Developing authenticity: a framework to enhance women's well-being in a male-dominated work environment

Abstract

This study’s primary objective was to create a framework for developing authenticity, by exploring women’s experiences of authenticity and how these relate to their wellbeing in a male-dominated work environment. Twelve purposively chosen women participated in the study, comprising six police officers and six traffic officers from the Western Cape province in South Africa. Data were gathered through narrative interviews by using open-ended questions, and analysed by applying thematic analysis. The research findings revealed that challenges or stressors in their law enforcement environment serve as potential agents for moving the self away from best-self in the authenticity dynamic, resulting in the need for coping and therefore for developing authenticity. The framework for developing authenticity was constructed as an ongoing and unfolding process comprising the following: experiencing challenges or stressors; turning within; recognising possible ways of being; managing perceptions, thoughts, emotions and behaviour; making conscious choices and taking responsible actions; as well as evaluating responses and consequences against best-self standards. During this process various best-self characteristics and associated skills are developed and employed, but also serve as best-self standards against which to evaluate growth and transformation. Secondary objectives aimed to advance the concept of authenticity in the study of well-being as a discipline of psychology. It also aimed to make a methodological contribution by applying hermeneutic phenomenological and transpersonal approaches in a novel way.

Eyona njongo yesisifundo ibikukuphuhlisa umgaqo nkqubo wokwenene, oqwalasela izinto abantu basetyhini abadlule kuzo kwaye nokuba zingqamane njani nentlalontle yabo kwindawo zokusebenza eziphethwe ngamadoda. Ishumi elinesibini labasetyhini elikhethwe ngenjongo, liye lathatha inxaxheba kwesi sifundo, eliquka amapolisa amathandathu kunye namagos’ezendlel'amathandathu, avela kwiphondo Lentshona Koloni eMzantsi Afrika. Kusetyenziswe udliwano ndlebe apho abantu bebe balisa amabali abo, bebuzwa imibuzo efuna impendulo ezingqalileyo ukuqokelela ezinkcukacha kwaye zahlalutywa ngokusebenzisa uhlalutyo oluthile. Uphando lufumanise ukuba imiceli mingeni okanye uxinizelelo lwengqondo kwiimeko zokugunyaziswa komthetho zisebenza njenge arhente zokubasusa ekubeni babalasele kwinguqu yokwenene, nto leyo ebangela kubekho imfuneko yokuba banyamezele kwaye kubekho uhlumo lokwenene. Umgaqo nkqubo wophuhliso lokwenene wakhiwe njenge nkqubo eqhubekayo equka ezizinto zilandelayo: ukudibana nemiceli mingeni okanye uxinezelelo nezinokwenzeka ngayo izinto; ukulawula iingcamango, iingcinga, imvakalelo kunye nendlela yokuziphatha, ukuthatha izigqibo ezi zizo kunye nokuthatha uxanduva lwezenzo zakho; kwaye uphonononge indlela abaphendula ngayo kwakunyegokwase ngqondweni; ukonganyelwa ngaphakathi; ukubona indlela ezinokwenzeka ngayo izinto; ukulawula iingcamango, iingcinga, imvakalelo kunye nendlela yokuziphatha, ukuthatha izigqibo ezi zizo kunye nokuthatha uxanduva lwezenzo zakho; kwaye uphonononge indlela abaphendula ngayo kwakunye neziphumo ezinxamnye nomgangatho wokuba ubalasele. Ngexesha lalenkqubo iimpawu zakho ezihamba phambili nezohlukeneyo, kunye nezakhono ezinxulumene nazo ziyaphuhliswa kwaye uqashwe, kodwa zikwa ncedisa njenge milinganiselo yokuvavanya ukukhula kunye notshintsho. Iinjongo zesibini zijolise ekuqhubekekiseni lemfundiso yokwenene kwisifundo sentlalo-ntle njenge ngqeqesho yasengqondweni. Kwakhona, kwenzelwe ukwenza igalelo leendlela zokwenza izinto ngokusebenzisa iindlela zophando ngokusebenza kwengqondo yomntu (hermeneutic), kunye nophando lwamava kunye neenkolelo zomntu, ngeedlela ezintsha.

Die primêre doel van hierdie studie was om 'n raamwerk vir die ontwikkeling van egtheid te skep, deur vroue se ervarings van egtheid te ondersoek en hoe dit verband hou met hul welstand in 'n manlik-gedomineerde werksomgewing. Twaalf doelgerig gekose vrouens het deelgeneem aan die studie, wie bestaan het uit ses polisiebeamptes en ses verkeersbeamptes uit die Wes-Kaapse provinsie in Suid- Afrika. Data was versamel deur middel van narratiewe onderhoude deur oop vrae te gebruik, en ontleed deur tematiese analise toe te pas. Die navorsingsbevindings het aan die lig gebring dat uitdagings of stressors in hul wetstoepassingsomgewing as potensiële agente dien om die self weg te beweeg van die beste-self in die egtheid dinamika, wat die behoefte aan coping tot gevolg het en dus vir die ontwikkeling van egtheid. Die raamwerk vir die ontwikkeling van egtheid is saamgestel as 'n deurlopende en ontvouende proses wat die volgende insluit: ervaring van uitdagings of stressors; keer na binne; erkenning van moontlike maniere om te wees; hantering van persepsies, gedagtes, emosies en gedrag; maak bewustelike keuses en neem verantwoordelike aksies; sowel as die evaluering van reaksies en gevolge teen die beste-self standaarde. Gedurende hierdie proses word verskeie beste-self eienskappe en verwante vaardighede ontwikkel en aangewend, maar dien ook as die beste-self standaarde om groei en transformasie te evalueer. Sekondêre doelwitte het ten doel om die konsep van egtheid in die studie van welstand as dissipline van sielkunde te bevorder. Dit is ook daarop gemik om 'n metodologiese bydrae te lewer deur hermeneutiese fenomenologiese en transpersoonlike benaderings op 'n nuwe manier toe te pas.