A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE FOLLOWERSHIP AND FOLLOWER DISSENT EXPERIENCE OF BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE HEALTHCARE LEADERS

Although followership has traditionally been viewed as self-explanatory and innate, it is critical to leadership success and deserves equal scrutiny. Despite its recognized importance to leadership, followership theory remains underdeveloped and understudied, particularly in relation to intersectional factors, such as race and gender and the followership experience of individuals. This gap is particularly salient in today's diverse healthcare settings, where diverse representation and effective leadership and followership are critical for addressing pressing healthcare challenges, including health disparities. Black/African American women are disproportionately represented in entry-level roles compared to leadership positions within healthcare and often face unique challenges related to their social identities. Research on how these women navigate leadership roles is sparse, and even less is known about their experiences as followers. This interpretive phenomenological study involved an exploration of the lived experiences of followership and follower dissent among Black/African American female healthcare leaders. Through interviews with nine healthcare leaders, the study addressed four key research questions that resulted in 140 codes that formed 13 themes. The themes included Cultivating Trust Through Relationship Building and Role Modeling; Navigating Identity and Cultural Dynamics; Proving Professional Legitimacy and Competence; Strategic Engagement; Feeling Misinterpreted; Respect and Ethical Followership; Strategic Communication; Navigating Intersectional Identity; Perceived Intersectional Challenges in Behavior Acceptance; Strategic Workplace Navigation, Self-Management, and Response; Expressed Similarities; Expressed Differences as a Leader; and Expressed Differences as a Follower. The findings offer valuable insights into the followership experiences of Black/African American women in healthcare and provide practical implications for future research and organizational practices.