Table 1 Interview guide: major topics and questions
From: A qualitative study of leadership characteristics among women who catalyze positive community change
Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
Career path | I would like to hear your story about what led you to do the work you’re doing. You can start as early or late in your life as you think is relevant. What started you on this path, and what was the path? |
Leadership | When you think about the word “leadership”, what comes to mind? |
Describe the characteristics of a good leader. | |
Which of those characteristics do you believe you have? | |
Tell me about things you have done over the years to improve your leadership skills. (Prompts: attended a seminar, taken a course, read books on leadership). | |
Tell me about any mentors you have had. | |
Motivation | What specifically motivated you to do this work? |
What keeps you motivated? | |
Defining success | There are many ways to define success, and many different yardsticks to measure it by. How do you define success in terms of your work? Describe as best you can anything that has helped you become successful, by your own definition. |
Challenges | Think back to a time when you faced a significant obstacle or challenge in doing this work. Please describe the obstacle for me. |
How did you overcome it? |