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ORCID

H. Kovacs-Resnik: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0309-0690

Keywords

Women in leadership, Gender norms, Emotional labour, Life–work spillover, Organisational culture

Abstract

Leadership sustainability among women remains insufficiently explained in leadership research, as dominant models prioritise workplace factors, neglecting the role of private-life demands. This research explored how social expectations and gender norms influence women's private lives and how the emotional impact spills over into their leadership style and performance, thereby influencing their career progression. Using a qualitative design and thematic analysis of 18 interviews with women in leadership roles, the research examined what it means to lead while also navigating family and relationships.
The findings revealed that the boundaries between women's private and professional lives are almost nonexistent. Professional success often undermines women's private relationships. Recurring themes include pressure on women to downplay their success, difficulty in relationship formation and stability, unequal household labour, and emotional exhaustion. The research highlights the systemic neglect of these issues on an organisational level, where work–life balance is treated as an individual challenge rather than a shared responsibility. If organisations want to retain and support women leaders, they need to implement cultural change, redefining leadership and performance based on outcomes and sustainability. Practical implications include redefining performance indicators, introducing co- and shared leadership, offering part-time options without penalty and stigma, and actively engaging men in equality initiatives.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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