in relation to leadership roles, thereby showing the benefit of “positive relationships with each other” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 7). Other relationships of critical importance are those “between adolescent girls and adult figures such as teachers, parents, mentors and program leaders” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 7). In particular, relationships with a mentoring component have been shown to help “deconstruct gender stereotyping” through networking, mentoring, and opportunities to use their own voice and leadership skills (Eva et al., 2021, p. 7). This means mentors and educators must remain acutely aware of “implicit assumptions and gender bias regarding leadership” when engaging with adolescent girls (Eva et al., 2021, p. 7).

A significant amount of research has been devoted to the range of leadership development opportunities available to girls. This includes opportunities where girls are required to combine multiple skills in their leadership positions, and those that are instead focussed on “a specific content area” (Eva et al., 2021, p. 8). The authors particularly observed that in some areas, participation alone is not sufficient for engender the development of leadership skills. Rather, these skills must still be “intentionally taught or learned” (Ev