Leadership, Gender, and Organizational Change: Voices of Women Leaders in Greece

Panagiota Tragantzopoulou (), Kyriaki Kourantzinou, Eleni Rizou and Aikaterini Tragantzopoulou
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Panagiota Tragantzopoulou: School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish St., London W1W 6UW, UK
Kyriaki Kourantzinou: School of Psychology, University of Derby, Kedleston Rd., Derby DE22 1GB, UK
Eleni Rizou: School of Psychology, University of Derby, Kedleston Rd., Derby DE22 1GB, UK
Aikaterini Tragantzopoulou: School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Administrative Sciences, 2025, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-23

Abstract: Despite growing evidence that diverse leadership enhances decision-making and innovation, little is known about how gendered expectations and structural barriers intersect to shape women’s leadership experiences in Greece. This qualitative study draws on semi-structured interviews with sixteen (N = 16) senior women leaders across healthcare and other professional sectors. The data are analyzed using thematic analysis to explore how participants navigate stereotypes, microaggressions, and work–life integration challenges. Findings reveal a core mechanism of gendered constraint in which structural barriers and interpersonal dynamics shape leadership enactment. These dynamics are mitigated through strategies such as mentorship, boundary setting, and inclusive practices. A central contribution of the study is the proposed Leadership Recognition and Resilience (LRR) framework, which conceptualizes the dynamic interplay between leadership purpose, recognition, and gendered constraints and highlights how adaptive strategies sustain agency, well-being, and organizational influence. The study extends role-congruity theory by introducing the concept of a glass acknowledgment ceiling, a subtle form of gendered resistance that limits recognition and authority even after women attain leadership positions. These findings underscore the importance of systemic reforms, culturally sensitive leadership development, and supportive networks to sustain women’s leadership and advance genuine gender equity in organizational contexts.

Keywords: women leaders; gender equity; organizational culture; resilience; recognition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L M M0 M1 M10 M11 M12 M14 M15 M16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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