Leadership styles of minority women administrators in US medical schools

Purpose Black and Hispanic or Latinx women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership roles in academic medicine. This study examined whether statistically significant differences exist between these groups in their use of transformational, transactional, and passive or avoidant leadership styles. The aim was to expand understanding of leadership dynamics within minority women administrators and inform more inclusive leadership development practices. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative quasi-experimental design, 131 women administrators who self-identified as Black or Hispanic or Latinx completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Form 5X. Participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to compare leadership style scores across the two groups. Findings Significant differences emerged across all three leadership styles. Hispanic or Latinx administrators reported higher transformational, transactional, and passive or avoidant leadership scores than Black administrators, with effect sizes ranging from small to large. Additional variation within the Hispanic or Latinx subgroup was also observed, particularly in transformational leadership. Originality/value This study contributes new evidence about intra-group leadership differences among minority women in academic medicine, a demographic often studied as a single category. By identifying distinct leadership patterns between Black and Hispanic or Latinx women, the research challenges assumptions of homogeneity and underscores the need for leadership development and mentoring programs that recognize the diverse experiences of women of color in academic medicine.