Leadership and Gender-Role Congruency: A Guide for Wilderness and Outdoor Practitioners

Abstract

Research in the field of psychology concerning gender and leadership (e.g., Carli, 1999; Eagly Makhijani, & Klonsky 1992; Jordan, 1991; Rojahn & Willemsen, 1994; Swim, Borgida, Maruyama, & Myers, 1989) unearths a challenging paradox for women leaders. If women assume a leadership style that is gender-role incongruent—a stereotypically “masculine” leadership style—they may receive negative evaluations from their participants. This creates particular challenges in outdoor and wilderness contexts where leaders need to be able to employ a variety of leadership methods. So what choices do women have in developing a successful leadership style? How can male and female leaders address gender-role expectations in their programs? Outdoor and wilderness leaders can break down gender-role expectations by identifying their leadership styles and internalized gender biases, creating awareness in colleagues of gender-role expectations, and mentoring program participants in becoming effective leaders.