| Federal government leaders are not providing incentives that truly motivate females to serve in federal management positions; thus, fewer females than males are serving in these roles. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to explore the perceptions of 15 female federal government managers regarding what motivates them to serve in management positions in the federal government and to explore the participants' experiences in management positions. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling. Data were collected through telephone and in-person semistructured interviews with open-ended questions. Supporting documents, such as reports regarding the participants' government agencies (MD-715 reports), which involve the agency's Equal Employment Opportunity plan, were reviewed and analyzed. Observation notes were analyzed as well. Content and thematic analysis were two methods employed in this study for data analysis. Open coding was used to assist in determining themes. NVivo10 was also used to assist with the data analysis process. The data analysis resulted in 29 themes regarding the participants' perceptions and experiences pertaining to motivation and federal government management. The six predominant themes, which provide an answer to the overarching research question, were intrinsic motivation, doing more with less, analytical abilities, the glass ceiling, being proactive, and formal mentoring programs: enhancing females' leadership skills. The research resulted in an in-depth understanding of how important motivation is to females serving in federal government management positions. The study results indicate how the experiences of female federal government managers have shaped their perceptions of motivation and what motivates these individuals to serve. Based on the findings, leaders should create opportunities for females to fulfill the needs of competency, autonomy, and relatedness. Providing such opportunities may influence more females to seek and serve in management positions in the federal government. |
