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Creating more gender equitable and inclusive cultures is high on the agenda for many organisations. However there is often a disconnect between existing staff development activities and efforts to create the desired cultures. More explicitly linking individual development to organisational change can make a big difference to the return on investment when developing staff. The ‘bifocal approach’ translates this ideal into reality through clear principles and program design.

Champions of gender equality: female and male executives as leaders of gender change

I am very proud to present my newly published article Champions of gender equality: female and male executives as leaders of gender change.  It draws on my doctoral research and examines in detail what male and female executives say about gender championing. All agree that it is not an easy role!

As readers of my Blog will be aware, I am keen for men to engage with doing the work of gender equality and this research certainly influenced my thinking. This paragraph, from the Introduction, gives you an overview of the article. 

This research addresses a gap in our understanding regarding male and female executives as they undertake the leadership role of “championing” a gender change intervention. It examines the role, challenges, risks and choices as perceived by four leaders of an academic institution and police force. In these accounts the sex/gender of the leader is inescapably fore-fronted by the gender change intervention, which raises important questions and dilemmas regarding the capacity of women and men to exercise (gendered) power to effect gender change within their organization. The implications for current practice in the light of this careful examination of the gendered nature of executive leadership for gender change are discussed.

I hope you will read on.