ABSTRACT
In 2018, we published our book, Leading in Place: Leadership Through Different Eyes (Hilton & O'Leary, 2018). The book was based on our survey of 274 women, in-depth follow-up interviews with 20 of our respondents, and 5 validation interviews with high level senior leaders in the public, nonprofit, and private sector. We wanted to know why women did and did not step up for formal leadership positions, and how they viewed leadership in general. In analyzing our data, we found that work–life balance was one of many reasons for both accepting and rejecting formal leadership positions, as were organization cultures grounded in outdated perspectives of work, what it means to lead, and antiquated job roles. In this article we first share some of the more pertinent findings in our book. Then we zero-in on implications for work–life balance in academia. While all of our 274 respondents were women, we maintain that balancing work and life is a gender-neutral reality.
