The leadership style and motivation of women council candidates in regional New South Wales, Australia: a heuristic inquiry

Main Article Content

Delanie Sky
Hedy Bryant
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0730-7764

Abstract

The women who aspire to the role of a local government councillor in rural and regional areas of Australia are still breaking new ground. This paper presents research findings, by a woman who stood for election, concerning some of the barriers women face in achieving public leadership in regional and rural local governments (‘councils’). It explores the motivation and leadership styles of six women candidates campaigning in two neighbouring all-male councils in regional New South Wales in 2017. The study used heuristic inquiry in which the researcher and participants share a personal lived experience of the issues being studied. Heuristic inquiry allowed for an intimate and creative presentation of the research. Key findings were that gender disparity was not a significant motivator for five of the six women. The main motivator was service to their community with all six women favouring a servant leader style.

Article Details

How to Cite
Sky, D., & Bryant, H. (2022). The leadership style and motivation of women council candidates in regional New South Wales, Australia: a heuristic inquiry. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, (27), 37-56. https://doi.org/10.5130/cjlg.vi27.7864
Section
Research and Evaluation (peer-reviewed)
Author Biographies

Delanie Sky, Charles Sturt University

Adjunct Lecturer, School of Information and Communication Studies, Faculty of Arts and Education, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, NSW, Australia

Hedy Bryant, Charles Sturt University

Adjunct Lecturer with the School of Information and Communication Studies and sessional lecturer with the School of Business, at Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, NSW, Australia.

Lecturers in the Master of Social and Organisational Leadership and Master of Organisational Communication.

Supervises Higher Degree Research students.