The Experience of Facilitating Empowerment From the Perspectives of African American Women Leaders in the U.S. Federal Government
Open Access DepositedEmpowering Employees
Spreitzer, 1995). The findings are organized into thematic categories that reveal the importance of intentional leadership (Black et al., 2015
Kanter, 1977, 1993a
Ferguson & King 2023), inclusive influence (Allen et al., 2004
Passover, 2007), transparent information flow (Kanter 1977, 1993b), and structured capacity building (Ellinger et al., 2010
This qualitative research study (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) focused on the experiences and strategies of African American women leaders (AAWLs) in the U.S. federal government as they facilitate employee empowerment. In this study, the theoretical framework integrates three organizing themes—Empowering Leadership, Employee Empowerment, and Structural Empowerment—drawing on foundational work by Kanter (1977, 1993a, 1993b), Spreitzer (1995), and related scholars. This theoretical foundation also informed the conceptual framework presented in Chapter 1, which guided the development of the research question, interview protocol, and analytic approach. Through semi-structured interviews with 10 selected AAWLs, the study explores how these leaders navigate bureaucratic systems to promote autonomy, psychological safety, competence, and mission alignment within their teams (Edmondson, 2019
Gilley et al., 2010) for enhancing employee engagement and addressing retention challenges in the federal workforce. The overall goal addresses a gap in the literature and offers actionable recommendations for promoting equity and organizational effectiveness in public administration.
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