TDNet Discover

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how leadership is developed among individuals from adverse or marginalized backgrounds, focusing on personal experiences, identity formation, and access to leadership opportunities within professional and educational settings in the United States. For the purpose of this study, leadership development was defined as the personal and social process through which individuals acquire the mindset, confidence, and support needed to see themselves as leaders and grow into leadership roles, particularly while overcoming hardship or systemic barriers. The theory guiding this study was transformational leadership theory, which supports the idea that individuals who overcome adversity often draw from personal struggles to inspire and empower others. This study utilized a qualitative design to examine lived experiences represented within a secondary qualitative dataset. The primary research question guiding this study was: What internal traits and external support systems influence leadership development among individuals from marginalized or adverse backgrounds? The sample consisted of individuals represented within the selected dataset who experienced adversity and engaged in leadership development across professional and educational environments in the United States. The findings showed that leadership development among individuals from marginalized backgrounds was influenced by workplace barriers, resilience, mentorship, networking opportunities, support systems, and experiences related to discrimination, exclusion, and perseverance.