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About this brief
Looking Good and Being Good: Women Leaders in Australian Universities
Brief about:
Journal Article (2018)
Written by:
This research examines explicit and implicit ways women’s leadership bodies are gendered. I interrogate the visibility of women in leadership positions and the performance of gender.
In this article, I argue that women in senior leadership positions in universities continue to face a number of tensions and ambiguities in their everyday working lives.
Key findings
- Their physical presence, appearance, clothing, gestures, and behaviours are central to the bodily exercise of leadership.What it means
As the data presented illustrate, women’s leadership bodies and bodily performances reflect gendered institutional norms and assumptions about how leaders should look and act.
Proposed action
- Conduct unconscious bias training
This should uncover implicit bias directed related to how a person is perceived and their outer clothing.
- Understanding of organisational culture
Organisational culture change should help to address hidden and implicit messages/messaging to employers
- Organisations should commit to understanding implicit ways in which gender operates
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Acknowledgements
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Looking Good and Being Good: Women Leaders in Australian Universities
Cite this brief: Fitzgerald, Tanya. 'Looking Good and Being Good: Women Leaders in Australian Universities'. Acume. https://www.acume.org/r/looking-good-and-being-good-women-leaders-in-australian-universities/
Brief created by: Professor Tanya Fitzgerald | Year brief made: 2021
Original research:
- Fitzgerald, T., ‘Looking Good and Being Good: Women Leaders in Australian Universities’ 8(54) https://doi.org/10.3390/edusci8020054. – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324701014_Looking_Good_and_Being_Good_Women_Leaders_in_Australian_Universities/fulltext/5addf55e0f7e9b285941b37a/Looking-Good-and-Being-Good-Women-Leaders-in-Australian-Universities.pdf?_sg%5B0%5D=S_SJvrwATbqRFE-39vvbX6fcLxwHbefgEVS8NEhYfF8F84lXjgnD01IHcw1ZR0qhN8oVyqZsoA7zUkJEvS9n9w.a-5LTM_zYP1lJ0PUhTIItqOK9EEE8Hx-A_9d5NS6D3wSICBJQ2rnKOBBrT7MQDu3odv8Mr1VkgaxibVpuA-LIg&_sg%5B1%5D=5rWVZKBiugU9SeRQcgoQf4F5ceJ-P8FEV48qc81fWX-jQkDnLjakBOvBR_aQS8QIemOwEARXWFvWSPnn6crCBnu649P_3nnuCuO0RMKaz68J.a-5LTM_zYP1lJ0PUhTIItqOK9EEE8Hx-A_9d5NS6D3wSICBJQ2rnKOBBrT7MQDu3odv8Mr1VkgaxibVpuA-LIg&_iepl=
Research brief:
This research examines explicit and implicit ways women’s leadership bodies are gendered. I interrogate the visibility of women in leadership positions and the performance of gender.
In this article, I argue that women in senior leadership positions in universities continue to face a number of tensions and ambiguities in their everyday working lives.
Findings:
Their physical presence, appearance, clothing, gestures, and behaviours are central to the bodily exercise of leadership.
As the data presented illustrate, women’s leadership bodies and bodily performances reflect gendered institutional norms and assumptions about how leaders should look and act.
Advice:
Conduct unconscious bias training
- This should uncover implicit bias directed related to how a person is perceived and their outer clothing.
Understanding of organisational culture
- Organisational culture change should help to address hidden and implicit messages/messaging to employers
Organisations should commit to understanding implicit ways in which gender operates