Factors affecting the next generation of women leaders: Mapping the challenges,antecedents, and consequences of effective leadership

This article introduces a conceptual model for understanding how young women perceive the current challenges of leadership. Numerous studies and articles claim that women are better educated, more experienced, and better suited for leadership positions than ever before. This news is encouraging, but the number of women in leadership roles in American politics gained less than one percentage point this year, hovering around 22%, while in the private sector many organizations have yet to place a single woman on their board. The proportion of women on corporate boards is 16%, with no evidence that this is likely to grow in the near future. What is even more discouraging is that these low numbers are not significantly higher than those in many developing nations. It is evident that women are underrepresented in top leadership positions and must intensely challenge the status quo. This article presents results of a study based on in‐depth interviews with college women who are seeking paths to leadership. The researchers employ qualitative analytical research tools to explore the complexities of the phenomena. The findings bring a greater understanding of the antecedents and consequences that lie beneath the challenges affecting the next generation of women leaders.