Leadership, motherhood and the NHS: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of clinical psychologists' experience

Introduction: This project was developed from a recognition that there is a lack of attention to gender in the leadership literature and, in particular, a gap in the research exploring the experiences of female leaders who are also mothers and managing multiple roles and identities. The research focused on individual leaders embedded in their personal and organisational context (NHS), and considered the experiences of leadership in clinical psychology and motherhood. The experiences of being both a leader and a mother were explored in the context of a largely female profession – clinical psychology – and in doing so provide an addition to the greater body of research that has been conducted in male-dominated environments.
Method: Using a combination of purposeful sampling and snowballing, a relatively homogeneous sample of seven female clinical psychologists with a leadership aspect to their role, who were also mothers, were recruited. They participated in semi-structured interviews which were transcribed and then analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Firstly, individual transcripts were analysed and themes and subthemes were generated for each participant. These individual themes were then used to develop the group themes.
Results: Three master themes and eight superordinate themes were developed from the group analysis. The master themes are: Feeling congruent, Working out whether I’m a leader and Coming to terms with too many demands.
Discussion: The key findings from the study are linked to the literature as well as psychological theory. The study adds to existing literature on women and leadership, and specifically leaders who are mothers and the negotiation of these roles within the public sector. The strengths and limitations of the study are presented. Implications for stakeholders are discussed as well as important areas for future research.