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Leadership, gender and sense-making

Grisoni, Louise; Beeby, Mick

Authors

Louise Grisoni

Mick Beeby



Abstract

This article examines the nature of sense-making processes in teams and considers the extent to which leadership as a sense-making process is impacted by gender. We conducted an in-depth inquiry into the decision-making behaviour of two single-gender teams and a third, mixed gender team, as they worked together to produce gender-specific leadership schema in an experimental setting. Our research question was, 'To what extent is leadership as a sense-making process impacted by gender?' The article reports on the design, conduct and outcomes of this research project. We found that using a meeting as part of the research method created a specific instance of a gendered organizational context exerting a dominant and directive influence on individual and collective behaviour. The current trend toward team-based leadership is likely to involve more meetings with increasing numbers of women in senior positions. This suggests to us that men and women need to be alert to the possibility that the gendered nature of meetings may be acting as a barrier to the expression of feminine forms of leadership. © 2007 The Author(s); Journal compilation © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Citation

Grisoni, L., & Beeby, M. (2007). Leadership, gender and sense-making. Gender, Work and Organization, 14(3), 191-209. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0432.2007.00339.x

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date May 1, 2007
Journal Gender, Work and Organization
Print ISSN 1468-0432
Electronic ISSN 1468-0432
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 14
Issue 3
Pages 191-209
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0432.2007.00339.x
Keywords sense-making, gender, leadership, power, teams
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1027978
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0432.2007.00339.x




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