Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/96546 
Year of Publication: 
2011
Series/Report no.: 
ESMT Working Paper No. 11-13
Publisher: 
European School of Management and Technology (ESMT), Berlin
Abstract: 
We explore the antecedents and consequences of women leaders' identity interference related to the perceived conflict between their roles as both women and leaders. Drawing on identity development and organizational demography research, we propose that leadership experience reduces women leaders' identity interference, whereas women's numerical underrepresentation in organizations exacerbates it. Moreover, we hypothesize that identity processes related to collective self-esteem - personal regard for one's collective identity and the perception of others' views of it - mediate these effects. A sample of 722 women leaders representing a diverse range of countries and industries supported our hypotheses. We also demonstrate that identity interference reduces the psychological well-being of women leaders and undermines their affective motivation to lead. In contrast, perceived conflict between leader and female identities enhances women's sense of duty to assume leadership roles. Importantly, women leaders' personal regard for their female identity buffers the detrimental effect of identity interference on life satisfaction. We discuss the implications of our results for women's advancement in organizations and the development of their identity as leaders.
Subjects: 
women leaders
identity interference
collective self-esteem
well-being
motivation to lead
leader development
organizational demography
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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