Towards Gender-Inclusive Statistical Leadership: A Case Study of the ‘Women into Leadership’ Training Programme in Africa’s National Statistical Offices

Abstract

Numerous studies confirm the effectiveness of leadership training. However, there is limited evidence of the transfer occurrence especially in women in Africa. The study investigates how pre-engagement with participants informs training design, delivery and affects the impact of seven ‘Women into Leadership’ (WiL) training sessions delivered by the Office for National Statistics of the United Kingdom (ONS-UK) to female leaders in National Statistical Offices in Africa. Findings from thematic and descriptive content analyses reveal that pre-training expectations link to post training reactions as well as likelihood of training application. Key sentiments about the training include; laying foundations for stronger character, courage and assertiveness while providing knowledge and impetus for organisational change to trainees. The study also revealed country level variations whereby West Africans were more captivated by personal development and coaching, while East and Southern Africans leaned more towards leadership and management dynamics. Trainees also offered vital inputs for improvement which points to the importance of their engagement in all stages of the of training. An integrated framework for statistical leadership development and diffusion that guides further suggested trainings like the role of technology, AI and innovation in leadership, advanced strategic thinking, communication and emotional intelligence is also generated.