Date of Graduation

2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College/School

School of Education

Department

Leadership Studies

Program

Organization & Leadership EdD

First Advisor

Patricia Mitchell

Second Advisor

Walter Gmelch

Third Advisor

Susan Katz

Abstract

Black female technology leaders lack leadership opportunities, which affects their self-efficacy and is a crucial concern. Self-efficacy is based on the concept that an individual’s belief in what they can achieve influences their actions and how much effort they invest in the selected action. Self-persuasion can provide high or low self-satisfaction as a determinant for creating incentives for success or failure and converting thoughts and emotions to actions. Limited research has investigated the mindset, the thought patterns, and the self-belief undertaken by Black females in the world of technology. Despite limited amounts of research, data suggest that Black female leaders in technology develop self-belief, self-influence, and self-empowerment for self-sustainment to face and overcome the challenges placed before them in their occupational environment. With 10 Black female technology leaders from various parts of the United States, this qualitative study was conducted based on data from a demographic interview questionnaire. Using NVivo, the researcher analyzed (a) the experiences, successes, challenges, barriers, needs, and awareness of the participants and (b) the extent to which the participants articulated a connection between mental fortitude and the workplace environment. Each examination was aimed toward the individual’s self-belief, self-perception, and self-discernment of their conduct to identify transformative measures to remove disparities in the technology atmosphere. The data are organized into six encompassing themes (a) history of working women, (b) history of African American women in technology, (c) factors of leadership that demotivate hiring Black females, (d) barriers for Black females working in technology, (e) ways to promote self-efficacy and self-awareness, and (f) future leadership roles for Black females. This study provides crucial insight into the fundamental survival-to-thriving techniques Black female technology leaders associate with developing success within the workplace environment, where too many Black females did not find a pathway to high attainment. This research study was composed to showcase the lived experiences of Black female technology leaders who honed their self-belief expertise, moving beyond perceived and actual barriers to create an inner-winner strategy. The arduous journey of self-belief and self-awareness instills self-knowledge that makes the individual their most potent.

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