A Study of Women in Leadership and the Next Glass Ceiling
By Dr. Lydia Marie Johnson

My study allowed me to conclude several key points. The seven motivators that the survey explored, (a) ambition, (b) vision, (c) education, (d) integrity, (e) emotional intelligence, (f) self- efficacy/perception of their ability to lead, and (g) mentorship, were found not to be statistically significant between the two groups studied: middle and upper level women leaders. Other conclusions that can be drawn from the results of the research completed in my study can be divided into three concepts: (a) the lack of the correct motivators being offered to women; (b) the effect of financial, power, the pride factor, and the desire to make a change in the organization motivators; and (c) women who hit the new glass ceiling, moving instead, into owning their own businesses to attain the needed motivators. The women that responded to this study’s survey did not respond with statistically significant differences between the dependant variables of middle leadership positions and upper level leadership positions for multiple reasons.

One probable reason could be that women in middle level leadership were not offered the actual motivators to move them into upper level leadership. The seven motivators studied were significant to both middle and upper level women leaders. There were no statistically significant differences in the responses of the two levels of leadership. The 0.4 % of upper level leaders cited in literature may have been offered the motivators revealed by this research, including financial motivators, the ‘pride’ motivator, and the chance to make changes in the organization motivator. These upper level leaders were the women motivated to advance. This is the reason for the next glass ceiling that is being encountered by women in leadership. This next glass ceiling is the result of the lack of actual motivators that do motivate women being offered by organizations.

Secondly, early women leaders and contemporary leaders were cited in literature for seeking the rewards of financial gain, and ‘pride’ in what they were accomplishing which led to an increase of their influence and power. This was a common theme in the early and contemporary women leaders (Reese, 2001 & Jackson, 1998). Women also seek the financial gain of leadership, since they are often responsible for the care of their children. The need, or as it is often termed, ‘the motherly instinct’ to provide for their off spring is a deep-seated and essential need for women. The motivators offered by the survey respondents (a) financial rewards of upper level leadership to attain financial independence, (b) the ability to support dependants, (c) the pride factor, and (d) desire to make a change in the organization, may be the actual motivators that cause women to excel and need to be offered by organizations to women to accomplish this advancement.

The third factor has literature citing that many women, upon hitting the existing glass ceiling, choose to move away from organizations and start their own businesses. A study completed by Weiler and Bernasek (2001) noted that the openings of women-owned businesses have radically accelerated recently. They cite that these women are dodging the glass ceiling by starting their own businesses. Current estimates indicate that women own approximately 30% of the businesses in the United States and this figure is likely to rise to 50% by the year 2000 (Weiler and Bernasek, 2001). If the motivators are not offered to women, they create their own motivators in their own business. This would not be necessary for many women if organizations were aware of the motivators needed by women.