Listening matters: Growing women’s leadership in global mission organizations

Major gaps persist between the number of women capable of leading and those actually in leadership roles within global evangelical mission organizations. This article explores the nuanced enabling factors for women navigating leadership barriers in the context of global demographic shifts in Christianity. Through a qualitative study involving 44 leaders from a large mission organization, key dynamics facilitating women’s leadership are identified: welcoming environments, opportunities, support, confidence, wellbeing, and equitable structures. Furthermore, research findings underscore the importance of attentive listening and intentional asking as foundational for both men and women to learn to identify barriers and to create environments conducive to growing women’s leadership. A strategic framework is developed for fostering inclusive leadership in mission organizations, emphasizing the need for continuous adaptation to evolving contexts. This study enhances our understanding of how to effectively facilitate and develop women’s leadership in complex intercultural settings.