Addressing gender in leadership development program planning

Community leadership development programs are a popular means of identifying and training new leaders. The agenda of many of these programs is to not only develop the individual in terms of leadership skills, but also provide participants with a better understanding of the community and provide networking opportunities. However, less addressed in literature concerning community leadership programs is how programs facilitate conversations about structures, such as gender, that affect how a leader carries out their role. During interviews conducted with male and female mayors in a sample area of the Mississippi Delta in 2008, it was clear that the women in the study had a very different set of experiences when running for office and challenges once they were elected. This exploratory research explores the difficulties cited by these women. The research suggests that the structure of gender relations in the Mississippi Delta constrains women in their roles as leaders. However, how can leadership development programs address these unique challenges for women? The potential opportunities for programs are discussed as a means of mediating the challenges noted by female mayors.