THE “INTERESTING MASS” ADVANCING GENDER EQUITY: LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES IN SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS

Abstract

Studies have previously examined the construction of female leaders’ careers, yet collaboration between men and women in advancing gender equity remains less well understood. This paper expands the existing literature on gender and leadership by analyzing how female and male leaders experience and construct their careers, drawing on Career Construction Theory. The process toward gender equity is examined by accentuating the leaders’ personal experiences in their leadership roles. A qualitative study was conducted, and data was collected through semi-structured interviews with leaders and athletes of two national sports federations in Sweden and Germany. The Empirical Analysis indicated that the leaders’ passion for the sport and inner drive to develop others are crucial during career construction. The studied organizations appear to have a predominantly male-driven culture and bear demanding work conditions that impact both female and male leaders. It appears to be essential for leaders to have support, equal treatment, and inclusion to thrive and succeed. The process toward gender equity seems fragile and delicate, and the analysis indicated that the level of commitment to change and potential obstacles varies among the studied organizations. We discuss theoretical contributions to the literature on sports leadership, career construction, and gender equity. Furthermore, we provide practical implications for practitioners in sports leadership and other male-dominated organizations, along with recommendations for future research.