| This dissertation is a study of a leadership subcategory---the silenced female leader. Silencing theories have evolved over the last 45 years but have not intersected with women in leadership studies to explain how silencing is a variable for female leaders. This research sought to explore the lived experience of the silenced female leader by investigating how she was silenced, who or what silenced her, and the impact on her emotion, cognition, spirit, body, and leadership when she felt silenced. How she moved to purposeful voice and voice efficacy was also explored. The approach involved a mixed methods research study using a self-silencing measurement called the Silencing the Self Scale -- Work (STSS-W). The instrument scores, along with results from four subscales, provided additional context on how she was self-silencing. The scores were correlated with findings from the rich and detailed lived experience captured in participant interviews using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), resulting in a four-quadrant typology. The findings conclude that female leaders are subject to multiple forms of system, relationship, and self-silencing. Female leaders perceive their silencers as unknowingly incessant and experience silencing by both men and women. When female leaders are silenced, all their domains are virally impacted which causes a diminished sense of agency. Women may leave their leadership positions or opt out of leadership, but these changes do not consistently bring voice recovery. Purposeful voice and voice efficacy come when women immerse themselves in community and focus on self-care. |
