The Glass Cliff and Burnout: The Mediating Role of Self-Confidence Among Women in the Tunisian Public Sector

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between the glass cliff phenomenon, burnout, and self-confidence among female leaders in the Tunisian civil service. Using a quantitative methodology, we surveyed 66 female leaders who experienced glass cliff situations, employing validated scales for glass cliff experiences, burnout, and self-confidence. Data analysis, conducted using Hayes' PROCESS module and ANOVA, reveals a positive association between glass cliff experiences and burnout symptoms (total effect coefficient = 0.29, p < 0.05), with self-confidence partially mediating this relationship (indirect effect = -0.12). Glass cliff experiences directly decrease self-confidence (coefficient = -0.35), which in turn influences burnout (coefficient = -0.30). Job tenure moderates these relationships, with less experienced leaders reporting higher stress and burnout levels. This study contributes to understanding gender dynamics in leadership within Arab and Mediterranean public sectors, being among the first to empirically examine these variables in this cultural context. Our findings highlight the need for targeted support mechanisms, including mentoring programs and confidence-building initiatives, to promote the well-being and success of women leaders in the Tunisian public sector. Limitations include the relatively small sample size, potentially affecting generalizability. This research offers practical insights for policymakers and public service managers to address gender-specific leadership challenges while extending theoretical understanding of the glass cliff phenomenon in diverse cultural settings.

Received: 14 September 2024 | Revised: 29 October 2024 | Accepted: 23 January 2025

Conflicts of Interest 

The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support this work are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Author Contribution Statement

Zyed Achour: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration.