Ledarskap & Femininitet - En kvalitativ studie av tre kvinnor i chefspositioners syn på femininitet i relation till ledarstereotyper och det egna yrkesutövandet.

Sammanfattning: This study’s purpose was to examine how 3 female managers subjectively thought about and related to femininity in relation to their leadership role. The emphasis was put on how the respondent viewed perceptions about leadership as a socially constructed concept, upon gender norms and a traditionally masculine leadership stereotype, and if, and how, they themselves consider this to have affected the way they act and relate to femininity in their working environment. The study was conducted through three semi-constructed qualitative interviews. In analyzing the result I chose to use interpretation through meaning by the use of coding by values, which I then analyzed by using theories about gender, gender roles, and stereotypes. The results of the study shows that two out of three women did not feel that gender- and femininity norms had contributed to set expectations on how they as women should act in their leadership roles compared to men, or how their behavior is interpreted and received by colleagues. Two out of three women did not feel that the male stereotypical ideal image of leaders and the qualities they are considered to possess have influenced how they relate to femininity in their professional role. The result also showed that all three respondents felt that them being, or not being, firm led to people having intense reactions in their working environment. The respondents also described more often being considered to be “soft” in their personality as managers. Based on the results I found that all of the three respondents describe some similar situations, which could indeed be a result of gender norms and stereotypes, and which fall in line with applied theories.