Mujeres en la alta direcciónun estudio sobre el liderazgo transformacional y el fenómeno del impostor

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to analyze the development of leadership skills in top executive women. The research began by examining the existing literature on leadership and gender, then studying the transformational leadership and the impostor phenomenon, establishing the relationship between both constructs through a quantitative study. Next, it was interviewed a sample of 34 Spanish female senior executives to understand how they have developed their leadership styles, considering their context, personal characteristics, and their interactions with others. Results show how all these women, no matter their personalities, have weaved a transformational leadership style, focused on the development of each individual and their teams. They have also turned the impostor phenomenon in-theory barrier into a lever to be better professionals. This study aims to contribute to the incorporation of more female talent into executive-level positions and to enhance their effectiveness as leaders. This thesis synthesizes the beginning of my adventure in the academic world after a professional career as an executive in the consumer goods industry. It has been a fascinating journey researching the slow but encouraging social change towards gender equality at the highest levels of management.