Queen Bee Syndrome : Examining Ubuntu Philosophy in Women's Leadership

Currently, women are present in all spheres of life, and legislation gives them the same rights as men. Ironically, this access is sometimes hampered by women in high positions who are not willing to help their female subordinates achieve professional growth and promotion. This goes against sisterhood 'solidarity behavior'. Through a review of the extant literature, this article explores the scope and various manifestations of Queen Bee syndrome in women's leadership. The question that arises, given this syndrome in educational leadership, is: How can collaborative leadership be achieved in the face of the Queen Bee syndrome? The article aims to show that ubuntu philosophy is critical to African leadership. Moreover, sisterhood is premised on one of the principles of ubuntu, namely collective leadership. Recently, the world of management has begun emphasizing the importance of collective leadership. Thus, the author will show why ubuntu philosophy is important if women are to be true African leaders who espouse solidarity. Ubuntu as a philosophy has the power to resonate with people of all cultures, traditions, religions and philosophies. Its universality stems from the fact that it recognizes that human beings - like all life - are fundamentally interconnected, thus the saying "I am because you are". Women therefore need to support one another, instead of reinforcing the very same discrimination that hurts them as a collective.