Leadership and the Intersecting Influences of Gender and Culture

This chapter reports a study of the experiences and practices of a group of ethnic Chinese women in the UK who are in organisational leadership positions. The findings include that despite their leadership roles, participants inconsistently reported a leadership identity. In addition, natal Chinese culture and being a woman both appeared to influence their leadership practice. Modesty, conflict avoidance, and collectivist values were all identified as cultural and gendered influences on their leadership behaviours and were described as disadvantageous by some. Despite this, these influences resonate with person-orientation and emotional intelligence, and indeed, the women reported leadership that was effective and value-adding. Nevertheless, migrant status also appeared to modify behaviours as the women adapted to organisational and cultural expectations in the new country. By exploring the intersection of gender, culture, and migrant status in the experiences of being a leader, this chapter contributes to the body of knowledge on leadership and diversity and the implications of organisational development and support.