Date of Award

2-2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Marilou Ryder

Second Advisor

Myrna Cote

Third Advisor

Suzette Lovely

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-methods study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female charter school superintendent/CEOs and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female charter school superintendent/CEOs to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study design was utilized to identify and describe the self-sabotaging behaviors displayed by female superintendent/CEOs within the charter school system and explore the impact of these behaviors on their career progression. This study identified strategies that female charter school superintendent/CEOs utilized to overcome identified self-sabotaging behaviors. This study identified 28 female charter school superintendent/CEOs who were selected based on the sampling frame and a sample of 10 female charter school superintendent/CEOs who met study criteria. Respondents participated in a 53 question quantitative survey and a thirteen question qualitative one-on-one interview to share the self-sabotaging behaviors they have experienced in their leadership journey and the strategies used to overcome these behaviors.

Findings: Examination of quantitative and qualitative findings from 10 female charter school superintendent/CEOs provided a variety of examples of self-sabotaging behaviors and the strategies used to overcome them. Participants engaged in the nine self-sabotaging behaviors to varying degrees and provided examples to illustrate the effects of these behaviors on their career development and progression. Participants indicated acting with confidence, honest self-expression, and owning all of oneself were the top strategies used to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their charter school leadership progression.

Conclusions: The findings from this study affirm that female charter school superintendent/CEOs have participated in self-sabotaging behaviors at some point in their career journey. These self-sabotaging behaviors affect women’s confidence levels and their opportunities for professional growth. The top three strategies that female charter school superintendent/CEOs utilized to overcome the effects of self-sabotaging behaviors were honest self-expression, acting with confidence, and owning all of oneself.

Recommendations: Further research is recommended to identify the effects of self- sabotaging behaviors on female charter school superintendent/CEOs across geographic locales, as well as within underrepresented populations of women of color and LGBTQIA+ communities.

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