At the Intersection: The Influence of Race on Women’s Leadership Self-Efficacy Development
结合社会认知理论与交叉性理论,探讨种族与性别如何共同影响白人、黑人、亚裔美国女性和拉丁裔女性在生命周期中的领导自我效能感发展,并提出组织减少障碍的建议。
Leadership self-efficacy (LSE), one’s beliefs in their own ability, knowledge, and skills in leading others effectively, can play a large role in how individuals develop and perform as leaders. Understanding the dynamics of LSE growth may be particularly important when considering the development of female leaders. The institutional barriers and gender inequities experienced by women can change the trajectory of their course to leadership; however, the ways in which the course changes likely differ as a function of intersecting identities. Rather than presume all women share common leadership development opportunities and experiences, we contend that women’s LSE is informed by experiences unique to their racial and ethnic backgrounds. According to intersectionality theory, individuals are part of multiple social categories that can shape their experiences. In the current paper, we focus on how the intersection of gender and race influence the development of LSE across the life span for White, Black, Asian American women, and Latinas. Integrating social cognitive theory with intersectionality theory, we explore how gendered and racialized experiences prior to and during adulthood shape women’s leadership self-efficacy. We also discuss ways that organizations can help reduce and counteract negative consequences of barriers to LSE for different women.