ADVANCING WOMEN IN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP:A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Women possess leadership characteristics that make them successful in a leadership role according to research. However, leadership roles of women in politics continue to encounter biases as society perceives the role of women to be incongruent with leadership. Although there has been an increase in women politicians since gender parity was achieved in November 2015, social, cultural, and financial barriers still exist. This study aims to build on previous research and explore the strategies employed by women leaders in Ontario to overcome the barriers they encounter in their leadership roles. Role congruity and social identity theories explain why these barriers exist. A qualitative method, consisting of semi-structured interviews, was used to understand the experiences of women who entered provincial politics and identify the individual and common barriers they faced. The purposeful sampling approach was used to identify experiences that raise awareness of how women overcome barriers to their participation in political leadership roles. The study provides valuable insight into the barriers that women political leaders still face, such as cultural and socioeconomic barriers. Moreover, it highlights that these barriers have not shifted over time. This research study contributes to the gap in literature outlining strategies women political leaders use to advance in politics, specifically through the development of their leadership style and empowerment.