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Minding the gender gap: self-efficacy and women senior leadership roles in banking

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Minding the gender gap: self-efficacy and women senior leadership roles in banking

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Content Minding the Gender Gap: Self-Efficacy and Women Senior Leadership Roles in Banking
by
Devon Michelle Bray
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education
August 2024

©Copyright by Devon Michelle Bray 2024
All Rights Reserved

Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the promotion and hiring practices at one
large regional bank, Grand Bank (GB) and the company’s ability to promote up-and-coming
women talent (middle managers) to help close the gender gap. The study examined the literature
and three research questions identified the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences
that impact the women at the bank as they progress through the talent pipeline. The study aligned
with the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis and the conceptual framework aligned to
self-efficacy, organizational strategies, and the personal and societal experiences of the
participants to explore the potential reasons for the lack of women in senior leadership. The
results and findings revealed three primary themes: (1) GB has motivated and able women that
are, or could be, ready for advancement but do not feel ability is enough to provide the path
forward as gender biases, sexual harassment, and gender discrimination have intervened in their
career path forward; (2) it is unclear what resources and support is available to advance and gain
access to senior level roles at GB; (3) while motherhood, caring for the home, and cultural
influences may have shaped their upbringing and contributed to hesitancies in advancement and
initial career choices, most members expressed that had they received support, mentorship, and
an understanding of more flexible work arrangements, they would be more likely to pursue the
next opportunity. The results and recommendations from this examination are based on the New
World Kirkpatrick model for the creation of retention and hiring tools that can be leveraged
within the banking segment for organizations seeking to help close their gender gap.

Dedication
There is a heartbeat heard beneath all of the noise. There is an invisible string that binds us to our
call and our purpose. To those that listen, that hold on tight, and then fight with all their might to
rise up – despite the odds, despite the plunges down, despite the darkest days – as many times as
it takes. This is dedicated to all of those that truly try to make this little world we call life…a
little bit better and brighter.

Acknowledgments
There are theories of how we can improve the world we live in. Then there are
practitioners who get in there and actually do it. For me, Dr. Lawrence Picus, Dr. Eric Canny,
and Dr. Doug Lynch embody what it means to make a difference. Thank you for leading me
through a process that taught me to turn it inside out, to stretch, risk, and fail good. Really good.
From a pandemic, to life changes, sickness, career shifts, and nearly 5 years of support,
inspiration, and belief in my potential has shaped my journey ahead with incredible confidence
and belief. I would not have arrived at this moment without you.
To my incredible Cohort 16 who throughout the years continued to ping, inspire,
check-in, and motivate until I crossed the finish line. I will forever be grateful for the incredible
moments of learning, for the heartfelt care, and the unbelievable friendships that forged a
lifelong connection.
To my world of banking, I did not anticipate that you would play the role you do. But,
you have taken my oxygen and my life, then gave it back to me in ways I could never have
known or expected exceeding all of my dreams. You have given me my best days and my worst,
promotions and platforms, and have blessed me with a story that rivals that of a New York Times
bestseller. And while writing and laboring over this dissertation, the brave voices of the women
came through with a cry that ensured I finished this work. Thank you.
To my dear friends and family, thank you for loving me through it all. You saw me at my
lowest and my highest and whether it was a move, a shift, a change, a slip, or a fall – you never
left my side. Thank you for instilling in me the faith and light, even when I couldn’t feel it or see
it.

To my daughter Andalyn, being your mom is my greatest adventure and my most sacred
blessing. You prove to me that life is miraculous. Life is worth the dream. You courageously
embarked on this journey with me. You saw my fire and tenacity, but you also saw my struggle
and my insecurities. You never let me get away with my perfected art of procrastination, with
your gentle yet not-so-subtle pushes, “Are you working on your dissertation tonight?” Thank you
for loving me and being my person throughout it all. I love you to the moon, stars, and beyond.
Thank you for taking the leap with me – I think we have landed my love. Really well.
Now it is time to fly and fight on. Always.

Table of Contents
Chapter One: Overview of the Study...............................................................................................1
Related Literature.......................................................................................................................1
Organizational Context and Background of the Problem.......................................................... 4
Organizational Stakeholders and Performance Goal................................................................. 6
Importance of the Study.............................................................................................................7
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions.........................................................................7
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology........................................................... 8
Definitions................................................................................................................................10
Organization of the Dissertation.............................................................................................. 11
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature......................................................................................... 12
Introduction..............................................................................................................................12
Influences on the Problem of Practice: Gender Inequality in Leadership Roles..................... 13
Context of Financial Services Industry: The Broken Rung.....................................................13
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Factors..........................................21
Summary and Conclusion........................................................................................................31
Chapter Three: Methodology.........................................................................................................33
Research Questions..................................................................................................................33
Overview of the Design........................................................................................................... 33
Research Setting.......................................................................................................................34
Data Collection Procedures......................................................................................................41
Data Analysis...........................................................................................................................42
Validity and Reliability............................................................................................................ 42
Ethics........................................................................................................................................43
Chapter Four: Findings.................................................................................................................. 45
Participants...............................................................................................................................45
Findings................................................................................................................................... 47
Chapter Five: Discussion............................................................................................................... 80
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Framework.......................................................... 81
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations.................................................................... 82
Level Review and Evaluation.................................................................................................. 86
Summary................................................................................................................................100
Recommendations for Future Research.................................................................................101
Conclusion............................................................................................................................. 102
Resources..................................................................................................................................... 104
Appendix A: Asynchronous Immediate Evaluation Instrument (L2-L1).................................... 118
Appendix B: Synchronous Immediate Evaluation Instrument (L2-L1)...................................... 121
Appendix C: Delayed-Blended Instrument (L4, L3, L2, L1)...................................................... 123

List of Tables
Table 1: Gender Composition of GB Employees vs Total Banking Industry (FI) Employees by
Fiscal Year 6
Table 2: Knowledge Influences, Types, and Assessment for Knowledge Gap Analysis 24
Table 3: Assumed Motivational Influence and Motivational Influence Assessments 27
Table 4: Organizational Influences and Organizational Influence Assessments 30
Table 5: Interview Questions for the Participants 37
Table 6: Participant Demographics 46
Table 7: Summary of Findings with Embedded Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational
Influences 77
Table 8: Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes 87
Table 9: Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for HR 89
Table 10: Required Drivers to Support HRs’ Critical Behaviors 90
Table 11: Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program 96
Table 12: Components to Measure Reactions to the Program 97
Table 13: Possible Key Performance Indicators for Internal Reporting and Accountability 99

List of Figures
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework 10
Figure 2: Example of KPI Dashboard Representation 100

Chapter One: Overview of the Study
Currently there is an organizational problem of gender inequality in the banking industry.
Research in gender gaps confirms that while women make up a little more than 50% of the
banking workforce, only 22% hold senior leadership roles, and fewer than one in five hold
positions in the financial C-suite (Chin et al., 2018; Ellingrud et al., 2021). While more than 90%
of financial-services companies pledge their commitment to gender diversity, women lose their
ground to their male peers at every stage of their advancement path (Chin et al., 2018). This
problem is important to address because gender diversity, especially at the leadership level, has
been linked to increased engagement, retention, and profitability (O’Connor & Crowley-Henry,
2019; Shuck et al., 2016).
The purpose of this study is to examine the promotion and hiring practices at one large
regional bank and the company’s ability to promote up-and-coming women talent (middle
managers) to help close the gender gap. The findings and recommendations from this
examination provide a guide for the creation of new retention and hiring programs that can be
leveraged within the banking segment for organizations collaborating with their Human
Resources (HR) teams to improve their women to men ratios. This chapter explores the related
literature, the organizational context and background of the problem, the importance of the
problem, and the theoretical Framework and methodology that was used.
Related Literature
The history of women’s participation in the labor force is notably shorter than that of men
and consists of a complicated narrative affected by a woman’s role in the family, discrimination,
an evolving economy, and even their own choices (Thornton, 2020). While the gap in the United
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States between the number of women and men in the workforce has closed over the years, only
29% of women hold senior management roles (Thornton, 2020). Surawicz (2016), purports that
both the “glass ceiling,” the invisible barriers to advancement and a lack of leadership
self-efficacy, along with the “leaky pipeline or broken rung,” the loss of women along the way to
promotions, contribute to the roadblocks of leadership success. Ultimately, repetitive experiences
with discrimination, gender stereotypes, and a lack of resources within an organization may
cause women to feel less motivated and lose the desire to achieve goals and contribute to the
organization (Davies et al., 2017).
The research found that women are more likely to take time off for family and childcare,
are less social about their work, do not network as frequently, and are less willing to take on
challenging tasks until they feel capable to perform (Albert Bandura et al., 1999; Hartman &
Barber, 2019). These findings suggest that the gendered substructure supports how male
dominance persists despite gender equity policies. As a result women continue to be
underrepresented in senior leadership roles.
Currently, State and Federal Civil Rights Laws are the primary bumper guards to help
propel the proper protection and action against gender discrimination including Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA),
the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and Title I of the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). For example, The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a thorough
effort to prohibit discrimination in areas such as public accommodations, education, and
employment (Davaki, 2012). Specifically, Title VII prohibits an employer’s discrimination
against individuals regarding “hiring, promotion or demotion, transfer, firing, discipline,
compensation, pay, leave, benefits, and the general terms, conditions, or privileges of
2

employment, because of race, color, religion, sex or national origin” (Davaki, 2012). However,
according to Wheelan (2019) the government allocates resources wherever the political process
sends them, but does not necessarily have resources or processes to manage it.
The Supreme Court has addressed gender discrimination, most typically in the form and
context of sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination. For example, statistics released in
February 2021 by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commision (EEOC) on the number
of discrimination charges received in 2020 raise serious concerns about the perseverance of
on-the-job discrimination especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. EEOC Chair, Charlotte
A. Burrows highlights that the pandemic made life more difficult for the workers stating that the
disproportionate impact had been significant specifically for women and minorities and that the
implications will be long-lasting (EEOC Releases Fiscal Year 2020 Enforcement and Litigation
Data, n.d.). In fact, of charges filed regarding sex, race, and retaliation comprised over 80% of
the charges filed and the highest ever number, an 18% increase since 2010 (EEOC, 2021). Apart
from confirming the persistence of sex discrimination in the workplace, data indicates that the
combination of gender, race, and ethnicity is important in understanding how different groups of
women are treated in employment (Davaki, 2012).
Further, Wheelan (2019) indicates even if the government has an important role to play
such as building roads, bridges, and policy, it does not mean that the government will actually do
the work. Therefore, to help support State and Federal Laws standard corporate diversity
“one-size-fits-all” training campaigns are the primary go-to solution to promote gender equality.
Annual “check-the-box” self-led videos and web-based trainings are the required tick-mark
indicating that a company provides the education and resources for an equitable and inclusive
gender-bias free corporate culture. However, according to Rawski & Conroy (2020), instead of
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promoting inclusion, these types of training actually segregate and create severe gaps of
separation among teams, lines of business, and ultimately prevent equal opportunities for women
and minorities to advance. These broad-based training avenues are current gaps in the banking
corporate model that, if only applied without real-life application and active integration plans,
erodes productivity, connectivity, and ultimately, effect job satisfaction (Rawski & Conroy,
2020).
According to a 2016 study nearly all Fortune 500 companies and two-thirds of colleges
and universities reported diversity training, and yet data dating back to the 1930s suggest that
anti-bias training does not reduce bias, alter behavior, or change the workplace (Lai et al., 2016).
In alignment with the research, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within the banking sector
is HR centric with a focus on token diverse representation and recruitment. According to Powell
et al. 's (2019) research, the researchers indicate building leadership and scholarship early with
leaders and with a hands-on approach is critical for improving diversity and inclusion. A broad
HR hiring “expectation” and a video are not sufficient tools leaders need to develop a highly
engaged and inclusive team with the efficacy to be able to support the advancement of women in
their careers and build a talent pipeline.
Organizational Context and Background of the Problem
Grand Bank (GB, a pseudonym) is a regional bank on the east coast of the United States.
The mission of GB is to be a distinguished partner in serving customers, businesses, and
communities with extraordinary service. Additionally, GB places significant emphasis on
providing a diverse and safe place to work with equitable opportunities for career growth for its
employees. GB specializes in consumer banking products with mortgages, personal lending,
deposits, and commercial and wealth solutions with a growing focus on small business products
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and resources. The majority of the workforce is represented by client-facing roles at branches
that primarily focus on deepening and retaining current bank household relationships while
simultaneously working to acquire new consumer and small business households. With
approximately 6,500 employees and 500 branches, approximately 54% of women within the
branch level staff hold titles VP and lower. Women that are outside of the branch represent less
than 19% of the workforce and only 4% hold C-level positions (GB HR Internal Annual Report).
Table 1 provides the gender percentages by role collected by fiscal year for FY20, FY21,
and FY22 from financial institutions as reported by McKinsey when compared to GB
percentages. The data show the alignment and opportunity when compared to the rest of the
Financial Services Industry. While GB exceeds with 54% of their workforce being comprised of
women, GB falls slightly below the average with women who hold a SVP title or higher, but is
well behind the curve as it relates to women who hold a C-suite role at GB with only 14% vs
19% (Chin et al., 2018; Ellingrud et al., 2021). The data shows that women in the financial
segment experience a “broken rung” at the initial leap from entry level to manager where men
are still more likely to be promoted (Burns et al., 2020). The concept of the broken rung indicates
a long-term negative impact on a woman being able to navigate and land amid the talent pipeline
for future opportunities.
5

Table 1
Male to Female Distribution of GB Employees vs Banking Industry (FI) Employees
Total % of Women Employees Per Position:
GB vs Banking Industry (FI)
FY20 FY21 FY22
Employees GB FI GB FI GB FI
Women employees with VP
title (Middle Manager) or
lower
52% 50% 54% 51% 54% 51%
Women employees with title
SVP or higher 17% 20% 18% 20% 18% 21%
Women C-suite title 14% 18% 14% 18% 14% 19%
Organizational Stakeholders and Performance Goal
The primary organizational stakeholder are the emerging women leaders in middle
management (MM) that hold a VP title or less at GB. GB asserts they have the tools, resources,
and support to build a strong pool of women leaders. However, since GB lags behind other
financial institutions, understanding the gaps from the perspective of the women employees will
help to create awareness and a road map for improving the process.
The specific epistemological accountability consideration internal to GB for choosing this
stakeholder in this relationship is that HR needs to become the “director” and it is necessary that
6

leadership represent the “provider” to ensure equitable outcomes and targets are met. The
specific ontological consideration for HR as the director is based on the original mission
statement of GB to care for and empower employees.
Ultimately, the stakeholder specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based
(SMART) goal for GB is that by 2026, women leadership with roles SVP or higher will increase
from 18% to 35% as a result of new career pathing tools, resources, and training. The goal for
the organization is to have a target of promoting women at least 35% of the time to ensure
outcomes are met.
Importance of the Study
It is important to evaluate GB’s women employees who hold a VP title (i.e. middle
managers (MM)) to increase the number of women promoted to SVP. The company is committed
to supplying new resources, improving policies, and creating new training to achieve the goal of
hiring more women in SVP roles.. The outcome of this study provides crucial intel in building
this road map and will help align budgetary plans with the ultimate purpose of helping to close
the gender gap.
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions
The purpose of this project is to study GB’s process for talent building, retention, and
promotion of MM women to close the gender gap at their organization and set an example to
help solve the larger problem found consistently in other financial services organizations. The
analysis focuses on the tools and resources available to the women in the area of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources. Therefore, the research questions informed by the
theory of Self-Efficacy to further explore ways women experience motivation to achieve goals
within the organization include the following:
7

(1) What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational barriers that impede a
woman to strive for, and achieve a leadership position at GB?
(2) What organizational strategies could be implemented earlier in a woman’s tenure to
promote successful advancement at GB?
(3) How do the personal and societal experiences of women influence their motivation to
achieve a promotion or success?
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology
The primary theory to explore a lack of women in SVP roles or higher within GB’s
financial institution is to leverage the seminal work of Bandura’s theory of Self-Efficacy (1977).
Self-Efficacy Theory is based on an individual’s belief that their actions will influence the
outcome of a situation directly relates to the effort they put in (Bandura, 1986). The theory
asserts that an individual has the capacity to overcome a negative experience through a series of
positive experiences, thereby neutralizing the impact of the aversive experience (Bandura, 2005).
Bandura’s (1986) research indicates that motivated individuals have strong self-efficacy
and factors within an organization that affect its capacity for change involve streamlined
processes that enhance employee motivation and engagement (Clark & Estes, 2008). The
organizational culture, whether positive or negative, is the method employees employ to
collaborate in reaching the core objectives of the organization (Clark & Estes, 2008). Ultimately,
repetitive experiences with discrimination, gender stereotypes, and a lack of resources within an
organization may cause women to feel less motivated and lose the desire to achieve goals and
contribute to the organization (Davies et al., 2017).
Lastly, Clark and Estes’s (2008) gap analysis was adapted to the study as the
methodology and conceptual framework. The primary source of data collection was with women
8

MM with a VP title or lower at GB. The study examined the women’s resources and needs in the
areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources. Figure 1 below displays the
conceptual framework of the KMO study and illustrates how the experiences of the women
determine the potential outcome of whether they get promoted or not. Ultimately, to better
explore this organizational problem the paradigm frame will be built through a lens of
constructivism. Through constructivism it is assumed that individuals are seeking to make sense
of their work and lives through complex and subjective views (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
Through this frame the study is seeking to better understand the platform a participant views
their experience with open-ended questions as it pertains to the “why” (Creswell & Creswell,
2018). For example, it will be important to discover if women perceive various organizational
barriers as well as personal life occurrences such as child birth, that affect the outcome of their
success. Additionally, it will be important to recognize how women have constructed and
interpreted their meanings as it relates to the world by both being in corporate America and in
banking with men acknowledged to be at the helm.
9

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework
Definitions
The key concepts for this study include self-efficacy, motivation, and employee
engagement within the organizational culture for middle managers. The definitions are as
follows:
Self-Efficacy Theory (SET): relies on the convictions and beliefs of an individual that their efforts
will influence the results of the situation, which is directly related to the amount of work they
exert (Bandura, 1977).
Motivation: can be defined as “an internal state of condition (sometimes described as a need,
desire, or want) that serves to activate or energize behavior and give it direction” (Huitt, 2011).
Organizational Culture: reflects an invisible life of an organization that deeply affects the
employees and the outcomes of the organization. It is a combination of shared values, beliefs
both internally and externally (such as societal cultures or industry norms) that interact with the
company’s people to produce behavioral norms (Bellot, 2011; Kwantes, 2015; Uttal, 1983).
10

Broken Rung: considered as the invisible barriers that contribute to the “leaky pipeline or broken
rung” that result in the loss of women along the way to promotions.
Middle Management (MM): managers that hold a VP title and do not hold a senior management
(SM) role or Senior Vice President title or greater.
Organization of the Dissertation
There are five chapters leveraged to organize this dissertation and study. This first chapter
provided the reader with an outline about the problem of the gender gap currently facing the
banking services industry and specifically at GB. Specifically, the chapter introduced the existing
literature, the mission and goal of increasing the number of women into their SVP roles or higher
at GB. Chapter 2 offers an overview of existing literature regarding the potential factors
contributing to the gender gap issue. Chapter 3 outlines the interview procedures utilized in the
study, along with data collection and analysis methods. Chapter 4 discusses the findings from the
gathered data and Chapter 5 introduces recommendations along with a framework for assessing
how these recommendations will be put into action.
11

Chapter Two: Review of the Literature
Introduction
This chapter analyzes existing research and highlights several factors that affect the
development of emerging female talent at GB, emphasizing the importance of supporting women
in their advancement to senior leadership roles. Over 100 years of research supports that
organizational success relies on leaders (Northouse, 2015) and that gender diversity in upper
management leads to new opportunities, greater innovation and creativity, diverse perspectives,
and even increased revenue (Barsh & Yee, 2012; Hartman & Barber, 2019; Shipman & Kay,
2009). Specifically, the need to increase women leadership in banks has been identified as a
critical opportunity in light of the 2008 financial crisis (Kirk & Gwin, 2009). Financial firms are
male-dominated and research suggests that this may have even contributed to the recent
deficiency and regrettable performance of banks (Adams & Funk, 2012; Kirk & Gwin, 2009;
Morris et al., 2009). For women, Barsh and Yee’s (2012) research found that efficiency and
improvement at the workplace carries more importance for women, including their ability to
demonstrate resilience during times of hardship.
Given the crucial role the financial service industry plays in economic growth (Beck &
Maimbo, 2012; Levine, 2005), inequitable representation of gender talent in management roles
within financial organizations can be costly not only to the company, but society as a whole
(Adams & Kirchmaier, 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the knowledge,
motivation, and organizational factors of the women in the pipeline as they navigate and prepare
to grow with GB. The initial section highlights the context of the issue, addressing the
12

fundamental obstacles that the women encounter as they prepare for the next step in their career
beyond a VP title. The Clark and Estes (2008) knowledge, motivation, and organization
framework is used as the fundamental platform for exploring the gender gap.
Influences on the Problem of Practice: Gender Inequality in Leadership Roles
Gender inequality is a problem that places women at a disadvantage ultimately affecting
economic growth and societal advancement (Belingheri et al., 2021; Choi, 2019). The small
proportion of women who have achieved the intended benchmark of senior managerial positions
indicates the existence of barriers, including concepts like the “glass ceiling” (Ramezani et al.,
2021). The term “glass ceiling” was first introduced in 1984 by Gay Bryant in Working Woman
magazine then adapted by the Wall Street Journal in 1986 and 1987 to describe the barriers and
obstacles that are not always obvious within an organization that prevent qualified women from
advancing (Barreto, 2009; Boyd, 2008; Ramenzani et al., 2021). However, for the purpose of this
study, the primary focus will tackle the gender imbalance at the initial promotion into
management and will be referred to as the “broken-rung,” the first step required for a woman to
be a part of the talent pipeline to then burst through the glass ceiling (Burns et al., 2020;
Fuhrmans, 2019).
Context of Financial Services Industry: The Broken Rung
The underrepresentation of women in the financial services industry is a long and
multifaceted issue. This section analyzes the talent advancement process and societal influences
based on gender as they relate to knowledge, motivation, and organizational challenges emerging
women talent encounter in the banking industry. The “broken rung” occurs as women make their
first attempt to more complex manager roles. Research indicates that since 2016 women are
13

promoted to manager at far lower rates than men, which in effect causes for a weak foundation
for sustained progress at more senior levels (Burns et al., 2021).
There are two primary effects that influence and cause the broken rung including
organizational influences and personal/societal influences that contribute to an organizational
culture (Burns et al., 2021; Guy, 2020; Saleh & Zinman, 2019). Organizational influences
includes gender discrimination (Eagly & Kite, 1987; Eagly et al., 2000; von Hippel et al., 2015),
lack of leadership training (Brown, 2012; Hand et al., 1973; Latham & Saari, 1979; Noe &
Schmitt, 1986; Surawicz, 2016), and a lack of mentorship and networking opportunities
(Fuhrmans, 2019; Sandberg, 2013; Singh et al., 2006). Personal and societal influences include
life changes such as having a baby, her educational choices and background, and economic
pressures (Addati et al., 2018; Mainiero & Sullivan, 2005; Power, 2020). Lastly, any
combination of these influences combined with the woman’s own motivation and self-efficacy
contribute to the small number of women that are achieving senior level promotions in the
banking industry (Maqsood et al., 2021).
Organizational Influence: Gender Discrimination
Gender discrimination that takes place within an organization can take place for both men
and women. According to Fiske’s (1985) research, stereotypes about both genders can happen
easily and be automatically initiated. Therefore, differences between expectations about women
(i.e., the women gender role) and expectations about leaders (i.e., leader roles) could be the cause
for prejudice against women leaders (Burgess & Borgida, 1999; Heilman, 2001; Kunda &
Spencer, 2003). This explanation, based on Eagly’s (1987) social role theory of sex differences
and similarities in social behavior (Eagly et al., 2000) in addition to sex differences related to
leadership, organizational environments are themselves gendered, also affect leadership
14

development efforts (O’Neil et al., 2008). Organizations, particularly those that are
male-dominated, like banks, are not gender-neutral; they reflect environments where women’s
production and actions are evaluated differently from men’s (Heilman et al., 1995; O’Neil et al.,
2008).
For example, in a study by von Hippel et al., (2015) they surveyed 512 women working
in the banking service industry. The survey explored their work environment, their well-being at
work, and whether they would recommend the banking industry to other younger women.
Results indicated the extent to which women experienced gender discrimination threat in their
environment, low value of their well-being, and were less likely to recommend their industry.
For women to be considered as instrumentally competent as men, perceivers must be given clear
evidence of women's greater ability or superior performance compared to their male counterparts
(Biernat & Kobrynowicz, 1997; Foschi, 1996; Shackelford et al., 1996; Wood & Karten, 1986).
Research tradition demonstrates that members who are in the community minority tend to be
perceived as characteristic of their group (Abrams et al., 1990; Taylor et al., 1978). It is not until
women reach a ‘‘critical mass’’ that they are less likely to be perceived and treated as inferior to
men (Kanter, 1977; Torchia et al., 2011).
Organizational Influence: Lack of Leadership Training Programs
Leadership training and programs are needed in organizations to help attract, identify,
retain, and promote women talent (Claire et al., 2005; Hand et al., 1973; Latham & Saari, 1979;
Noe & Schmitt, 1986; Surawicz, 2016). Kanter’s (1977) theory of tokenism identifies that
underrepresented individuals at the senior ranks (i.e., women in senior leadership roles) of an
organization require strategies for success. Given that women face distinct challenges in
leadership, often not identified by others, it is necessary that leadership development strategies
15

are progressive to meet their needs. Research has also determined that effective leadership
training programs record 7%–18% improvement in leader-related outcomes (Hand, et al., 1973;
Latham & Saari, 1979; Noe & Schmitt, 1986; O’Neil et al., 2008) with motivation to learn being
a key to growth (Adler & Gundersen, 2001; Bezrukova et al., 2012; Boyatzis et al., 2005).
Organizational Influence: Lack of Mentorship/Coaching and Exclusion from Networks
A lack of access to organizational networks is increasingly seen as a barrier for women to
reach the top (Burkinshaw, 2019; Catalyst, 2000; Ragins & Cotton, 1999), and as a result many
organizations support corporate networks for women (Choi, 2019). Networking can be defined as
the coming together of like-minded people for the purposes of connection, friendship, and
support (Singh et al., 2006; Vinnicombe & Colwill, 1995). Additionally, diverse mentorship
relationships build and drive career development (Choi, 2019; Higgins & Kram, 2001; Ragins &
Cotton, 1999; Ragins & Kram, 2007). The research reported by Choi (2019) indicated that
women receive less mentoring than their male peers with more men receiving informal
mentorship and networking opportunities and seek it out more than women.
Next, coaching is also seen as a strong value for women's success within an organization.
According to research completed by Mainiero and Sullivan (2005) concluded that women face
many life roles with an emphasis on change and balance that will fluctuate during the early,
middle, and later stages of their careers. As a result, women require different coaching focuses to
help with work-life balance to maintain confidence for handling both personal and professional
attributes (Fuhrmans, 2019). For example, a 3,000-person biotech firm in San Rafael, California
launched a pilot with a web and mobile platform that provided video-session coaching, with 51
participants, 28 of them women. Since then, 35% of the women and 14% of the men have moved
up into new jobs (Fuhrmans, 2019).
16

Personal/Societal Influences: Familial Role, Education, and Economic Conditions
Although the gender ratio in banking and banking has changed significantly over the past
40 years, with women now composing more than 50% of banking graduates, the proportion of
women in the profession declines rapidly with seniority (Griffin, 2019; Soares, 2003). At various
points throughout their careers, women face social and workplace norms that require them to
balance above and beyond if they want to succeed in upper management roles (Borisova &
Sterkhova, 2012; Eagly et al., 2007; Hewlett et al., 2005). Placing a priority on their family life
may cause women to pause their work life, a decision that often places their leadership
aspirations in jeopardy (Eagly et al., 2007; Hewlett & Luce, 2005). For example, women with
family responsibilities that have to miss an evening informal networking or social event where
work-related outcomes (e.g., receiving intel or learning first-hand about career opportunities)
puts the woman at a serious disadvantage (Singh et al., 2006).
Economically, research has determined that globally, women and girls are responsible for
75% of domestic work and that on average per day a woman performs 4 hours and 25 minutes of
unpaid care work compared to 1 hour and 23 minutes for men (Pozzan & Cattaneo, 2020; Power,
2020). As a result, women are perceived as inferior employees because of perceptions that they
are less committed to their careers and more focused on their families which could impact their
motivation to take the next step in their career and adhere to social norms or expectations
(Correll et al., 2007; von Hippel, 2015). Additionally, current research in light of the COVID-19
pandemic found that its impact on gender equality both during the downturn and recovery has
had a severe effect on women’s employment versus men’s employment (Alon et al., 2020).
Compared to other recessions, the COVID-19 crisis increased the care burden of women
disproportionately (Hamel & Salganicoff, 2020). The additional caring responsibilities forced
17

more women to either reduce their workload, refrain from a promotion, or even temporarily
leave the workforce which puts the talent pipelines even more in jeopardy than they were before
at financial organizations (Power, 2020).
Connection Between Self-Efficacy and the Gender Gap for Leadership Roles
Leveraging the seminal work of Albert Bandura (1977), Self-Efficacy Theory centers on
the idea that a person’s conviction in their ability to influence the outcome of a situation is
closely linked to the amount of effort they put forth. This body of work, which featured two
thousand published studies examining the role of self-efficacies, proved foundational since the
seminal article by Gist (1987) further brought to light the organizational impact of self-efficacy.
Additionally, the theory asserts that an individual within an organization can overcome a
negative experience through a series of positive experiences, thereby neutralizing the impact of
the aversive experience (Bandura, 2005). For example, Bandura exerts that supervisors may
develop an individual’s leadership self-efficacy (LSE) through verbal persuasion and coaching
(1986). LSE has been shown to predict leadership behavior, demonstrate an increase in
leadership positions, and provide higher ratings of leader performance (Keating et al., 2014;
McCormick et al., 2002). Therefore, leadership self-efficacy and leadership performance are
closely connected as personal efficacy influences the goals people choose and their aspirations
(McCormick et al., 2002).
Another important distinction made in the research to define self-efficacy is the
importance of identifying the difference between self-confidence and self-efficacy.
Self-confidence is a sense of competence that is closely aligned with a personal trait, while
self-efficacy is a personal belief and social cognition that is subject to change (Bass, 1990; Ilgen
& Hollenbeck, 1991; McCormick, 2002). While one may assert confidence in the ability to lead,
18

research determines that leadership self-efficacy is highly correlated to the frequency to which a
person would attempt a leadership role if the opportunity became available (Stajkovic &
Luthans, 1998; McCormick, 2002). Lastly, it is critical to note that differences exist among
women and men in their approach to their careers. Bandura et al. (1999) asserts that specifically
women have a lower sense of self-efficacy toward mastering the requirements and functions of
jobs mostly held by men. As women continue to face unprecedented challenges in the quickly
and ever-changing internal and external environments of the banking-sector, the
self-conceptualization and development of leadership capabilities in organizations is essential to
research to help address the gap of gender leadership inequality.
According to Surawicz (2016), her research supports that while there has been an
increase in women in medical schools, still less than 21% have achieved senior level roles in
academic medicine as full professor, and only 16% of medical deans are women. Surawicz
purports that both the “glass ceiling,” the invisible barriers to advancement and a lack of
leadership self-efficacy, and the “leaky pipeline,” the loss of women along the way to promotions
contribute to the roadblocks to leadership success. Ultimately, repetitive experiences with
discrimination, gender stereotypes, and a lack of resources within an organization may cause
women to feel less motivated and lose the desire to achieve goals and contribute to the
organization (Davies et al., 2017). Therefore, Hartman and Barber’s (2019) research which
leveraged online surveys and noted the response of 182 respondents found that women’s
perceived social constructs of career growth, lack of access to mentorship and networking, and
differences in career advancement approaches drove the largest gender gaps. For example, men’s
leadership aspirations related to group relationships are self-construal and seek out high-visibility
projects regardless of capability (Hartman & Barber, 2019). Conversely, women’s leadership
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self-efficacy is much lower. The research determined that women are more likely to take time off
for family and childcare, are less social about their work and do not network as frequently, and
are less willing to take on challenging tasks until they feel capable to perform (Bandura et al.,
1999; Hartman & Barber, 2019). These findings suggest that the gendered substructure supports
how male dominance persists despite gender equity policies and women continue to be
underrepresented in senior leadership roles.
Lastly, research also suggests the importance of self-efficacy on leadership to improve the
quality of leadership in an organization (McCormick et al., 2002; Stajkovic & Luthans, 1998).
Therefore, it is critical to develop a women’s leadership self-efficacy early in their career to help
them to become more certain about their competencies and skills to assure her of her ability to
lead (Northouse, 2015). In the research conducted by (Aarts & Ali, 2017), they surveyed 128
leaders within the Ethiopian banking industry. To measure leadership self-efficacy, leaders were
asked to rate their self-efficacy based on a 100-point measurement scale by Bandura (2006)
ranging between 0 - cannot do, 50 - moderately can do, and 100 - highly can do. The results in
Aarts and Ali’s research indicated a strong correlation between gender and self-efficacy in
leadership. Further, Aarts and Ali (2017) reports that leaders and organizations have overlooked
the crucial intervening process that could encourage more social modeling, verbal
encouragement, and developmental performance appraisals to support women in their career
growth. These results correlate strongly with others in that women typically report lower
self-confidence than their male colleagues (Bandura et al., 2001; McCormick, 2002; Stajkovic &
Luthans, 1998).
20

Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Factors
This second section examines the obstacles organizations face in advancing and retaining
women in banking, utilizing the knowledge, motivation, and organization (KMO) theory from
Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework.
Knowledge Influences
This section emphasizes knowledge-based influences starting with a definition of the four
categories of knowledge and subsequently how each category connects to the stakeholder
objective of increasing the promotion of women to SVP or higher at GB. The women MM at GB
need to have the necessary knowledge of how to navigate the corporate structure, understand the
job, and be able to apply their understanding of the role to be eligible for the next step.
Specifically, knowledge “involves the recall of specifics and universals, the recall of methods
and processes, or the recall of a pattern, structure, or setting” (Bloom,1956, p. 201). In order to
understand the types of knowledge, Benjamin Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy of educational
objectives will be used. The revised taxonomy classifies the four typologies into three categories:
declarative (includes factual and conceptual knowledge), procedural, and the newest addition,
metacognitive (Amer, 2006; Krathwohl, 2002; Pintrich, 2003).
Factual knowledge. Factual knowledge is characterized as declarative and refers to the
knowledge of facts and basic terminology to be able to solve a problem. It will also include
knowledge of specific details and elements (Armstrong, 2016; Krathwohl, 2002).
Knowledge influence 1: GB Women MM know the job and can do the job they
recognize as the next step to advance in their career. The first knowledge influence which
impacts women MM at GB to be able to advance in her career, requires her to know the basic
functions and expectations of the job that would be obtained. This level of knowledge would be
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considered as factual knowledge. This would likely be considered her career path and much of
the empirical research on managerial careers has adopted a traditional view which emphasizes
the notion of a linear career path (Eddleston et al., 2004; Russell et al., 1989; Schein, 2010). The
linear career path denotes as one climbs the hierarchical ladder, it is most often in a single
organization (Eddleston et al., 2004; Russell et al., 1989; Schein, 2010). Factors that could
interrupt this knowledge influence could include hidden career ladders or curricula, a toxic
culture, or even inaccessible leadership pipelines (Alli et al., 2021; Butkus et al., 2018). Having
the knowledge about the roles that are available is necessary to help align clear objectives for up
and coming women talent.
Conceptual knowledge. Conceptual knowledge is characterized as declarative
knowledge as well, and refers to the relationship between concepts and information. It also
includes knowledge of classification and categories, principles and generalizations, models, and
structures (Armstrong, 2016; Krathwohl, 2002).
Knowledge influence 2: GB Women MM know how to connect their skills to the
opportunity for the next role. The second knowledge influence for women MM at GB is the
criticality of being able to know how to apply their skills in order to achieve the desired role. The
conceptual knowledge needed is the ability to connect experiences, capabilities, talents, and their
own intuition to the principles and expectations of the role to help them achieve their goal
(Hackett & Betz, 1981; Khalid & Khalid, 2015). The women MM need to understand the
organization's operational model regarding careers and what kind of structures the careers have
in order to apply themselves to the next step (Aaltio-Marjosola & Kovalainen, 2001).
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Procedural knowledge. Procedural knowledge is the knowledge of how to do
something. It is the act of knowing the subject-specific skills, techniques or methods, and
knowing how to apply the criteria and when to do so (Armstrong, 2016; Krathwohl, 2002).
Knowledge influence 3: GB Women MM know how to take the steps needed to achieve
the job. The third knowledge influence which impacts the women MM at GB is the knowledge
of how to apply their subject specific skills to achieve the job. This is where the individual's
competences and aspirations must align with the organization of GB’s operational environment
(Aaltio-Marjosola 2001; Lahti, 2013). There must be a knowledge of the willingness to compete
and perform and to access the resources necessary to be able to discover opportunities and propel
decisions (Allen et al., 2016). The resources could be leadership training, mentorship programs,
networking opportunities, and even connecting with other senior leaders for advice and support
(Allen et al., 2016; Chin, 2019).
Metacognitive knowledge. Metacognitive knowledge is the knowledge about one’s own
cognitive tasks including strategic, contextual, and conditional knowledge and self-knowledge
(Armstrong, 2016; Krathwohl, 2002).
Knowledge influence 4: GB Women MM are able to reflect on their own abilities and
establish the connections needed to help build a future opportunity within the company. The
fourth and final knowledge is the application of metacognitive knowledge and will include the
ability of the women MM to be able to reflect on their own self-knowledge of their abilities to
strategize and build a future opportunity. A self-regulated and self-knowledgeable woman MM
identifies what task is required of them in terms of cognitive, motivational, and environmental
strategies and determine if their own personal abilities are adequate enough to accomplish the
next steps of career navigation (Amer, 2006; Ertmer & Newby, 1996; Pintrich, 2003).
23

Additionally, the GB women MM will need to be able to assess their own strengths and
weaknesses (Pintrich, 2003). Career decisions and advancement are guided in part by the
individual and self-concept (Allen et al., 2016).
Table 2 identifies the knowledge influences that were reviewed. The next section
discusses the motivational influences.
Table 2
Knowledge Influences, Types, and Assessment for Knowledge Gap Analysis
Knowledge Influence Knowledge Type Knowledge Influence Assessment
GB Women MM knows the job
and can do the job they recognize
as the next step to advance in their
career.
Declarative
(Factual)
Women MM will be interviewed to
determine their knowledge of
organizational career opportunities
available to them.
GB Women MM knows how to
actively apply their skills to ready
themselves for the next role.
Declarative
(Conceptual)
Women MM will be interviewed and
asked to summarize how they
actively build and apply their skills
to prepare for career development.
GB Women MM know how to
take the steps needed to achieve
the job. Procedural
Women MM will be interviewed and
asked to share how they prepare and
what resources they leverage to
achieve the next available
promotion.
GB Women MM are able to
reflect on their own abilities and
establish the connections needed
to help build a future opportunity
within the company.
Metacognitive
Women MM will be asked to reflect
on their strengths and weaknesses in
developing a future career
opportunity within the organization.
Motivational Influences
This section focuses on motivational influences. It will explore the motivation types and
then examine how the literature supports and relates to the stakeholder goal.
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According to Clark and Estes (2008) while knowledge might tell one how to do things
and provide the storage of experiences, motivation is what keeps a person going, engaged, and
how much energy to exert on work and tasks. There are three types of motivational processes
within a work environment including active choice, persistence, and mental effort (Clark &
Estes, 2008). Active choice is most simply when one chooses or chooses not to pursue a work
goal. Persistence is the amount of investment one places on accomplishing the many different
tasks that may arise to achieve a work goal. Lastly, mental effort is the amount of confidence one
is willing to exert and invest in overcoming challenges, new interruptions, and opportunities to
achieve and accomplish tasks on the way to the goal.
A motivated employee is more productive and research has shown that happy motivated
people want to leverage their skills (Sands, 2021). One study found that the number one reason
for employees to leave was the result of a lack of career development options (Sands, 2021).
Sands (2021) emphasizes that by offering a clear career path, with development opportunities
helps to build confidence and motivate employees to strive for the next step. For the purposes of
this study the key motivational influences that will be reviewed for women MM at GB will be
self-efficacy theory, interest, and expectancy value theory.
Self-efficacy theory. Albert Bandura’s (1977), Self-Efficacy Theory is based on an
individual’s belief that their actions will impact the outcome of a situation that directly
corresponds with the effort they exert. Bandura (1977, 1986, 1989) and Schunk (1984) created a
model regarding motivation that emphasized the role of perceptions of efficacy in determining
the individual’s level of achievement.
Motivational construct 1: GB Women MM believe and have confidence in their ability
to achieve the next level of promotion in their career.
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In order to achieve the next level of promotion, it is essential that the women MM believe
and have the confidence in their own ability. Efficacy perceptions can be closely related to
expectancies for success, but Bandura (1986) outlined two kinds of efficacy perceptions
including outcome expectations and efficacy expectations. The beliefs of the emerging women
talent at GB need to feel motivated and believe that they can produce the desired outcome and
become a critical women leader at the bank where they can add value, make a difference, and
perform efficiently.
Interest. There are two types of interest as it relates to motivation and includes
situational and personal interest. Situational interest occurs spontaneously or at the moment of
encountering a situation and personal interest is the intrinsic motivation one feels to engage and
perform an activity and the joy or satisfaction found in the task or action (Bandura, 1986).
Motivational construct 2: GB Women MM have both personal and situational interest
in pursuing the next level of promotion in their career. An organization that has a career path
outlined with future opportunities to help a team aspire for creates a way for aspiring leaders.
Therefore, it is essential that the women at GB have both the personal and situational interest in
being a part of the growth model at the bank. The women MM have to have the interest and
believe they play an integral role and purpose with the bank. Intrinsically motivated employees
are more self-driven and will take more responsibility to tackle the next opportunity or task even
among adversity or a challenge (Ryan & Deci, 2000; Thomas, 2002)).
Expectancy value theory. Expectancy value theory (EVT) most simply relates to
achievement-related choices, persistence and performance, and the attainment value in carrying
out a task (Eccles & Wigfield, 2020; Wigfield & Eccles, 1992). The expectation for success is a
key part of the recipe in the motivation to strive for more.
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Motivational construct 3: GB Women MM believe they have the ability to achieve the
promotion. Expectancy value theory is related to the concept of whether or not the women at GB
feel that their effort and energy they exert will determine a successful outcome (Eccles et al.,
1992). The emerging women leaders need to believe in their ability to leverage the current tools
and resources that ultimately contribute to the desired outcome. According to Eccles and
Wigfield’s (1992) seminal work when someone is invested, motivated, working on something
that makes them feel happy, and finds intrinsic value in their work the belief of a positive
outcome is expected.
Table 3 summarizes the motivational influences that were reviewed. The next section
introduces the organizational influences.
Table 3
Assumed Motivational Influence and Motivational Influence Assessments
Assumed Motivational
Influences
Motivation Type Motivational Influence Assessment
GB Women MM believe and
have confidence in their
ability to achieve the next
level of promotion in their
career.
Self-Efficacy Women MM will be interviewed to
discuss what they feel about their
confidence and ability to attain a
promotion.
GB Women MM have both
personal and situational
interest in pursuing the next
level of promotion in their
career.
Interest Women MM will be interviewed to
share what personal and situational
interests either motivate them or detract
them from pursuing the next step in
their career.
GB Women MM believe they
have the ability to achieve the
promotion.
Expectancy Value Women MM will be asked to reflect
what they believe about their ability to
achieve a promotion and about their
motivation to do so.
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Organizational Influences
This section highlights the influences related to the organization. The third cause of
performance gaps is the lack of organizational processes and resources that influence and shape
the culture within an organization (Clark & Estes, 2008). Organizational culture is defined by a
shared set of beliefs and ideas that employees within the organization hold (Schein, 1992). It is
these beliefs and values that provide a roadmap for employees and leadership as they navigate
their organization (Walumbwa et al., 2010). The influences of organizational culture, along with
organizational processes and resources including: equal opportunity for advancement, access to
leadership training, mentorship and networking programs, opportunities for flexible work, and
the need for strong leadership will be discussed.
Organizational construct 1: GB Women MM need to work in an empowered women
friendly organizational culture. The women at GB are already a part of the organizational
culture and contribute to it with their own thoughts, interpretations, and actions (Schein, 2010).
For the emerging women talent to continue to pursue their career ladder within GB, they need to
feel empowered and like they belong to a women friendly organization. Currently, research
identifies the upward battle of women and their aspirations of managerial and executive level
roles as being most difficult especially in roles that engender masculine stereotypes and cultures
(Eagly et al., 1995; Roebuck et al., 2019; Schein, 2010) such as banks identifies the three levels
of culture as: visible, exposed, and underlying.
Organizational construct 2: GB Women MM need women-targeted job descriptions and
hiring practices. The observable aspects of organizational culture need to align with the
objectives and strategies of GB. The career opportunities for the emerging women talent needs
access to roles and hiring practices that visibly and openly endorse and support women. Research
28

has found that role conflict and role ambiguity in the workplace affect employee job satisfaction,
turnover rates, organizational commitment, and overall performance (Lan et al., 2020).
Organizational construct 3: GB Women MM need access to leadership training and
coaching opportunities. Organizational commitments to a culture that supports career growth is
seen and demonstrated in the programs and resources made available to the employees (Shein,
2010). The availability and access to diverse job assignments, coaching, and leadership training
is positively related to progressive leadership attainment within an organization (Hopkins et al.,
2008). The women at GB need access to a variety of leadership training and coaching
opportunities, both formal and informal to help them transition to new job responsibilities and
support job mobility (Smith & Suby-Long, 2019). Additionally, executive coaches and trainers
of women need to recognize the unique organizational and societal structures that make overall
participation within the workforce challenging (O’Neil et al., 2008).
Organizational construct 4: GB Women MM need mentorship and networking programs that
actively solicit and support women and male participation. The implicit level of culture consists
of the fundamental beliefs and values held by the organization’s stakeholders (Schein, 2010).
Mentorship and networking programs contribute to the overall positive environment and culture
of an organization giving access to open and safe conversations, informal opportunities, and
unstructured settings to explore professional interests (Surawicz, 2016). Organizational
influences of sponsorship and mentorship serves as a foundation for advancement in careers and
helps to overcome barriers for growth (Madsen, 2017; O’Brien et al., 2010; Ragins & Cotton,
1999).
Organizational construct 5: GB Women MM need flexible non-biased work-life
opportunities as they mature with the company. The women at GB need to be able to have
29

access to flexible work arrangements as they grow with the organization and pursue more
challenging leadership opportunities. Fair policies that support work-life integration and that are
updated and reviewed consistently with solicited feedback promotes an inclusive and gender
balanced organizational culture (Banaji & Greenwald, 2016; Surawicz, 2016). A company that
offers flexible work arrangements, work-from-home opportunities, and other flexible options
creates a culture that values family, personal life experiences, and the individual and contributes
to the perception of a balanced and equitable employer that values their employees (Surawicz,
2016).
Organizational construct 6: GB Women MM need strong leadership support with
communication and openness about promoting women talent. Clear and strong commitment
and active involvement from top management is crucial in helping to motivate, inspire, and
create organizational opportunities (Clark & Estes, 2008; Roebuck et al., 2019). Since men are
more commonly stereotyped as leaders and women are not (Roebuck et al., 2019) and since at
GB the majority of executive leaders are male, it is critical that the organization have open and
outspoken beliefs about fostering gender equality within the bank. Research shows that
organizational culture plays into the beliefs of employees and how leaders should set an example
through their commitment and visibility in the process of promoting gender equality (Choi,
2019).
Table 4 summarizes the organizational influences discussed in this section.
Table 4
Organizational Influences and Organizational Influence Assessments
Assumed Organizational
Influences
Organization Type Organizational Influence
Assessment
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GB creates a strong, safe, and
sustainable women friendly
environment with open
communication.
Organizational Culture Women MM will be
interviewed about how GB
bank shares opportunities
for advancement for
women.
GB creates gender bias free
and equitable opportunities
for advancement.
Equal Opportunity for
Advancement
Women MM will be asked
about the hiring process
from postings, preparation
resources, and interview
and follow-up process.
GB offers ample leadership
training opportunities for
those seeking advancement.
Leadership Training Women MM will be asked
about the leadership
training modules currently
available and their
experience with them.
GB offers access to male and
women mentorship and
networking opportunities.
Mentorship/Networking Women MM will be asked
about the various
Mentorship/Networking
opportunities and how these
are shared and
communicated across GB.
GB has flexible work
opportunities.
Flexible Work Opportunities Women MM will be
interviewed to ask about the
flexible work possibilities at
GB.
GB has strong leadership
support with transparent and
open access for
communication.
Strong Leadership Support Women MM will be asked
about the executive
leadership presence and
support and how the
leadership is perceived.
Summary and Conclusion
Chapter 2 examined the literature and highlighted the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational factors that affect the women MM at GB as they progress through the talent
pipeline. The purpose of this study is to conduct a gap analysis to explore the potential reasons
for the lack of women in a senior leadership role at GB. Chapter 3 will explain the
31

methodological approach including the conceptual framework of the study, participating
stakeholders, and the data collection and analysis process. Additionally, the interview process
and questions will be reviewed.
32

Chapter Three: Methodology
Chapter 3 presents the research design for this study along with the methodology that was
used to collect the data and analysis to study the knowledge, motivation, and organization
factors. The problem of practice that was examined is the lack of women in leadership SVP roles
at Grand Bank (GB). Specifically, the promotion and hiring practices at GB were explored and
their ability to promote up and coming women talent (middle managers (MM)) to help close the
gender gap. The analysis focused on knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors related to
the women MM at GB as they seek the next available career opportunity.
This chapter is structured to provide details about the research questions, research design,
the research setting, and the researcher. Next, it introduces and discusses the data sources in
relation to the participants, instrumentation, and data collection methods. The chapter concludes
with a review of strategies and key considerations related to data analysis, validity, reliability,
and ethical issues
Research Questions
The research questions that guided this study include:
(1) What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational barriers that impede a
woman to strive for, and achieve a leadership position at GB?
(2) What organizational strategies could be implemented earlier in a woman’s tenure to
promote successful advancement at GB?
(3) How do the personal and societal experiences of women influence their motivation to
achieve a promotion or success?
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Overview of the Design
The study used a qualitative phenomenological design. According to Creswell and
Creswell (2018) phenomenological research is a design rooted in philosophy and psychology
where a researcher interviews the participants and describes the lived experiences about an
occurrence or event typically during an interview. This research design is best aligned with the
purpose of this study because the women participants will need an opportunity to express their
interpretations and understandings with personal complex situations through open-ended
questions. Additionally, interviews are appropriate for this study to allow for an inductive
approach to the KMO themes that supported or hindered the women MM at GB and how their
perceived organizational opportunities and intimate life experiences have impacted their career
advancement.
Research Setting
The study took place within the Grand Bank (GB) organization, but interviews were
hosted in virtual meetings leveraging an online ZOOM meeting platform. GB specializes in
consumer banking products with mortgages, personal lending, deposits, and commercial and
wealth solutions with a rising specialty in small business. The majority of the workforce is
represented by client-facing roles at branches that primarily focus on deepening and retaining
current bank household relationships while simultaneously working to acquire new consumer
and small business households. With approximately 6,500 employees and 500 branches,
approximately 54% of women within the branch level staff hold titles VP and lower. Women that
are outside of the branch represent less than 19% of the workforce and only 14% hold C-level
positions (GB HR Internal Annual Report).
The Researcher
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As the researcher, I have worked in banking for 16 years as a teller, a retail banker, an
officer retail banker, a small business banker, a business and commercial banker, a program
manager, and the head of my company’s small business segment and product manager of our
third-party programs. This level of experience allows for me to have a strong working
knowledge of career advancement as a woman within the banking industry. I did not oversee or
supervise the participants or their employees, nor did I provide any information that could
influence their performance evaluations. This study took place at an institution outside of my
own to ensure there is no opportunity for any direct personal influence or connection to the
participants.
Data Sources
Data was gathered by interviewing 8 emerging GB women middle managers GB.
Interviews were conducted to gain a more profound understanding of how KMO factors impact
participants' decisions to seek promotional career opportunities. The data sources segment
outlines the details of the interviews, participants, instruments, and data collection methods
utilized.
Participants
Participants were selected purposefully in close alignment for the proposed study.
Creswell and Creswell (2018) assert that in a qualitative research study it is important that the
researcher purposefully select their participants to ensure their understanding of the problem and
the questions being asked. To begin, approximately 8 participants were selected for the study.
Criteria for selection included: women with a VP title or less within a financial institution with 5
years or more experience at the company. This criterion will ensure the participant has held a
35

steady role or roles within the bank with a minimum of 5 years of experience to reflect on their
role, their career aspirations and experiences, along with a history company’s resources and
culture. Recruitment took place from within a single financial organization and with the approval
of legal and executive leadership at GB. The number of participants and purposeful sampling
supports the goal of a credible study and ensures the responses and stories shared were captured
fully and completely to reflect accurate interpretations of data.
At the time of the study GB employed 274 women branch managers who hold a VP title,
as well as approximately 1,000 women VP middle managers who hold positions across digital,
transaction, retail, business and commercial banking, mortgage, operations, corporate social
responsibility, client experience, learning and development, and human resources. 8 women were
interviewed across the ten different segments to provide a comprehensive perspective of the
promotional career opportunities presented to these women across the scope of GB. Additionally,
middle managers who report to the same manager were not interviewed to ensure perspectives
are reflective of each unique individual across multiple reporting lines.
Instrumentation
The study used a qualitative phenomenological approach relying on semi-structured
interviews. The semi-structured approach to the interviews allowed for a more flexible interview
model, using a list of questions and issues allowed the researcher to pivot and respond to
participants as new ideas and feedback were received (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The study
utilized the Clark and Estes (2008) KMO model to guide the research and formulate interview
questions. These questions were based on the knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors
of GB, which either support or hinder women MMs as they navigate their next promotional
opportunity.
36

The interview protocol included approximately 13 questions to help take the participant
through their direct experience as a women leader, obstacles they have experienced, personal
experiences that have influenced their career choices, tools and resources available to support
their growth, and solicited observations they have about the gender gap in leadership roles at GB.
Table 5 below provides the 13 questions asked of the participants and connects to the research
questions being asked, the key concept addressed, and the question asked. The conceptual
framework also explores the motivational theory of self-efficacy and expectancy value theories.
Lastly, organizational factors, like the culture of the organization, were reviewed and explored in
the design of the questions. Each of the protocols connect to the KMO factors and concepts that
are a part of these areas.
Table 5
Interview Questions for the Participants
Interview
Questions
Potential Probes RQ
Addressed
Key Concept
Addressed
Q Type
(Patton)
1. Tell me about
yourself, your
current role, and
your career
journey leading
up to your current
role as a woman
middle manager
banker at GB.
a) Can you walk me
through how you
decided to go
into banking?
b) Can you tell me
more about your
educational
background?
R1; RQ2;
RQ3
Knowledge /
Motivation /
Organizational
Influences
Experience &
Behavior/
Sensory
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2. Tell me about a
time you had an
opportunity for
advancement.
a) How did the
opportunity come
about?
b) Can you describe
what was good
and/or negative
about the
experience?
RQ1; RQ2 Motivation/
Self-Efficacy
Experience &
Behavior
3. Whom do you
talk to at work
about your career
aspirations and
advice and what is
their gender?
a) Describe
someone you
would consider a
mentor within
GB or outside?
b) Describe your
relationship with
HR.
RQ2 Knowledge /
Organizational
Influences
Knowledge
4. Tell me about
the current career
planning process
available to you at
your company
that you are or
have leveraged.
a) Describe how
your organization
has helped to
contribute to
your growth as a
leader and
prepared you for
future
opportunities.
RQ2 Knowledge /
Organizational
Influences
Knowledge
5. How do you
learn of
advancement
opportunities and
prepare for them?
a) Does your rating
on your
mid/annual
review grant you
additional access
to
career/leadership
education or
additional
opportunities?
b) How does that
make you feel?
RQ2; RQ3 Knowledge /
Organizational
Influences
Knowledge &
Experience
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6. Can you
describe a
personal life event
(outside of work)
that you have had
that has
influenced your
career decisions?
a) Would you do
anything
differently now?
b) How did your
organization
support you
through this
event?
c) Is there anything
different you
would have
needed from your
organization to
support you?
RQ3 Motivation/
Personal /
Societal
Influences
Experience &
Behavior
7. Describe what
you think are the
characteristics of
a successful
Senior and/or
Executive Leader
in banking are?
a) What challenges
or barriers do
you expect to
reach a senior
level role?
b) Describe a
specific strategy
you might use to
help overcome
those barriers?
RQ1; RQ2 Knowledge/
Motivation /
Organizational
Influences
Experience &
Feeling
8. Give me an
example of how
your boss has
helped support
you to achieve
your goals.
a) How do you feel
the role of being
an influential
leader impacts
the outcome of
creating an
inclusive culture?
RQ2 Knowledge /
Organizational
Influences
Knowledge
9. Describe the
ideal
circumstances,
resources, and/or
tools you would
need to help you
advance in your
a) How would these
ideal
circumstances,
resources and/or
tools) impact
your current
role?
RQ1; RQ2;
RQ3
Personal/
Societal;
Organizational
Influences;
Self-Efficacy
Opinion &
Values
39

career both
personally and
professionally.
10. How do you
feel your identity
as a woman has
shaped your
professional
career
experience?
a) What are family
influences that
have shaped your
professional
identity?
b) What GB
influences have
shaped your
professional
identity?
RQ1; RQ2;
RQ3
Knowledge/
Organizational
Influences;
Motivation /
Self-Efficacy
Opinion &
Values
11. Based on your
understanding of
sexual
discrimination,
gender
discrimination,
and sexual
harassment, can
you describe an
event that
happened at work
where you may
have experienced
this?
a) Can you tell me
more about the
barriers you have
experienced at
GB navigating a
leadership
position as a
woman in
banking?
b) Can you describe
a strategy you
used to overcome
this barrier?
RQ1 Organizational
Influences
Feeling
12. Tell me about
the reasons you
think women are
underrepresented
in senior
leadership roles at
GB?
a) What makes you
say this?
b) Is there a story
you can share to
illustrate your
understanding of
this gap?
RQ1; RQ2;
RQ3
Knowledge;
Organizational
Influences;
Self-Efficacy
Opinion &
Values
40

13. Any thoughts
or ideas about
solutions to help
increase the
number of women
in upper
management roles
in your
organization?
a) Solutions could
vary from
childcare to
better mentorship
or leadership
classes. What
thoughts do you
have?
RQ1; RQ2;
RQ3
Organizational
Influences;
Motivation
/Self-Efficacy
Opinion &
Values
Data Collection Procedures
The purpose of this study is to describe and understand women middle managers with a
VP title or lower at GB and how their perceived organizational and life experiences have
impacted their career advancement. Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) evaluative criteria asserts that
trustworthiness is the pillar of a research study and was established in this study. It involved
establishing credibility (confidence in the findings), transferability (discoveries apply in other
contexts), dependability (findings are consistent and could be repeated), and confirmability
(degree of neutrality and data is without researcher bias) (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). First, I gained
permission from GB and approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at USC. This
research study received initial approval from GB at its inception, and the IRB approval process
was finalized in the summer of 2022.
I established the number of interviews, the duration, and format with identical questions
to provide consistency in collecting the interview feedback and data. For this study,
approximately 8 interviews took place over an 8-week period to allow an appropriate window to
calendar the interviews. Next, each interview was given a 60-minute block of time with an intent
of gathering a minimum of 45 minutes of feedback and exchange. Each participant gave their
consent to a recorded interview. The interviews took place via Zoom, an online video
41

conferencing platform, at the time and discretion of the participant to ensure a safe space for the
interviewee to share freely in a non-work environment. Each interview was recorded via Zoom
and transcribed leveraging Otter.AI, a transcribing application.
Data Analysis
The study leveraged qualitative data analysis to enhance the understanding and
interpretation of the information gathered from the 8 participants and their interviews. Interviews
were reviewed independently as the singular data collection technique. Notes were taken during
the interviews to ensure the researcher was able to capture initial feelings and help prompt
additional questions and deepening as needed. Afterward, each interview was carefully listened
to and each transcript was adjusted and corrected for accuracy by the researcher. Additionally,
within the first cycle of review I created and applied priori codes aligned to the KMO framework
emphasizing the theoretical framework, conceptual framework, and literature review during this
process (Gibbs, 2018).
Validity and Reliability
Qualitative research assumes that the findings are multidimensional and ever-changing
and it is not based on a single-fixed or objective answer (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). To develop
validity and reliability, the triangulation approach that Merriam and Tisdell (2016) identify as a
way to increase credibility was incorporated into the study. The triangulation approach was
leveraged using multiple methods of data collection including interviewing individuals from
different cities/locations, different divisions, and separate work lines and used multiple theories
to confirm emerging findings. Additionally, by using the method Lincoln and Gruba call “thick
description” I gathered significant and accurate details to be able to evaluate and draw
42

conclusions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The data was recorded and stored for peer-review and
member-checks to ensure data was recorded accurately and is valid.
As human feedback was the primary instrument of data collection for this study, per
Mirriam and Tisdell (2016) emphasize the importance of trustworthiness. Trust was built into the
research through the use of a research journal that could act not only as a source of thorough
record keeping but also an “audit trail.” The audit trail provides a window into the methods of
data collection, how categorizations were developed and how various decisions were made
throughout the study with the GB participants. Various reflections and questions that I had were
recorded vigorously throughout the study; however, due to the limited space and privacy an
abbreviated audit trail will be available for review.
Ethics
This study was developed based on the key principle of beneficence, as researchers
should not cause harm and participants need to be given the right to privacy, and be provided
with informed consent, and awareness (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). As such, informed consent
was gained in advance to share the value of the participants participation and to provide the
opportunity to opt out or stop the interview process at any time. The study values the
confidentiality of all the participants and none of what will be shared will be linked to their
organization, role, position, or name to maintain anonymity on all accounts. At GB the use of
compensation for participation in a study is not allowed and was not used to gain participation
for this study. The participants volunteered of their own free will and volition. To ensure less bias
the interviews did not take place at my own institution due to my role being very visible and
well-known by the employees at this level. At the end of the interviews, thank you emails were
sent to each participant as a method to follow-up and bring a conclusion to their involvement in
43

the process. Lastly, the study proposal went through USC’s Institutional Review Board (IRB)
process and the organization’s approval process as well.
The findings from these interviews helped to serve and benefit emerging women leaders
within the financial industry, who may be seeking to grow and climb the career ladder at their
organization. The ultimate goal of this research is to help bridge well-known and identified
gender leadership inequality within GB and help them to identify and possibly remove barriers to
entry for greater career success and equal employment opportunities. The questions were
answered by the researcher, with the intent to bring about new and positive outcomes for the
participants. The researcher designed the questions and framed the scope. The results were first
disseminated to interested participants, then to the leadership of the organization, and then to
USC.
44

Chapter Four: Findings
The purpose of this study was to investigate the promotion and hiring practices at Grand
Bank (GB), a regional bank on the east coast that operates in multiple regions without a
nationwide presence. The purpose of the project was to evaluate the company’s ability to
promote up-and-coming women talent (middle managers (MM)) to help close the gender gap.
The analysis focused on women MM at GB and their knowledge, motivation, and organizational
influences related to achieving the organization’s global goal (Clark & Estes, 2008). The
researcher provided a thorough literature review and interviews with the women MM to examine
and learn of the invisible barriers to advancement leading to a “leaky pipeline” at GB. This
chapter discusses the insights gained from interviews with VP women, exploring their
connections to existing literature and examining the organizational processes and resources that
have shaped and influenced GB's culture. This chapter starts with an overview of the participants
followed by the findings. The following three research questions guided this study:
(1) What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational barriers that impede a
woman to strive for, and achieve a leadership position at GB?
(2) What organizational strategies could be implemented earlier in a woman’s tenure to
promote successful advancement at GB?
(3) How do the personal and societal experiences of women influence their motivation to
achieve a promotion or success?
Participants
The stakeholders of this study were 8 GB women middle managers that have held a VP
title of 5 years or longer at the institution. The average tenure at GB was 12.8 years and the
45

average tenure in their VP role was 8.5 years. The individuals who participated held positions
across digital, transaction, retail, business and commercial banking, mortgage, operations,
corporate social responsibility, client experience, learning and development, and human
resources. The 8 women interviewed were across the ten different segments to provide a
comprehensive perspective of the promotional career opportunities presented to these women
across the scope of GB. All participants agreed to a 45-60 minute interview (N=8) and completed
a 45-60 minute interview. To ensure anonymity and confidentiality of the small stakeholder
group, additional information was withheld and not provided. To identify responses, each GB
member was provided a participant code 1-8 and a pseudonym. Table 6 provides an overview of
the participants.
Table 6
Participant Demographics
Participant Code /
Pseudonyms Job Title Race Years at
GB
Years in VP
Role
1. Lily VP, Project Manager Asian 22 11
2. Grace VP, Sales Manager White 9 6
3. Victoria VP, Sales Manager White 10 6
4. Leila VP, Branch Manager Mexican 14 12
5. Nicole VP, Operations Manager White 8 8
6. Carmen VP, Marketing Manager Hispanic 16 9
7. Vivian VP, Product Manager Black 17 10
8. Ginny VP, Program Manager White 7 7
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Findings
This section addresses the primary findings from the interviews relative to the three
research questions and the conceptual framework with knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences included. Additional observations and a synthesis within each influence
type is presented. Table 7 at the conclusion of this chapter summarizes the three findings in
correlation to the various knowledge, motivation, and organization influences.
Research Question 1
What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational barriers that impede a woman to strive
for, and achieve a leadership position at GB?
Finding 1: GB has motivated and able women that are or could be ready for advancement
but do not feel ability is enough to provide the path forward.
As an overall assessment based on the majority of GB women middle managers (MM)
interviewed (8 of 8) shared while they might have the motivation and ability to take on the next
role for advancement there were 3 core barriers according to the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational framework that disrupted the process of achieving another role that included:
● Lack of advancement opportunities are presented and filled by women
● The participants reflected on a need to “perfect” their function in their roles prior to
applying to the next opportunity
● Majority of the participants shared examples of gender biases, sexual harassment, and
gender discrimination that have intervened in their career path forward
Knowledge
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Factual knowledge. As previously mentioned in Chapter 2 factual knowledge is
characterized as declarative and refers to the knowledge of facts and basic terminology to be able
to solve a problem. As such she would know the basic functions and expectations of the job that
would be obtained. All 8 women MM acknowledged the function and expectation of the next job
in the hierarchy but felt there is not a clear path and other agendas that influence the outcome of
those that are promoted. And when there is finally a job opening, they described how mostly men
took those roles. For example, in explaining her interest in a role Ginny detailed her factual
knowledge of the role and her experience:
I know now I never had a chance. They were always going to hire him. And I was just that
token woman that they pitted against him just to say, oh, we tried to hire a woman, but you
know, this other guy had the experience. I can't remember how many people I actually
interviewed with, but it was a lot. But there was a moment and I really felt like I was doing
well and it came down to me and this other candidate, you know, and I won't lie, I actually
felt like this is my shot. It’s my turn. I felt like this was my time and my God, when I found
out they hired somebody, an external, older white crusty male and that honestly, to this day,
like, I don't even think he worked a day in his life. I just think how depressing, how sad that
our company missed out on, you know, my integrity, my ingenuity, my ability to lead, my
ability to inspire. I knew the team. I knew the role. I did the role already. They had me filling
in for months until they finally opened the req. But after all that. They took the safe, I guess
expected route. It was someone that someone higher up knew. I was so deflated and so were
my colleagues. Breaks your faith in the company.
In another interview Grace described her readiness for the next role after 6 years, but how the
experience was so humiliating it has kept her from trying again. Beyond the very limited
48

opportunities that become available, she shared, “I thought I was ready, but clearly I wasn’t. The
first question the hiring manager asked me in this condescending tone, ‘So who are you? I have
never even heard of your name before.’ Sadly, we had met three different times. So that didn’t
feel good. The interview wrapped in under 15 minutes and I never heard a word back. It was
humiliating.” The process, the interview, and the feelings expressed by the GB MMs were
consistent illustrating both the desire, the knowledge, and motivation to want to grow.
In another very specific instance Carmen gave an example of a time she felt ready for a
promotion at GB:
You know I had talked about my desire to grow in my annual reviews for years. I was
always talking about it with my manager. The roles do not come up that often. So I was
genuinely excited when one finally did. And then just to let them know I was interested
even more and that I was going to throw my hat in the ring I asked my manager and
others if they felt I was ready. And of course, the conversation was very positive and
things like “Oh, we love you,” and “Oh, we think you're so great.” And then I went
through rounds and rounds of interviews like so many rounds. Uh, with no one, by the
way, that looked like me. No Latina women, just one older white woman and I think she
was just the token woman for the interview because she barely talked. But anyways, of
course they hired a gentleman that was probably about 10 to 15 years my senior, and I
just had no patience for him by the time he got into the job because he lacked not just in
human compassion, he was so much more inexperienced about our processes, and lacked
any of the leadership skills that I know that it took to actually run that role. Umm, you
know, and that crushed my soul. It was devastating.
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In the stories and examples, the understanding of the role was clear but other factors that could
interrupt this knowledge were brought to the forefront and alluded to hidden career ladders or
curricula, a toxic culture, or even inaccessible leadership pipelines (Alli et al., 2021; Butkus et
al., 2018).
Metacognitive. Metacognitive knowledge is the knowledge about one’s own cognitive
tasks including strategic, contextual, and conditional knowledge and self-knowledge (Armstrong,
2016; Krathwohl, 2002). All 8 participants were reflective about their strengths and weaknesses,
often discussing their desire to continue to improve and become better prior to applying for the
next role. 6 of the 8 discussed and reflected on a need to “perfect” or “improve upon” their
function in their roles prior to applying for the next opportunity.
Nicole discussed how she prepared for her next roles to remain competitive and to
prepare for her next advancement:
You know, as women, you have to work twice as hard, you have to be twice as smart. You
have to show up twice as much to gain, you know, maybe three quarters of what a man can
do, but, but if you do that every day you might get lucky to not have to be part of the boys
club because you're still gonna stand out based on your results. Now the problem is, you can't
just be a mediocre woman in the business arena and rise to the top, that's not going to work.
You really do have to be twice as good as everybody else around you, to make it, and that's,
that's the reality of the situation. But I guess at least there are still some women that are
making it. But…but what they have to do to get there. Not saying, you know, bad wise but
what they have to do to get there intellectually is pretty impressive, frankly, but again, that’s
why I strive so hard to perfect my craft before I take that next risk for a future opportunity.
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Leila also detailed her perspective of advancement and how her identity as a woman at GB has
shaped her professional career experience:
Um, I feel that in our organization it's always been heavily male dominated. And there I
guess I shouldn't say all women, but women in general, tend to be intimidated sometimes
by men, or in our world, we always say that the men in our business continue to grow and
thrive because they can look at a job description, not have one skill, but have the
confidence. They apply and then they get promoted where typically women in our
industry, want to make sure that they know exactly what they're doing, be able to check
off all the boxes on the requirements, and that tends to eliminate a lot of women because
they just won't apply for, like, the promotional roles. For example, the one time I did I
was so nervous in front my male interviewer I spilled a whole glass of water on my white
blouse. If a man had done that no big deal. Um, how do I say this appropriately? Ya, I
was very aware I was now not an applicant but a woman participant in a white wet blouse
contest. So, yep, that’s it. I had to sit through the rest of the interview with a giant paper
towel tucked on my front to hide my bra. And no, I did not get the job.
Motivation
Expectancy value theory. Expectancy value theory is related to the concept of whether
or not the women at GB feel that their effort and energy they exert will determine a successful
outcome (Eccles et al., 1992). The emerging women leaders believe in their ability to leverage
the current tools and resources, however they do not believe ability alone allows for the
opportunity to advance.
Grace elaborated on her skill set and how she has begun to cultivate her path forward.
“I'm adaptable. So as soon as I see a situation…I ya, I quickly learn how to navigate either out of
51

it or towards the direction that I need it to go, because I don't like myself or anyone else to be in
that position without support. So I’ve had to learn on the fly without a real coach or tools or
resources and I like to help make it easier for others.”
Likewise, Nicole describes her motivation to grow as a leader:
I describe myself as a leader, and well I, I'm usually the first person I put into any
challenging situation, keep my cool, keep my calm, I can think through any puzzle very
quickly. Would you say I'm the most inspiring leader? Probably not. Yet people find me
authentic and real and tend to follow me regardless. I'm not going to be the person that's
going to, you know, you don't want to toss a cape around me and say go follow her. I'm
not Superwoman. That's, that's not me at all. But through a little bit of my humor I still
managed to garner enough of a following that we can still get stuff done and move the
organization along even without budgets, direction, or resources. But ya these things
could make it a heck of a lot better I guess. But I’m used to doing a lot without a lot. So,
maybe it’s not just my ability ya know? For me to advance, god knows it’s more than a
cape that I would need.
Victoria also shared her passionate perspective on this notion, “If I could only be
promoted based on my amazing results, my phenomenal team, my ideas that are taken and
adapted bank-wide. I know I do more than the people who get promoted. I follow protocols. Fill
out my plan on our HR site, talk, network. So ya, clearly, it’s not about me being motivated to get
a promotion. Sometimes I consider quitting so I can have a better shot as an external candidate.”
She even went on to chuckle and joke, “Maybe I will identify as a man and then that will do the
trick.”
52

And while individuals were motivated, 6 of the 8 also expressed moments of self-doubt
during their self-evaluation of themselves with the consistent need to do exceptionally well and
beyond that of their male counterparts. Grace said:
You only have what experiences that you have, and I think, as a woman you constantly
feel like you need to perfect an art before you do it. And for me I didn't feel like I'd
perfected anything to be able to lead people through anything. You know you don't just
jump into things, and so you constantly are feeling screwed. You know you're your own
worst critic, too. I think we all mentally kind of have that, and that's something that's been
instilled in me. Maybe my dad or family. I think it's things that you grow up with, right?
Whether it was an adolescence, whether it's through your family life, and I think for me it
was a little of always feeling like I need to at least know 90% of what I do before I jump
into it, you know, and that's where I kind of got that feeling of like I don't want to do that.
I don’t want to perform under a microscope. But then as I grew in confidence, so did my
work. But I constantly battle my internal motivation of wanting to grow, and then
doubting my ability. But no one at work helps you through that. And then obviously, after
not getting selected and being told I wasn’t memorable without any feedback. I mean
what the hell do you do with that?
Overall, based on the interviewers’ responses all 8 expressed their motivation for advancement
but with impeding experiences contributing to either failed attempts at promotions, interviews,
expressed self-doubt and a lack of resources or support to influence positive outcomes.
Organization
Culture. In alignment with the earlier research provided, organizational culture plays into
the beliefs of employees and how leaders should set an example through their commitment and
53

visibility in the process of promoting gender equality (Choi, 2019). For the women MM talent to
continue to pursue their career ladder within GB, they need to feel empowered and connected to
a women-friendly organization. The research amplified the upward battle of women and their
aspirations of managerial and executive level roles as being most difficult especially in roles that
engender masculine stereotypes and cultures (Eagly et al., 1995; Roebuck et al., 2019; Schein,
2010) such as banks and identifies the three levels of culture as: visible, exposed, and underlying.
All the women were asked to describe their understanding of sexual discrimination, gender
discrimination, and sexual harassment, and if they could describe an event that happened at work
where they might have experienced or witnessed this. Throughout all 8 interviews women of GB
shared examples of sexual discrimination, gender discrimination, and sexual harassment that
have intervened in their career path forward. There was consistency that they do not feel there is
a safe, sustainable women-friendly environment with open communication. While some
remained optimistic and hopeful, GB opportunities for advancement are not shared broadly and
access to roles feels limited and, in most cases, unattainable.
To begin, Carmen described discrimination toward her, not just as a woman but as a
Latina woman and was told by a male senior leader that her last name was “too hard to
pronounce” and asked if he could shorten it to make it easier. She is certain if she had been a
male he would never have made that sort of comment. She described in further detail how her
accent coupled with being a woman doubled-down on her need to be “brave and courageous” to
overcome feeling safe in the workplace at GB.
Thankfully I am more confident in my role at the bank, but gosh, now almost 25 years
later you know, and to still be at that plateau is I guess something I kind of just accept
now. But I very quickly understood that not everybody looks at, or looks like me at the
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table. And I would often be at a table with a bunch of men, and definitely none of them
were women Latinas trying to find their voice and trying to amplify their voice. They just
spoke and were heard if you know what I mean. If I said something with too much of an
accent, I remember this one time I said a “blessing in the skies” versus a blessing in
disguise. They laughed so hard they cried. If they laugh I guess it makes everything ok.
And yes, I laughed too. But I cried that night, so hard.
Carmen described how she has to be a “chameleon” to fit in and that even though she still gets
“comments and jokes” she picks her battles and courageously moves forward hoping her
amazing work and output overshadows her femininity so she can rise up.
In another example Ginny detailed her greatest barrier to success was navigating a male
boss she worked for nearly 3 years during a critical period of her career. She shared how she was
one of two women on the team and he would ask her and her women counterpart to make the
copies, order the food, plan the games and activities. He would say, “this is the fun stuff I know
you like to do anyways.” His diminishing comments developed over time and Ginny shared:
My worst. My worst is a sad story and that was here at the bank and it took me a long
time to actually come to terms what type of leader he was and to understand the full
extent of my experience. So to be frank in this space because, well, you know, he was a
predator. He was, well he sexually harassed me. I never said yes. But he like always tried
and would make the worst statements. My clothes. My hair. The way I smelled. That I
teased him on purpose. He had a, you know, kind of a quid pro quo like for this, for that
kind of arrangement with me. At one point, you know, he said I wouldn't get, you know,
new technology until I produced a certain amount of dollars. Or if I wouldn’t meet him,
you know, for dinner or for drinks or I would need to, you know, do you know, whatever
55

it was, you know, meet him in another city to spend the night for a meeting and, you
know, it was just, it would make you nauseous. And to be honest with you, I was so
young, brand new in my experience and the role and you know travel was a part of the
role and he took full advantage of that. I didn’t know how to tell my boss no. And the
worst part? He works here still. Makes me sick.
Nicole also shared that one of her male leaders was sleeping with one of her direct reports but
did not want to report it. She describes this as one of those times where she did not have the
power to report it or risk an entire legacy and become known as a whistle-blower and lose
potential opportunities to grow. She shared that after reporting to him she has now “made it a
point to only work for smart women” that way she would never have to encounter those
pressures or experiences ever again. She went on further to describe the effects of gender bias:
There's that certain male leader, in one of our business lines right that you know is a little
bit of a misogynistic and tends to look down upon women and treat them differently and
publicly berate them, you know, and that's not the first time that I've come in contact with
that, where they don't treat you like equals they treat you like someone beneath them
someone below them. And then on the flip side of this you also have the whole thing you
have to contend with the boys club right, the guys that go out, have a beer or go golfing,
you know, for better or worse, a lot of business gets talked there and women don't get
invited to those same tables, and those same kind of boys club type activities so it puts
you a little bit of a disadvantage when it comes to just more of the social aspects of
business and business politics, if you're not actually invited to the table into those
conversations. So you know, of course, especially in banking, I mean you've got the boys
club that you deal with, and for better or worse, a lot of them don't even know that they're
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doing it. I hate to say that they really don't. They have no clue. And the ones that do have
a clue, are absolutely terrible to work with.
Gender biases continued to emerge as a common theme and one Lily reflected on when she said,
“It made me wonder if true gender equality in my industry or anywhere for that matter is ever
going to become like a reality. Because I think now I get it. It will take years and years and years
to be able to really be able to change a culture right?” And for Vivian her story as an emerging
black woman leader she describes how her gender and her race combined has affected her ability
to grow at GB. Vivian shared:
So let me kind of paint you a picture here. Imagine working your heart out on massive
commercial real estate deals. I put in the long hours. My contributions, my contributions
were instrumental. First, it was all about frustration and anger and it was infuriating
seeing male counterparts, climbing a ladder and you're just stuck. They were getting the
credit. They would say good job. But not the same in pay. Not the same in all these
promotions. But now I’m proud because there's not a lot of black women in my role.
There's not a lot of women in my role period. Especially in commercial banking. But
being black and a woman, I guess I’m kind of a bulldog in a sense. And my boss told me
as much. He would never talk like that to my male colleagues. Ever. But I've had to be
very protective of my role and kind of just make my path happen even when there was no
path.
Vivian described her fear of sounding like a “raging bull or a lunatic” and acknowledged if you
complain or ask for more that “as a woman you’re already packing that you're whiny,
complaining, emotional, you know, and so trying to balance what they expect of you and what
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actually comes out…I think is very difficult and so for me.” She explained it was frustrating just
to try to advance her career, ask for more, and do it “literally, and I mean literally, alone.”
Carmen also shared how she feels perceived in the workplace as always looking for the
next idea and as being highly accomplished. “And people recognize my talent. But I think
sometimes I even have to curb my talent to be able to fit in and assimilate without threatening
others. And I think that is so frustrating because if I was a man, I don't think I would have had to
do those types of things.”
And when Carmen was asked about what opportunities were next for her, she shared:
Is this being recorded? Because I would have to say that person would have to die. And
all joking aside, it literally could be that bad sometimes. And I would pray that somebody
would get hit by a bus. That sounds horrible, but honestly, I would pray that they would
find another job, or that they would be doing something illegal, or that something would
come out or emerge, or there was like a reorg and because their giant salary was hogging
all the cash that this person would get realigned. And it would create new jobs and new
opportunities for people so we can finally get new blood and stuff…I think that leaders
forget how important it is to have a diverse and well-balanced team that is comprised of
unique, powerful minds, women, men you know alike, as well as different backgrounds,
race, gender, you know. It is so important that our culture and our companies reflect the
diversity of the people that we're serving and it’s so sad to get people in these senior
roles. Senior male and women executive leadership roles that harbor, you know, those 40
years of old ways of thinking and, you know, and they think they're diverse. They’re not.
They just aren’t.
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Lastly, Victoria shared how a male senior leader blatantly asked her, “Are you sure you
are going to get married?” as she responded that “Yes, I am getting married” she shared his
response as, “In that case you might as well get comfortable knowing you are shooting your
career in the foot. Marriage equals babies and once that happens you can forget your
promotions.” She shares this experience as one that shaped her and caused her to have deep
self-doubt in her capability and her future with the company. But she further explained, “And it
made me think I just have to work harder to prove that I could be a mom and a career woman.
But as I reflect, would a man ever say that to another man?” Additionally, she shared, “But it
wasn’t just my male leaders that made me feel so cognizant of my gender. My one woman boss
mandated that to a meeting you always wear a skirt. So, whenever we went to a meeting it was
never pants. She always wanted us in a pencil skirt, and that was kind of like the expectation.”
Overall based on the responses during the interviews, respondents were introspective of
how they felt they needed to respond and change their behavior to meet gender bias, sexual
discrimination, and sexual harassment in the workplace. Throughout the interviews the GM
MMs identified the three levels of culture including visible, exposed, and underlying. There was
not an example of a leader who helped to foster, support, or encourage a positive women-friendly
environment at GB including the women in senior level leadership.
Research Question 2
What organizational strategies could be implemented earlier in a woman’s tenure to promote
successful advancement at GB?
Finding 2: it is unclear what resources and support is available to advance and gain access
to senior level roles at GB
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As an overall assessment based on all of the GB women middle managers (MM) interviewed (8
of 8) shared while they might have the motivation to be their best, happiness was lacking, and
access to development and coaching resources limited their ability to take on the next role for
advancement and included:
● Lack of leadership training to support upward mobility is a deterrent and effects interest
and confidence
● Interested participants need senior level leadership support and guidance earlier and often
to guide through the process
● Bank-wide initiatives and programming that advertises and promotes access to senior
level roles is lacking, yet deeply desired
Knowledge influence 2: GB Women MM know how to connect their skills to the opportunity
for the next role.
Knowledge
Procedural. Procedural knowledge is the knowledge of how to do something. It is the act
of knowing the subject-specific skills, techniques or methods, and knowing how to apply the
criteria and when to do so (Armstrong, 2016; Krathwohl, 2002). The interviews revealed that the
women of GB might have subject-specific skills but do not know what steps to take to advance
and achieve their next role. The individual's competences and aspirations do not align with the
organization of GB’s operational environment.
When asked about awareness of support and programs the responses remained consistent
by all 8 individuals. Interpretations about what their managers, HR, and programs available at
GB did not align with direct support for talent development. For example, Nicole shared “I had
better programs for leadership and training when I worked at Costco. Nothing here. HR is to fire
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people. There is a 4-day leadership program I did attend called ‘Accelerate’ but it is not
consistent. It did nothing for me other than take me away from work and give me busy work. I
think it was supposed to make me feel good. It didn’t.”
Lily described her procedural knowledge about advancement and HR when she
explained:
HR yeah, I don't think I have a relationship with HR, and I've never really even known
that I guess they could help me with my career other than the times when I'm applying for
a job and they schedule an interview or send me a decline email. Yeah, no HR
relationship here. And I guess for my managers they always said, “I'm here for you, here
to support you.” And they did support me maybe with a vacation request or how to
improve my PowerPoint or how to work on more projects but never have they like
personally invested in me. Never have they personally asked me what I need or ever
offered advice on how to help me to grow or uh try to get more in my career or ask about
being a mom and my career. Definitely none of them asked to help me with my resume,
you know.
Leila also shared her thoughts on procedures, managers, and HR. She said, “No, none, not at all.
Not that I am aware of. I knew of a job fair and have heard of a program called PCBS (Pacific
Coast Banking School). It’s for certain level leaders who want to grow but I would need a
promotion to be eligible. HR has only been visible to me when it comes to layoffs or getting
fired – I really don’t interact with or know anyone in HR. And my manager, I guess he asks me
about my future during my annual review and that’s about the extent of it.”
Grace shared her perspective as well:
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Resources? I never had any extra training or support. I had to learn everything on the
spot. I got zero training, absolutely nothing. And now for my future? There is nothing I
am aware of other than PCBS – it’s to learn about banking school. But that sounds like a
3-year nightmare and I have never heard of anyone getting promoted just because they
wrote some dumb paper for PCBS while living in a dorm. I mostly just hear it is a big
“cheat on your wife” scene. No thank you. And how would I even become eligible for
something like PCBS? That is not public information, at least I don’t think it is.
All the interviews made note of the individuals, process, programs and were unable to assess if
there had been a correlation of success based on those programs like the job fair or PCBS that
were mentioned.
Motivation
Self-Efficacy. As mentioned earlier, a motivated employee is more productive and
research has shown that happy motivated people want to leverage their skills (Sands, 2021).
Sands (2021) emphasizes that by offering a clear career path, with development opportunities
helps to build confidence and motivate employees to strive for the next step. Self-Efficacy
Theory is based on an individual’s belief that their actions will impact the outcome of a situation
that directly corresponds with the effort they exert. In order to achieve the next level of
promotion, it is essential that the women MM believe and have the confidence in their own
ability. Efficacy perceptions can be closely related to expectancies for success, but Bandura
(1986) outlined two kinds of efficacy perceptions including outcome expectations and efficacy
expectations. The beliefs of the emerging women talent at GB need to feel motivated and believe
that they can produce the desired outcome and become a critical women leader at the bank where
they can add value, make a difference, and perform efficiently.
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After completing the interview process 7 of the 8 women did not feel that they had tools
and resources and were not confident in their ability to attain the next level promotion. Nicole
felt that even without the tools she would still find a way to be promoted because “I will only
work for women going forward who amplify and support other women. I am purposeful in who I
choose to work for.”
Lily identified how she felt she has never had access to leadership growth training or
coaching. She shared, “I’ve worked for a lot of men at this company. I don’t think I’ve had a
woman boss actually, until right now and she is just a backfill and got it by default. Not merit.
And I think she is even temporary. I know I have never had access to those experiences. Like
how to even get them.” She detailed how sometimes at GB a role may not even get posted and
people get placed on an interim basis then once they do post the requisition it limits the chances
for others to compete. She added, “I have watched some women get those jobs and they had to
be so aggressive and I didn’t even like them or like working with them for that matter.” Further
in her dialogue she paused then proffered, “Maybe now that I’m being reflective, I don’t know if
that’s truly because I was a woman or possibly because I wasn’t aggressive enough.”
Ginny shared a similar sentiment, “I've never had somebody talk to me about my career
planning process other than maybe thinking like I could be the next manager. But obviously that
hasn't worked out. So there we go.” She also began to criticize what she should have been doing
differently and suggested a more “forthright” or “open” dialogue with seasoned leaders could
bring about the change she is seeking in her career.
Carmen shared her experiences with advancement as more self-guided but without the
breakthrough she was aspiring for:
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You know, there’s not like a roadmap. I began my own slow process of navigating how to
get a role. I talked to people and I was emailing a senior group manager my interest and
attempting to do these one-on-one’s but they really didn’t stick and fell off the calendar.
Now, there was an opportunity for advancement, but I didn't get the job. I don’t think I
navigated it well and I had a lot of learning to do and I think that was probably the
experience where you know you fall down and then you get back up and you try again
and you try again and try again until you finally figure it out. So, it was a lot of
self-learning and being self-taught to how to how to advance in this company.
Within all 8 interviews, all the GB women MM expressed some level of interest and motivation
in the next opportunity but expressed feelings of defeat, lack of support, or an unknown path to
access to resources.
Organization
Leadership Training. The women at GB need access to a variety of leadership training
and coaching opportunities, both formal and informal to help them transition to new job
responsibilities and support job mobility (Smith & Suby-Long, 2019). Additionally, executive
coaches and trainers of women need to recognize the unique organizational and societal
structures that make overall participation within the workforce challenging (O’Neil et al., 2008).
There is limited to no leadership training modules available tied to promotional opportunities
that the participants were aware of.
Victoria delved into her experience with leadership training and resources:
My resources to support my career? At the bank? Job postings and a close friend. I never
even trusted my own manager to talk about advancement. Especially even with my most
recent promotion – which is still a VP role. I waited to tell her until it was absolutely
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necessary, after my 4
th
interview. I have never had help in advancement. Other than a
Branch Manager role and that was for an AVP role. I have been a VP for over 6 years,
two lateral promotions and nothing on my horizon and no hope of the next role, even
though I am quite amazing, unless I really start a campaign for myself or something.
Further, as I explored the question regarding leadership experiences that had contributed to their
growth, Leila responded with:
Um. I don't think I'd have one. Okay, positive or negative. I've had a handful of negative
ones. I’ve had one that was condescending. I've had others that were lazy. I'm trying to
think what else. I haven't had really good leadership, let's just say, and I cannot really
think of one that influenced me in my life or career. Is that ok?
When asked what she felt she would need to succeed she said, “Maybe some type of way to learn
more about the company? Or roles or something like that. I feel like I don’t know much about
our big company and how I could possibly grow. I mean I guess I never thought the company
owed me a leadership path and I was supposed to just apply if I was interested. But that’s my
culture. Head down. Do my thing, you know? Hopefully they recognize me for that somehow.”
From another perspective Ginny shared her needs for success and growth:
A good, honest conversation with somebody who is truly advocating for me. I think we
need a process. I think we need access to tools and resources. I would love a leadership
class where I get to meet and network with top level leaders more than just the hi-bye but
to really gain private time to connect with people. It doesn't work when there's these big
events like where there's just so many people in a room. How am I supposed to create a
bond with a really a senior level administrator or something like this or executive in like
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5 seconds with a crowd of a 1000 people? You know, when I'm being introduced for five
seconds, like that's not going to work.
When asked about her relationship to HR, leadership, and access to leadership programs Carmen
discussed her barriers to advancement with much detail:
That is seriously hilarious because I don't know if we have a current career planning
process. Of course, we have our HR. Annual review or I can write about myself. We have
a platform where I can input my aspirations, but has like anyone ever used that tool or
ever talked to me about it or ever used it to my advantage to actually help me get a new
job? I think these tools are created to just tout that we have the tool and if we use it then it
amplifies for their own selfish reporting and needs. Like look, look at all these details
about these aspiring employees. But have I ever seen that tool be used to get a job? So it's
either that they knew somebody, it's either that they were already paving the way and
somebody knew them. But it is highly, highly unlikely that somebody is getting
suggested on a new role outside of their scope or outside of their inner circle of network.
She went on to discuss the current career planning process to help her progress:
Nobody has ever just said I think this is what you're going to do. Nobody has ever taught
me like that. I have had to fight like hell for it. Our current career plan planning process
with the bank is well, let's just say it's not exactly tailored to the challenges that I'm
facing. I think it's just more of a general one-size-fits-all approach. They think that if they
just put A DEI program involved they put the token black guy and or gallon in charge of
it and they're like there we go, we have, we have a DUI program. Aren't we amazing? We
are. We are all about diversity and equity and inclusion. Uh, check us out, our gold
shining star. And so you know, and that's where it gets really difficult. So I really think
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that, you know, we need mentorship programs and we need to be able to have
opportunities to showcase our talents and be able to talk about, you know, what we're
doing. There needs to be a talent pipeline. You know, I've never been talked about as A,
you know, or recognized as an emerging talent. Nobody's ever come to me about that. I
think they would rather me just keep my But you know, does anybody ever want more
from me or think that I could do more or ask or advocate for me? No, that never happens.
So I do think, you know, we need a commitment from leadership to promote diverse
talent. And you know, we need equal opportunities where my skills, you know, and I'm,
are recognized and regardless of my gender and race, that would be lovely. That sounds
like heaven. I think it's like that in heaven.
The interviewer’s experiences point to a perceived disconnect between training programs and
actual career advancement. The skepticism about the effectiveness of programs like PCBS and
CBA suggests a need for more practical and impactful training opportunities that directly
contribute to professional growth and promotions.
Research Question 3
How do the personal and societal experiences of women influence their motivation to achieve a
promotion or success?
Finding 3: While motherhood, caring for the home, and cultural influences may have
shaped their upbringing and contributed to hesitancies in advancement and initial career
choices, most members expressed that had they received support, mentorship, and an
understanding of more flexible work arrangements, they would be more likely to pursue
the next opportunity.
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● Participants reflected on how motherhood or choosing motherhood had impacted or
slowed their career path
● Additionally, participants identified their upbringing or cultural influences that have
affected their thinking and drive for the next career move
● Participants expressed the importance of having a network to advance but felt
establishing connections within the company was not easily achieved
● Most participants shared an awareness of a formal mentorship program available at GB
but a lack of confidence in the program, no viable examples or awareness of how the
program works or how it benefited participants was identified
Knowledge
Procedural. Procedural knowledge is the knowledge of how to do something. It is the act
of knowing the subject-specific skills, techniques or methods, and knowing how to apply the
criteria and when to do so (Armstrong, 2016; Krathwohl, 2002). This is where the individual's
competences and aspirations must align with the organization of GB’s operational environment
(Aaltio-Marjosola 2001; Lahti, 2013). The resources could be leadership training, mentorship
programs, networking opportunities, and even connecting with other senior leaders for advice
and support (Allen et al., 2016; Chin, 2019).
In the domain of procedural knowledge, participants identified an understanding of the
steps necessary for career advancement yet expressed a lack of clarity on how to execute these
steps within GB’s unique operational environment. This gap in procedural knowledge manifests
particularly for women balancing career and personal life. For example, Lily shares:
You see, I don't think I've ever thought of my organization as being responsible to help
me advance in my career or, you know, helping me overcome what it means to be a mom.
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I don't know if I thought of it that way. I've heard of certain companies like Google and
Amazon, and things like that have extended leaves of absence, or that they have
you know, childcare, or things like that. I don't know if I expected that from banking. I
guess I thought if you want to advance you had to just do it. But you definitely don’t see
a lot of Japanese women leaders in executive roles showing us the way. And I've had
some shitty managers. If you want me to talk about those, you know again, it's funny,
because leaders, even when they're crappy, I think I still find a way to make it work, that's
one of my things.
Her statement underlines a significant oversight in the organizational support structure, which
fails to acknowledge the unique challenges faced by women in leadership, especially those from
diverse cultural backgrounds. She explains further,
I just feel like I'm a very positive person, so I'm always looking at the brighter side of
things figuring out what my job is, and just kind of keeping my head down and helping
those around me. But I've had those experiences where even the manager, you know,
probably meant well, but maybe wasn't helping me to do more or be my personal best. I
always kind of took that on independently, and just felt like I was responsible ultimately
for my success, and not my manager. So maybe that's me being naive. But I guess I didn't
think of us as one of those cool companies that would help us advance. I just don't even
know that I thought about it like that, and thought about my organization ever personally
investing in me to support a gap, my gap between being a mom and a working mom.
Lily’s experience reflects a self-driven approach to career advancement, which, while
commendable, also highlights the organization's failure to provide a clear path and support for
personal and professional development.
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Motivation
Interest. There are two types of interest as it relates to motivation and includes
situational and personal interest. Situational interest occurs spontaneously or at the moment of
encountering a situation and personal interest is the intrinsic motivation one feels to engage and
perform an activity and the joy or satisfaction found in the task or action (Bandura, 1986). The
women MM have to have the interest and believe they play an integral role and purpose with the
bank. Intrinsically motivated employees are more self-driven and will take more responsibility to
tackle the next opportunity or task even among adversity or a challenge (Ryan & Deci, 2000;
Thomas, 2002).
Interest, both situational and personal, plays a crucial role in motivating women at GB to
pursue advancement. The narratives reveal a complex landscape of intrinsic motivation shaded
by the challenges of navigating a corporate structure not fully supportive of their personal
circumstances. Lily shares her personal perspective and the cultural influences:
I am Japanese and while some people stereotype that I would be smart – they also just
assume I am Chinese too, but because I am a woman, they also think I would either be,
forgive me, bitchy or stuck up. But in my culture, I was always taught to be meek,
grateful, and humble. My parents always told me it is more important to listen than be
heard. So yeah, I think it is hard for me to find my voice sometimes or even advocate for
myself or even tell you these things for that matter. So I wasn't really actively pursuing
additional opportunities, I don't know if that makes sense even though I knew I would be
good. But no one in my family was cheering me on to do differently. My husband loved
and hated my work. Loved it for the extra income, but not when I consumed my days.
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That always kind of made it hard, you know, in my life. That support was there but I also
knew it wasn’t.
These personal influences Lily shares affect her sense of empowerment and motivation. It is
important for GB to recognize these differences in their talent pool. In addition Leila shares her
background of being Mexican and the influence family had on her state of being as she navigated
career growth:
But, half of me sometimes think that I wasn't raised to shoot for the stars. My parents are
not very driven. So I feel that sometimes I get caught in what people thought I should be
like a stay-at-home mom, but then at the same time, the other part of me is like well that
should be your driving factor, so that you're not like your parents. But for me, I just felt
like I wasn’t raised to take on more and my job should be in the home, even though
people loved my style in my role, my leadership. I feel better at work than at home
honestly but I experience immense guilt. I love what I do. But I wasn’t sure really how or
if I could do it. And it seemed when I would truly try, I got let down.
Participants emphasized how the responsibilities of caring for their children and maintaining the
home often took precedence over their professional goals but their desire to still achieve, make
more money, and advance despite these responsibilities is a large part of their motivation. Grace
shared her story:
So that's when I was at school, and then I got pregnant with my daughter, and I came
back to the bank as a teller, and moved up pretty quickly. So she was a huge motivation
for me. You know, having a child like flips your world upside down, and so monetary
needs were one of them. Obviously. I did not have a husband that was contributing
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consistently so I was forced to make tough choices and being a parent and making money
were both priorities. Conflicting, but it had to be done. It was not easy.
And as she continued in her career she shared:
At first, I thought I never wanna be in leadership. That does not sound fun to me. That
sounds heinous and awful, and I don't want all eyes on me. And I started to learn that I
was an influential leader without actually leading anyone and seeing people's careers
develop and sort of flourish…And so I started to really find a passion and love for that,
helping them grow.
Grace’s transformation from reluctance to empowerment illustrates how personal interest
can evolve, particularly when nurtured by positive experiences and supportive relationships
within the workplace.
For Nicole, she shared the influence of family:
My father passed away when I was 12, you know, because of that I was raised by a single
mother. So, we didn't have strong male figures, it was my sister, me and my mother. You
know all women. So, you know how to become very self-sufficient very quickly…it
taught me that I never wanted to be in a position where I couldn't take care of myself. So
I've always been kind of career focused because of that I watched my mother, not having
had worked, you know, go through losing, not just her husband but also her, you know,
essentially, life support. Right? I never wanted to go through that myself so I always have
that in the back of my brain that's kind of fueling me on. I am the first woman in my
family to work.
Beyond the influence of family, Nicole also revealed her experience as a gay woman. “I almost
got fired for being gay, which again has nothing to do with being a woman, but that was
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definitely an interesting and kind of life altering shaping event that took place, that definitely led
me to be more. I didn't want to be in that situation ever again but I also didn't want other people
to be in that situation so turned out, you know, I look out for other people.”
For Vivian it was her health and her family:
I battled breast cancer, and it definitely changed everything for me about what matters,
about what's important. And during my treatment, my health, and my family became my
top priority. So as a single mom, you know, suddenly I realized I'm a lifeline for these
two young boys. And, you know, they're not young anymore. But, you know, I still call
them my boys. They're my babies. And it was a challenging time, both physically and
emotionally, and it really charged me to reevaluate my life and I gotta bring home the
dollars, you know bring home the bacon and make things work. So, I used to kind of not
be so positive and this little health scare, it really helped to kind of give me perspective.
Certainly, my company didn't give me that perspective, but it came from my own walk of
faith with my life and God and how that was going to influence my next steps and what
was going to be the best for me and my family.
Moreover, many women stated how their cultural and personal upbringing influenced their career
motivation, with many expressing how those societal norms and expectations played a crucial
role in shaping their career decisions. These cultural influences often dictated the extent to which
they felt comfortable pursuing career advancements. Many of these women faced internal
conflicts that pushed them to overcome and rationalize when they aspired to professional
success.
Organization
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Mentorship/Networking. The unconscious level of a culture is comprised of the
underlying beliefs and values of the organization's stakeholders (Schein, 2010). Mentorship and
networking programs contribute to the overall positive environment and culture of an
organization giving access to open and safe conversations, informal opportunities, and
unstructured settings to explore professional interests (Surawicz, 2016). Organizational
influences of sponsorship and mentorship serves as a foundation for advancement in careers and
helps to overcome barriers for growth (Madsen, 2017; O’Brien et al., 2010; Ragins & Cotton,
1999).
The formal mentorship program at GB is somewhat known among the participants (5 of
8), yet it is criticized for its lack of efficacy and tangible outcomes. This indicates a critical area
for organizational improvement, particularly in how mentorship is structured and its benefits
communicated.
Vivian’s commentary reflects a deep-seated need for authentic mentorship experiences
that are not only supportive but also celebratory of diversity within the workplace. She expanded
further on the concept of sponsorship. “But honestly, it's like, wow, couldn't it have been so cool
if somebody just sponsored me in my career, you know. What a difference that might have
made.” She also shared further on the work she had to do to get the support she needed, not just
to excel at work but in some instances to just get through the regular minutia of work. Vivian
shared:
There were no black men that were in my role for so long until we hired one guy and he
was here for, you know, about a year. And you know it…I was the only black woman,
you know, doing commercial sales. So truly finding someone that I could connect to is, is
just a huge challenge, you know, and I did of course connect to some of the senior
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executives really hoping to like gain a mentor and a sponsor, but there was no way they
were going to be able to understand what it's like to navigate this industry as a black
woman. So, for the most part, I've had to look outside the company for guidance and
support and it's really my external networks. It's family, it's friends from church, and
business allies like the Black chamber and such.
Victoria also shared her experience with the mentorship program. “So, yes we had a
mentor program. I was placed with some guy in IT in Dallas who was a VP as well and we spent
more time talking about the vernacular of my role than anything about me, my needs as an
emerging woman leader, or how to help me in my career. Those meetings fell off quickly. No
value there at all.” She explained it was a volunteer basis and random selection which made it
difficult to align. The time period was short and not closely monitored. Both of these remarks
from Vivian and Victoria point to the potential impact of well-structured mentorship and
networking programs that are not only inclusive but also proactive in addressing the unique
challenges faced by women, particularly those of color, in corporate settings.
Leila gave her thoughts on what she would like to see from an inclusive mentorship but
expressed concern on the ability to gain this level of support from GB.
I think, in my current industry, I would benefit from dual mentorship, because although,
you know, I love women and there's a lot that we can learn from men and that we can
learn from each other. I think like a duo. His and her mentorship would be something
beneficial. So that way you could learn to approach things in different ways, but my thing
is, it needs to be authentic. I want…I wish somebody would genuinely feel it in their
heart to, I guess in a sense, like pay it forward or, or have people grow, but I don't think in
my current industry there's enough people that have the time and or the passion to watch
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people grow, because it's more an “I, I, me, me” mentality. But then again, that being said
I am working for corporate America, as an employee. Can I expect something different? I
probably just, I just need to maybe not fantasize about a perfect setup, and just play the
game. Play the corporate game.
In alignment with the need for support, Lily along with 5 other women shared how much they
would love to have someone who was eager to help, genuine, and able to create safe career
interactions. Lily shared “I think having great connections, having, you know, a network of
people who are believing in you that know your skill sets that are in different parts, and stages, of
their careers, they can help to bring you forward, teach you what they've learned and you know
things like that.”
Finally, Vivian along with 4 other interview participants acknowledged the presence of a
“boys club,” the need for safe access to leadership, and positive experiences with other women.
She shared, “There is still a boy’s club. It exists. The men in their roles who have been there a
long time are stagnant. The few women who do make it had to be tough and fight their way in.
But they are not always nice to deal with and often block opportunities for other women. We
need good people willing with a plan in place to mentor and grow a talent pipeline. It needs to be
in the open. It needs transparency.” Nicole further explored this concept in her interview when
she shared:
As women we need to help each other out. Right? That's how I progressed through my
career is by leveraging other strong women going up through their career. It's funny, you
know, silly, and I talk about this quite often with women. Either they're going to be
incredibly supportive and go above and beyond to help you out, or they're going to do
everything in their power to make sure you don't rise. Yes. Like we're our own worst
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enemies. And a lot of ways, especially in the workforce. And until I think we as a gender
can get away from being our own worst enemies and out to sabotage each other, like, I
hate to say that that's, that's what it is half the time is sabotaging each other, and actually
be there to support each other like the boys club right then, you know I think we're gonna
always hold ourselves down.
Ultimately, the insights provided by GB's women highlight the critical need for a mentorship
structure that genuinely supports their career aspirations. This includes rethinking how
mentorship is communicated and implemented to better reflect and support the diverse needs of
the workforce, particularly for women and underrepresented groups. Enhancing transparency,
accountability, and inclusivity within these programs could lead to more significant and effective
professional development for all employees.
Summary of Findings
Table 7
Summary of Findings with Embedded Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences
Main Findings KMO Influence Findings
Finding 1: GB has motivated and able women
that are, or could be, ready for advancement
but do not feel ability is enough to provide the
path forward
● Lack of advancement opportunities are
presented and filled by women
● The participants reflected on a need to
“perfect” their function in their roles
prior to applying to the next
opportunity
● Multiple participants shared examples
of gender biases, sexual harassment,
and gender discrimination that have
intervened in their career path forward
Knowledge – Factual
Women acknowledge the function and
expectation of the next job in the hierarchy
but feel there is not a clear path and other
agendas that influence the outcome of those
that are promoted
Knowledge – Metacognitive
The women were reflective about their
strengths and weaknesses often discussing
their desire to continue to improve and
become better prior to applying for the next
role
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Motivation – Expectancy Value Theory
Women believe they have the ability to
achieve the promotion but do not believe
ability alone allows for the opportunity to
advance
Organization – Culture
Women of GB do not feel there is a safe,
sustainable women-friendly environment with
open communication. GB opportunities for
advancement are not shared broadly and
access to roles feels limited and unattainable
Finding 2: it is unclear what resources and
support is available to advance and gain
access to senior level roles at GB
● Lack of leadership training to support
upward mobility is a deterrent and
effects interest and confidence
● Interested participants need senior
level leadership support and guidance
earlier and often to guide through the
process
● Bank-wide initiatives and
programming that advertises and
promotes access to senior level roles is
lacking, yet deeply desired
Knowledge – Conceptual
Women of GB know their skillset is strong
but are unsure how they would connect to the
opportunity for the next role
Motivation – Self-Efficacy
Most women were not confident in their
ability to attain a next level promotion
Organization – Leadership Training
There is limited to no leadership training
modules available tied to promotional
opportunities that the participants were aware
of
Finding 3: While motherhood, caring for the
home, and cultural influences may have
shaped their upbringing and contributed to
hesitancies in advancement and initial career
choices, most members expressed that had
they received support, mentorship, and an
understanding of more flexible work
arrangements, they would be more likely to
pursue the next opportunity
● Participants reflected on how
motherhood or choosing motherhood
had impacted or slowed their career
path
Knowledge – Procedural
Women identified steps they would expect to
take to achieve a role but lacked clarity at GB
on how to prepare or additional resources
available beyond a mentoring program
Motivation – Interest
Women do have interest both personally and
situationally to pursue the next level of their
career despite personal influences
Organization – Mentorship/Networking
There is a formal mentorship program
available at GB but no one was able to share
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● Additionally, participants identified
their upbringing or cultural influences
that have affected their thinking and
drive for the next career move.
● Participants expressed the importance
of having a network to advance but
felt establishing connections within
the company was not easily achieved
● Most participants shared an awareness
of a formal mentorship program
available at GB but a lack of
confidence in the program, no viable
examples or awareness of how the
program works or benefited
participants was identified
viable examples or awareness of how the
program works or benefited participants
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Chapter Five: Discussion
The purpose of this project was to evaluate the lack of women in leadership SVP roles at
Grand Bank (GB). Specifically, the promotion and hiring practices at GB was explored and their
ability to promote up and coming women talent (middle managers (MM)) to help close the
gender gap. The analysis focused on knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors related to
the women MM at GB as they seek the next available career opportunity. The study leverages a
qualitative phenomenological design and the following research question guided this study:
(1) What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational barriers that impede a
woman to strive for, and achieve a leadership position at GB?
(2) What organizational strategies could be implemented earlier in a woman’s tenure to
promote successful advancement at GB?
(3) How do the personal and societal experiences of women influence their motivation to
achieve a promotion or success?
Chapter 4 detailed the study's findings, confirming which knowledge, motivation, and
organizational (KMO) factors influenced women MMs' ability to navigate career opportunities
and secure promotions to the next level. Data was analyzed, the findings were presented, and
ultimately organized based on themes. Ultimately, repetitive experiences with discrimination,
gender stereotypes, and a lack of resources within the organization caused women to feel less
motivated and lose the desire to achieve personal growth goals or the ability to achieve the next
opportunity. The findings also validated that influences like raising a family and childcare, the
need to feel capable prior to tackling challenging tasks, and social networks were far less
accessible to the women at GB. The purpose of this chapter is to address these gaps identified
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through the data collection process and leverage the KMO influences to create an evaluation and
implementation plan for GB. The proposed model and framework is based on the New World
Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Framework
The Kirkpatrick Model was originally developed by Dr. Don Kirkpatrick in the 1950s
with four distinct levels he used to review and evaluate his own training programs (Kirkpatrick
& Kirkpatrick, 2016). The four levels include Level 1 Reaction; Level 2 Learning; Level 3
Behavior; and Level 4 Results. Level 1 Reaction demonstrates the degree to which participants
engage and find relevance to their jobs and Level 2 Learning indicates how participants absorb
and acquire core learning such as knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence, and commitment
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Next, Level 3 Behavior identifies the level to which
participants apply what they learned during the training, and Level 4 Results is the final desired
outcome and measures the degree to which these results were obtained based on the training
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). The four levels are meant to be moved through an inverse
order, starting with Level 4, to ensure accountability for change or solving problems does not rest
solely on the training alone.
Specifically, the Kirkpatrick Implementation and Evaluation framework serves as an
accountability mechanism for gaining stakeholder investment and supporting goal attainment
with the four-level checkpoints to help identify the differences between outputs and outcomes.
Stakeholders need dependable and trustworthy outcomes that can be specifically linked back to
the activities (outputs) and training to ensure the evidence is sound and the results are valid
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). This expectation from the stakeholders is what Kirkpatrick
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coined as ROE, or rather “Return on Expectations.” To fully measure ROE the learning must
clearly identify 1) what are the expectations of the stakeholders, 2) how can these expectations
be transformed into business outcomes, 3) are the outcomes measurable, and lastly 4) can the
learning be improved to increase ROE (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). ROE is a proactive
measurement that will determine whether a training program was, in fact, successful and the
degree to which stakeholders are satisfied.
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations
Mission and Purpose
Grand Bank (GB) is a regional bank on the east coast of the United States. The mission of
GB is to be a trusted partner in serving customers, small businesses, and communities with
extraordinary service. Additionally, GB focuses on caring for and creating empowering
employee experiences, and providing value to their shareholders.
Ontological Accountability
GB as an organization has ontological accountability to its clients, communities,
employees, and shareholders as represented by its mission statement. According to Dubnick
(2014), ontology is a branch of metaphysics that helps to synthesize complex areas of knowledge
by developing categories. Specifically, accountability has become a complex and multifaceted
area of knowledge and research over the past 2 decades. Frink et al. 2008 emphasize that
accountability is what binds social systems and if individuals do not answer for their behavior,
there will not be shared expectations or grounds for social order. Therefore, ontological
accountability is the human interactions that are altered into arrangements recognized within GB.
To better understand these relationships for GB, Dubnick (2020) frames ontological
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accountability around the variable properties 1) Relationality, 2) Spatiality, 3) Temporality, 4)
Ethicality, and 5) Constitutive.
Relationality is about relationships. All forms of accountability involve relationships that
can exist between individuals, interrelating groups or any mix thereof where accountability is
either formal and explicit or even imagined or implied (Dubnick, 2020). At GB there is a
relationship that exists between the client and the banker, the banker and the organization, and
the client and organization. In banking, even language, if simply implied, can bind a client and
the organization into a contractual relationship. For example, if a banker offers a rate for a loan,
implies that the client was approved, and provides terms, the client may claim they were engaged
in a legal and binding accountability relationship.
Next, spatiality includes the setting in which accountability relationships take place and
can include both physical and social spaces (Dubnick, 2020). For GB these spaces extend beyond
the walls of the bank, could take place in a phone call, over email, and more recently over social
media exchanges and posts. Clients could perceive a fee structure, rate approval, or loan
credibility simply based on an implication made even in places like social media that are not
typically associated with contractual soundness. Further compounding this dynamic is
temporality. Temporality is defined by the accountability of relationships that occur over or
within time-spaces or time frames (Dubnick, 2020). Following this example of social media, it
does not matter the length of time or even how long the exchange occurred, an accountability
relationship exists the second a banker and client intersect.
Ethicality includes all forms of accountability relationships that are a reflection of values,
rules, and parameters that occur within these spaces and timeframes (Dubnick, 2020). Much
attention was given to the Wells Fargo cross-sell scandal that began in 2013 then settled in 2016
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that paid over $185 million to settle a lawsuit that discovered bankers were selling products to
clients without their knowledge (Tayan, 2019). This event served as the catalyst for a large
ethical upheaval in how banks interact with their clients. As a result, large sanctions were placed
on all banks, including GB, to ensure ethical transactions take place to create greater
accountability.
Finally, constitutivism is the accountability relationships that constitute a part of one’s
identity (Dubnick, 2020). In this example, GB clients inherently expect to trust their bank and
their banker with their bankings and protect their assets to ensure they can save and prepare for
their future. The identity typically associated with the bank is to provide a safe place to store and
protect their monetary assets.
Epistemological Accountability
Accountability is a fundamental pillar in all societies and to the organizations that are
established within society (Hall et al., 2017). The term epistemological accountability is closely
tied to the act of “doing” and connects back to the preconceived expectations tied with
ontological accountability (Bovens et al., 2014). For GB as an organization, it often is required to
answer to the political or bureaucratic public expectations regarding public accountability,
especially since the 2008-2010 subprime mortgage crisis. While GB did not partake in this type
of lending and suffered from zero losses, GB was still held accountable and underwent
painstaking audits, reviews, and new laws and regulations that stifle growth, client experience,
and innovation. As a result, the primary focus of increasing accountability to simply close the
“accountability gap” may in fact grow and set unattainable metrics that hurt the organization and
the client in the process (Flinders, 2014).
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In the above bureaucratic accountability example, too much accountability may not be
the best solution especially as it relates to the accountability binary. However, in another binary
challenge example, legal accountability in providing fair, ethical, and equitable hiring
opportunities within the organization has surfaced and highlights the important position and
relationship of the director and provider within the GB organization. For example, women
bankers on the frontlines and within branches typically hold a VP title or lower (provider) make
up more than 50% of the workforce and the leadership (director) are roles typically held by men
with fewer than 19% SVP or higher represented by women. Hentschke and Wholstetter (2004)
identify this dichotomy as potentially holding divergent objectives with different values they
focus on at a specific time.
Accountability relationships are described as having three core focuses including values,
rights, and information (Hentschke & Wholstetter, 2004). Values are a common meeting ground
for the director and the provider but typically are most important to the director. When both share
a common agreement and understanding the relationship tends to be better. However, the deficit
in this relationship is the inability to promote and support women bankers at GB to a level
beyond the branch hierarchy. According to Hentschke and Wholstetter (2004), accountability is a
contractual relationship between two parties where the provider delivers a good or service and
the director can reward, punish, or replace the provider. In this specific instance, the provider is
not rewarded with opportunities for promotion within the GB infrastructure.
Organizational Problem and Stakeholder
In alignment with the organizational problem of a lack of women (provider) in SVP
leadership roles or higher at GB, as a result of current leadership (director) who currently hold
these roles. The primary stakeholder is the Human Resources (HR) department at GB. HR
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currently holds the greatest accountability to be able to provide specific, measurable, achievable,
relevant, and time-based (SMART) goals to influence and affect change for GB.
The specific epistemological accountability considerations internal to GB for choosing
this stakeholder in this relationship, HR needs to become the “director” and it is necessary that
leadership represent the “provider” to ensure equitable outcomes and targets are met. The
specific ontological consideration for HR as the primary stakeholder is based on the original
mission statement of GB to care for and empower employees. As the women at GB currently
lack resources, training, and opportunity to career path upward, they need a clear and defined
pathway to ensure equitable opportunities not only to interview but to successfully achieve the
desired and sought-after roles with confidence. This is a prime example of an accountability
binary through which leadership at GB should be held accountable for processes and outcomes
(Dubnick, 2011). HR has the capacity, tools, and means to mediate between the leadership team
and the frontline branch staff to deliver and implement a pathway for measurable success and
accountability.
Ultimately, the stakeholder SMART goal for HR at GB is that by 2026, women
leadership with roles SVP or higher will increase from 19% to 35% as a result of new career
pathing tools, resources, and training. The goal for the organization is to have a target of
promoting womens at least 35% of the time to ensure outcomes are met.
Level Review and Evaluation
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Table 8 shows the proposed Level 4 outcomes, metrics, and methods for external and
internal outcomes. The table outlines the short-term observations, measurements, and data
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collection methods that demonstrate HR at GB is meeting its target goals and outcomes through
the creation of new career pathing tools, resources, and training programs.
Table 8
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcomes Metrics Data Collection Methods
External Outcomes
1. Increased GB public
participation and
recognition in the
advancement of
women.
Frequency of GB related press or
industry related media coverage.
Track frequency of GB
mentions in press or industry
related materials.
2. Increased awareness
of women presence in
top leadership
positions at GB.
Announcements as women in
SVP leadership roles or higher are
achieved.
Track frequency
announcements on social
media/press related media.
3. Increased company
profile for clients and
public perception.
Field results, net promoter scores,
and awards granted as a result
from client feedback/scores.
Gallup will collect and
provide the data analytics on
a biannual basis to determine
perception and top women
leadership awareness.
Internal Outcomes
4. Increased percentage
of women that accept
an SVP level position
or higher.
Monthly report depicting
aggregate number and average of
women hired.
GB monthly new hire report
tracking.
5. Increased number of
women in leadership
education and
mentorship programs
available in GB.
5a. Number of hours devoted to
women leadership training
courses that are available to
women at GB.
5b. Number of women leadership
courses that are available to
women at GB.
5a. Compare the prior
amount of time previously
available vs current number
of hours available.
5b. Track prior courses that
existed vs current number of
courses available and
frequency.
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6. Increased women
retention at all levels.
Women employee retention rates
within a fiscal year.
HR will provide reporting to
women employee retention
rates.
7. Increased women
employee satisfaction
and engagement.
7a. Survey results.
7b. Feedback results from women
employee mentors.
7a. Provide quarterly
employee engagement
survey opportunities and
compare results.
7b. HR will collect monthly
feedback and set aside time
for feedback loops regarding
overall engagement and
satisfaction.
Level 3: Behavior
Critical behaviors. The stakeholders of focus at Grand Bank (GB) is HR and specifically the
Talent Acquisition Team who directly oversee and are responsible to advocate for and create
equitable leadership opportunities. The first critical behavior HR must develop is the career map
for top women talent with new educational strategies and opportunities. The career map might
outline recognition of top women talent metrics achieved that earn access to new educational
classes or programs that enhance leadership skills and abilities. The second critical behavior is
that HR must create new educational classes specific to women leadership acumen. The modules
must address interview preparation and leadership development by presenting information
specific to women navigating the workplace with work, life, balance segments. The third critical
behavior is that HR must define women promotional and retention goals that support
organizational goals. HR needs to review monthly promotion and turnover data to gain deeper
insights into female employees' engagement, acceptance of promotions, and departures. This
analysis will help determine if strategies require improvement or adjustment. The metrics,
methods, and timing for each of these crucial behaviors are detailed in Table 9.
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Table 9
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for HR
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Data Collection
Method(s)
Timing
1. Develop a career
map for top women
talent for new
educational strategy
opportunities.
Number of women
talent with top
performance scores
identified.
HR will identify
womens with scores of
4 or 5 on
annual/mid-year
reviews 2 years or
more.
Bi-annual
opportunities:
Annual/mid-year
reviews.
2. Create new
specialized and
intentional
educational classes
and mentorship
programs to support
the promotion of
women leadership.
2a. The number of
educational classes
deployed to support
emerging women
leaders.
2a. HR will deploy a
minimum of 2
strategies a month
specific to women
leadership
development.
2b. HR will continue to
develop new strategies
that are conducive to
women leadership
through training,
mentorship, literature,
and/or experience.
2c. HR will share strategy
success stories among
colleagues in team
meetings and forums.
2d. HR will assess and
then adjust educational
strategies based on
promotional rates and
retention efficacy.
2a. Within 30 days
and monthly
thereafter.
2b. Within 90 days
and quarterly
thereafter.
2c. Within 60 days
and ongoing
monthly.
2d. Within 60 days
and ongoing
monthly.
3. HR to review
monthly women
promotional rates
Time spent is
dedicated to
assessing and
HR will dedicate 30
minutes to review
women promotion and
3a. Within 30 days
and monthly
thereafter.
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data and retention
goal targets.
processing women
promotions and
regrettable talent
losses.
regrettable talent
loss/retention rate data.
3b. HR will work with
hiring managers and
interview/debrief
following new
employee hires with or
without women talent
for related insight.
3c. HR will work with
hiring managers and
interview/debrief
following regrettable
women talent loss
whether to an external
opportunity or decline
a position.
3b. Within 1 week
following all new
hires.
3c. Within 1 week
following the loss
or decline of a
woman in a
leadership position.
Required drivers. For HR at GB to successfully develop and implement new women's
leadership training, support from hiring managers, Regional Executive Managers, Talent
Development Recruiters, Learning and Development teams, and the entire organization is
essential. This initiative will require a blend of organizational support, reinforcement,
motivation, recognition of critical behaviors, and accountability to ensure the application and
maintenance of new methods, behaviors, and strategies. Table 10 outlines the recommended
strategies to support HR's efforts in increasing and retaining women in leadership roles.
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Table 10
Required Drivers to Support HRs’ Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing
Critical Behaviors
Supported
1, 2, 3 Etc.
Reinforcing (K Related)
Support from the organization and
Regional Executive Managers is
necessary to ensure that hiring
managers, Leadership and
Development, and Talent
Development Recruiters align their
women's leadership promotional goals
with the overall objectives of the
organization.
Within 30 days with mid-year
and annual review.
3
Training on the definition of equitable
hiring practices/promotions and the
importance and need of closing the
gender gap in leadership roles.
Upon the launch of
improvement efforts.
2
Instruction on understanding and
deriving insights from monthly
turnover reports and hiring data
analytics.
Within 30 days 3
Guidelines and training on the new
career roadmap for identifying and
retaining top female talent.
Upon the launch of
improvement efforts
1
Training on the new leadership and
advanced mentorship programs
available to emerging women leaders.
Upon the launch of
improvement efforts and
quarterly for new updates.
1
Encouraging (M Related)
HR retraining on best practices for
equitable interviewing and hiring.
Within 30 days 2, 3
HR and Regional Executive Team
monthly business review (MBR)
Monthly 1, 2, 3
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reporting and updates on strategy
success.
HR to provide local level 1:1 with
hiring managers to identify hiring
challenges and encourage
development of women talent.
Monthly and as-needed 1, 2, 3
Rewarding (M Related)
Rewarding emerging high performing
women leadership with new
educational opportunities to encourage
participation and growth.
Bi-annually 1, 2, 3
Bonus opportunity for HR
stakeholders when retention and
promotion of women leadership goals
and targets are met.
Annually 3
Recognition of women promotions in
team meetings, social media, and
other public forums.
Ongoing 3
Monitoring (O Related)
Development of surveys for feedback
and self-efficacy of new women
attendees in training program
Quarterly 2, 3
HR tracking of women promotions
and regrettable talent loss/retention
overall
Monthly 1, 2, 3
HR tracking of enrollment to new
training programs
Bi-annually 1
Organizational support. GB must fully and timely support HR's critical behaviors outlined in
Table 3 to ensure the success of the initiatives. First, renewed policies and procedures for
equitable hiring practices will need to be developed, approved, and published by Executive
leadership to ensure HR can prioritize this initiative. Next, HR will need the financial resources
to develop new educational platforms and reporting tools to ensure drivers, timing,
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implementation, completion, and results are met. Finally, for buy-in and adoption, the HR team
will need the support of the marketing team and Executive leaders to have the reach and platform
to support messaging and the new target metrics.
Level 2: Learning
Learning goals. Following completion of the recommended solutions, HR at GB will be
able to do the following:
1. Recognize the gaps in policies and programming that do not support equitable
promotions. (K-D)
2. Interpret the data of promotion and retention rates for women employees. (K-D)
3. Establish new promotion and retention goals for women to support new
organizational goals. (K-P)
4. Identify and classify the types of leadership skills necessary to develop women
leaders. (K-P)
5. Plan and implement new class strategies to build leadership skills. (K-P)
6. Detect gaps in data and lagging indicators to identify early opportunities for
improving retention and promotion of women leadership. (K-P)
7. Create a timeline for assessment and review of management adoption of new
retention strategies. (K-M)
8. Critique effectiveness of programs and apply changes as necessary with confidence.
(Confidence)
9. Generate organizational incentives to motivate and maintain targets focusing on
women employee retention and promotions. (Motivation)
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10. Value the contributions of planning, execution, and monitoring of the new programs
and policies. (Value)
Program. The training program is designed to achieve the learning objectives from the
previous section and will employ a blend of asynchronous and synchronous learning,
assessments, and job aids for Hiring Managers. This program will equip GB's HR stakeholders
with an in-depth understanding of the impacts of both conceptual and procedural knowledge, as
well as motivational factors.
To begin, a six-hour asynchronous learning program will include assigned readings,
familiarization with the new policies, and practice navigating and using the job-aids via
e-learning. Additionally, the program will feature a two-part, four-hour assessment unit.
Participants will complete 10 hours of pre-learning activities outside of class. The synchronous
learning sessions will occur over two days, totaling 16 hours. The first day will focus on the
primary module of motivation, while the second day will cover two modules, addressing both
conceptual and procedural knowledge. After the in-person training, there will be a two-hour
post-assessment, enabling participants to apply and practice their new skills. The entire program
will span 24 hours.
In the asynchronous e-learning sessions, participants will receive a job aid featuring key
terms and references related to the new policies, career mapping, and educational programs. This
resource will focus on closing the gender gap, promoting equitable hiring practices, and
supporting the retention of top talent. The job aid will also provide an outline of the training
plan, implementation strategies, target timelines for strategy success. The job aid will be
presented in an interactive pre-recorded video format with the opportunity to pause, take
knowledge assessments, and view content with scripted roleplays, to help model acceptable and
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unacceptable hiring and promotional practices. Following the demonstrations, the learner will
have opportunities to complete their readings and reflect and offer their insights and apply their
skills. These assessments will be peer reviewed and reviewed by the instructors to provide
feedback.
During the synchronous learning portion, the motivation module will be included on day
one to engage and recognize the foundational need for these new policies and enhancements to
the hiring and promotional practices at GB. An in-person/live video from the CEO and Head of
HR will be present to deliver the overarching messaging of importance and value. Next, learners
will explore conceptual and data-driven evidence demonstrating how these gaps impact overall
engagement and retention. They will see how failing to address these issues can expose the
organization to risk and diminish opportunities for success. An initial survey will be given before
and after the class to assess awareness and feelings of connectedness to the purpose of gender
gap inequalities.
Next, on day two, the knowledge session will focus on applying what the learners have
learned asynchronously and from their first synchronous class leveraging training groups,
role-playing, discussions, and peer modeling and teaching back to one another. The final portion
of the class will address the application of the pedagogical techniques to support emerging
leadership as they achieve top performance statuses.
Upon completion of the in-person training, learners will complete a two-hour post
assessment approximately 2 weeks later. The final asynchronous portion will allow the learner
the opportunity to explore and adapt to the new information and demonstrate their knowledge
and application of the new concepts, policies, and educational formats now available. A
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certificate of completion will be presented to each learned signifying their new leadership skills
acquired.
Evaluation of the components of learning. The training plan relies on Kirkpatrick and
Kirkpatrick’s (2016) identity of five key components of Level 2 learning including: knowledge,
skill, attitude, confidence, and commitment. The five components help to identify and measure if
learners know, understand, and can confidently apply their knowledge. Understanding if the
learners value the education and feel they can commit their new skillset to applying it on the job
will be critical. Level 2 evaluation is formative, occurring both at the beginning, middle, and end
of the training to assess confidence and commitment allowing facilitators to enhance, change,
and amplify as needed during and after the training. Evaluations also ensure that the learners
have ample time to prepare, practice, and ask questions. Table 11 outlines the methods, activities,
and the timing of the evaluations of the components of learning.
Table 11
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Methods or Activities Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”
Knowledge assessments with multiple choice
and fill-in the blank options.
In the asynchronous online training pre- and
post-assessment.
Knowledge checks through discussion and
individual and peer groups.
Throughout the in-person training.
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”
Use of real-life scenarios in role-play. In the synchronous training.
Group and individual demonstrations of using
the job aids to effectively apply the skills.
During the synchronous training.
Caliber of peer feedback. During the asynchronous and synchronous
training.
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Post-training evaluation identifying retention
of knowledge, motivation, and opportunity to
apply new skills.
2 weeks post-training.
Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Instructors will observe learners' engagement
through their actions and statements to
determine whether they recognize the benefits
of the tasks they are being asked to perform on
the job.
During the synchronous live training by
trainer.
Before-and-after assessment tool. After program implementation.
Discussion about the importance of the tasks
participants are being asked to perform in their
roles.
At the end of the synchronous live seminars.
Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”
Administer a survey with scaled questions to
measure confidence in applying the new skill
at work.
Following the completed synchronous live
training.
Discussions following practice and feedback. During the synchronous workshop.
Commitment “I will do it on the job.”
Develop a personalized action plan. During the synchronous workshop.
Conduct a survey with scaled questions to
assess commitment to applying new skills in
the workplace.
Following the completed synchronous live
training.
Level 1: Reaction
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) define Level 1 as a client satisfaction level evaluation
that should be simple and inexpensive. The aim is to design an evaluation to determine if the
content and the experience of the learning was engaging and relevant. Tools and instruments
such as surveys, observation, and feedback loops with the learners can help predict the value of
the training early in the process and throughout to allow for adjustments and enhancements.
Lastly, gathering participant feedback after the training is also crucial to better understand
adoption, real-world applicability, and to understand for future iterations where adjustments and
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opportunities for improvement can be implemented. Table 12 captures the methods of measuring
engagement, relevance, client satisfaction, and timing of measuring Level 1 reactions.
Table 12
Elements to Measure Responses to the Program
Methods or Tools Scheduling
Participation
Finish the online modules by the given
deadlines.
Continuous during an asynchronous portion of
training.
Take attendance. At the start of synchronous training.
Observation by instructor/facilitator. During synchronous live training.
Before and after assessment. After program implementation.
Connection
Course evaluation survey. 1a. Immediately after synchronous live
training.
1b. Immediately after the asynchronous
components
Participant Satisfaction
Course evaluation survey. 1a. Immediately after synchronous live
training.
1b. Immediately after the asynchronous
portion.
Evaluation Tools
Immediately after the program implementation. Immediately after implementing the
program, data collection will take place throughout the asynchronous training via the online and
learning applied platform (LAP). LAP will track module completion by participants and measure
initial engagement with the online training method. Upon finishing the online modules, a
post-training evaluation will be initiated to assess initial engagement with the course content, its
relevance to on-the-job application, and overall learner satisfaction with the job aids and online
coaching experience.
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Next, following the in-person synchronous training a post training evaluation (Appendix
B) will be triggered to gather Level 1 engagement and interest in the new material. Additionally,
Level 2 learning will be evaluated to assess knowledge, skills and attitude with an opportunity to
answer free-form with open-ended questions. Confidence and commitment will be assessed on
the survey and in-person with feedback loops and opportunities to share examples of on-the-job
application ideas. Both Appendix A and B show example Level 1 and 2 rating items post-online
and post-live training surveys.
Postponement upon program implementation. Postponed for a period following the
program implementation, GB leadership will administer a survey to learners approximately 8
weeks after the training program implementation, and then again at 18 weeks. This survey will
include both scaled and open-ended questions, utilizing the Kirkpatrick Blended Evaluation
approach (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
The questions will span L-1, L-2, L-3, and L-4 learning stages of the Kirkpatrick model
and are aimed to provide maximization of data for the training team and minimize the time and
resources for the learner to respond. The methods of the survey (Appendix C) leverages Likert
scale ratings, work reviews and action learning examples, and even a brief knowledge test to
demonstrate what the learner has adopted back into the work on the job. The learner also can
reflect, offer improvements, and give feedback on what additional tools and resources might be
needed to promote their success.
Data Analysis and Reporting
Upon completing the training, data reporting and analysis become crucial for measuring
and monitoring ongoing success and fostering accountability. We will employ a blended
approach to analyze and report key performance indicators (KPIs). Level 4 leading indicators
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and results, as well as Level 3 behaviors identified in Tables 11 and 10, will be included. Table
13 below details each KPI to be tracked, specifying the key metrics, frequency of reporting, and
visual dashboard representation. This dashboard will serve as an essential tool, providing
transparency to the team, HR, and leadership, thereby enhancing accountability and engagement.
Examples of the Internal Employee Promotion KPI are shown below.
Table 13
Possible Key Performance Indicators for Internal Employee Promotion
Key Performance
Indicator (KPI)
Metric Frequency Dashboard Representation
Voluntary Employee
Turnover
Monthly
Turnover
Rate
Monthly People Graph (Monthly Turnover, GB
Turnover, Average # of Employees,
Regrettable Loss) and Bar Chart
(Target Turnover Rate to Fiscal Year
Cumulative, Women and Males)
Employee Retention Monthly
Retention
Rate
Monthly Table (Target Rate to Actual and Prior
Year)
Internal Employee
Promotion
Monthly
Promotion
Rate
Monthly Table (Promotions, Regrettable Talent
Loss, Males, and Womens)
Employee
Engagement and
Satisfaction
Employee
Engagement
Survey
Bi-Annually Table (Satisfaction Rating and Prior
Year)
Hire and Training
Costs
Profit and
Loss
Statements
Monthly Table (Planned Budget to Actual
Spend)
Employee
Complaints
GB
Employee
Monthly Table (Number of Turnover-Related
Complaints and Top Complaints)
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Complaint
Logs
Figure 2. Example of KPI Dashboard Representation
Summary
Once the data has been properly analyzed our next step is to take action and continue to
evolve and evaluate and implement. The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2016) is used as a guide and framework for developing this study’s recommended
solutions, implementations strategies, and evaluation plan in an effort to retain and promote top
women talent into positions SVP or higher at GB. The key to success includes evaluation and
intervention should not wait until implementation is complete (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
Therefore, this framework was designed to synchronize learning and assessment, collecting
valuable data from all four levels of learning (results, behavior, learning, and reaction) for the
proposed KMO recommendations.
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Recommendations for Future Research
This study focused on the process currently available at GB for talent building, retention,
and promotion of MM women to close the gender gap at their organization and set an example to
help solve the larger problem found consistently in other financial services organizations. The
analysis focused on the tools and resources available to the women, per the research literature, in
the area of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources. The study was exclusive to the
perspectives of women at one bank; therefore, future research could expand beyond women and
be more inclusive of the perspectives of men. Additionally, the focus in the study was narrowed
to one group, specifically the VP, Middle Manager. Future research could explore various roles
including AVP or lower and even SVP or higher to cast a wider net to gauge the KMO factors
that may help or hold back the women at GB to ultimately mend the “broken rung.”
While this study provided the research and had a question regarding gender
discrimination, this theme emerged consistently for all of the participants and revealed much
more complex struggles beyond training and mentorship. As discussed earlier about the
expectations about women (i.e., the female gender role) and expectations about leaders (i.e.,
leader roles) could be the cause for prejudice against female leaders (Burgess & Borgida, 1999;
Heilman, 2001; Kunda & Spencer, 2003). This explanation, based on Eagly’s (1987) social role
theory of sex differences and similarities in social behavior (Eagly et al., 2000) could be explored
further. In addition to sex differences related to leadership, organizational environments are
themselves gendered, and also affect leadership development efforts (O’Neil et al., 2008) and
may be warranted to explore further.
Lastly, racial disparities coupled with gender discrimination also emerged as a powerful
theme in this study. Clark and Estes (2008) emphasize the impact of inconsistent leadership and
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the lack of equitable support within a work environment dramatically impact motivation.
Therefore, a more narrow focus on diversity and leveraging the seminal work of Bronfenbrenner
(1979) Ecological Systems Theory to explore the impact of systems on women in banking could
be beneficial. For example, the microsystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem, could
serve as a lens through which various influences contribute to the impact of women as they
navigate career advancement. Various social and cultural factors could be explored further
regarding the perception of race and belief systems within the banking organization.
Conclusion
This dissertation explored women middle managers with a VP title or lower at GB and
how their perceived organizational and life experiences have impacted their career advancement.
The research on the organizational impact of the self-efficacy theory asserts that an individual
within an organization can overcome a negative experience through a series of positive
experiences, thereby neutralizing the impact of the aversive experience (Bandura, 2005).
Through a comprehensive qualitative data analysis, this inquiry examined the needs of up and
coming women talent. The findings in this dissertation closely align with existing research, both
historical and contemporary, on this topic. While Bandura exerts that supervisors may develop an
individual’s leadership self-efficacy (LSE) through verbal persuasion and coaching (1986), the
lack of opportunities demonstrated at GB currently present organizational and motivational
barriers. Within the work environment clear themes emerged including a lack of career mapping,
access to support from direct managers, senior leadership, and HR. Current programs and access
to training are either misunderstood, or not fulfilling their commitment causing disparity and a
lack of trust in the advancement process. While research showed that other banks perform
slightly ahead of GB, this creates a perceived opportunity to develop and improve current career
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development programming for women talent at GB. This dissertation concludes by providing a
robust solution package with recommendations for implementation to address the areas of
opportunity as outlined. All goals, recommendations provided align with Bandura’s Self-Efficacy
Theory, the conceptual framework that guided this study, and Clark and Estes’s (2008) gap
analysis KMO framework.
Throughout all 8 interviews the women of GB shared examples of sexual discrimination,
gender discrimination, and sexual harassment that have intervened in their career path forward.
The lack of resources, support, and intentional planning to develop clear career mapping are
overt gaps that continue to clog and block women from achieving their goals. There was
consistency that they do not feel there is a safe, sustainable women-friendly environment with
open communication. It is imperative that research and purposeful work continues to be
developed to make a way for emerging women talent. If GB chooses to adapt these goals and
recommendations, the acceleration of women talent into SVP roles and beyond is sure to
increase, but it is only a step in the right direction. GB will require long-term investment in
sustainable culture shifts to ensure the safe and formidable future of women talent.
104

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120

Appendix A: Asynchronous Immediate Evaluation Instrument (L2-L1)
Electronic Participant Survey Completed Immediately After Asynchronous Training
The webinar helped me to learn.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌 5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
The content was easy for me to follow.
🗌1 🗌 2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
The information in today’s session:
Increased my confidence? 🗌Yes | 🗌No
I learned something new? 🗌Yes | 🗌No
Relevant to my role? 🗌Yes | 🗌No
I am clear about what is expected of me after I get back to my job.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I understand the importance of equitable hiring practices.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I know how I can get additional support after the training is completed.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I felt engaged and able to participate throughout the webinar.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
What is the first thing that you plan to implement from what you have learned today?
121

How can the online training modules be improved?
122

Appendix B: Synchronous Immediate Evaluation Instrument (L2-L1)
Electronic Participant Survey Completed Immediately After In-Person Synchronous Training
The instructor helped me to learn.
🗌1 🗌 2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
The content was easy for me to follow.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
The information in today’s session:
Increased my confidence? 🗌Yes | 🗌No
Informative? 🗌Yes | 🗌No
Relevant to my role? 🗌Yes | 🗌No
The presentation style contributed to my learning experience.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
The information in today’s session will help me be a better leader.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I am committed to the new concepts introduced in the training.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I felt I was able to participate throughout the webinar.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
123

How can this program be improved?
What additional help would you like to be successful?
124

Appendix C: Delayed-Blended Instrument (L4, L3, L2, L1)
Electronic Participant Survey Completed on a Delayed Basis After Training
After the course, I have implemented my new skills on the job.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I am seeing positive results because of this program.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I have used the following tools recently:
The job aids? 🗌Yes | 🗌No
The resource line? 🗌Yes | 🗌No
The online support portal? 🗌Yes | 🗌No
Looking back on this course, it was a good use of my time.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I have received support from management with opportunities to implement my learning from the
training.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I am clear about how I can get additional support after the training is completed.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
125

I received helpful information prior to the program that I can still use today.
🗌1 🗌2 🗌3 🗌4 🗌5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Looking back, how could this program be improved?
Please comment on your confidence you felt about applying what you have learned on the job?
What early outcomes have you noticed from your efforts?
Please give an example of a positive or negative outcome you have experienced as a result of
attending this training.
126

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Asset Metadata

Creator Bray, Devon Michelle (author)

Core Title Minding the gender gap: self-efficacy and women senior leadership roles in banking

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Degree Conferral Date 2024-08

Publication Date 08/07/2024

Defense Date 07/23/2024

Publisher Los Angeles, California (original), University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag banking,engagement,finance,gender diversity,gender gap,OAI-PMH Harvest,retention,self efficacy,senior leadership,women leadership

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Lynch, Doug (committee chair), Picus, Lawrence (committee chair), Canny, Eric (committee member)

Creator Email braydevonm@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113998TE7

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