Abstract
The existence of workplace conflicts between women in senior and subordinate positions in organisations has been attributed to several reasons. One of these is intersectionality, which is suggested to cause intergroup differences within society and among individuals within an intersectional space. Other studies suggest that Patriarchy generates female-to-female competition as a ‘divide-and-conquer’ tactic, resulting in subtle, deep, tension-producing, and destructive competition within male-dominated organisations. Studies on the ‘Queen Bee’ Syndrome describe women in high positions who have achieved their professional goals in organisations dominated by men and who are sometimes suggested to limit subordinate women from developing and advancing their careers, often distancing themselves from these women and expressing behaviours that lead to gender stereotyping. Findings from this research, however, reveal new developments in the Nigerian Banking sector. A hermeneutic investigation utilising semi-structured interviews with life-stories reveals initiatives developed by women in senior management positions in the sector, in conjunction with the governing bodies in the sector, targeted at mentoring, training, and equipping women in subordinate positions to successfully occupy positions in senior management roles and on the boards of organisations in various male-dominated sectors in Nigeria. A direct impact of this development is reflected in records from the Nigerian Banking Sector, which reveal approximately 63.1% of women in Middle Management positions and 34 - 48% in Senior Management roles compared to 36% in Middle Management and 11% in Senior Management in the UK Banking Sector. This paper provides a detailed account of this recent phenomenon from the experiences of some of the women leaders in the Nigerian Banking Sector.