Appreciative Narratives as Leadership Research: Matching Method to Lens

Abstract

This chapter explores the potential of appreciative inquiry for doing empirical work on leadership. We use a framework that matches a constructionist theoretical lens, an appreciative and participative stance, a focus on the work of leadership (as opposed to leaders), and multiple methods of inquiry (narrative, ethnographic and cooperative). We elaborate on our experiences with narrative inquiry, while highlighting the value of doing narrative inquiry in an appreciative manner. Finally, we suggest that this particular framework is helping us see how social change leadership work reframes the value that the larger society attributes to members of vulnerable communities.2

Leading Up in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

“…We hope that this article will help to bring scholars' existing leadership activities into the conscious and explicit domain so that they can be observed and reflected upon, and offer new ideas for individual experimentation. For those interested in developing a practice of leading up and possibly contributing to the scholarship in this area, we recommend approaches that recognize the experiential and situated nature of leadership such as communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) and research methods with narrative forms of inquiry such as ethnographic methods (O'Reilly, 2012), particularly interpretive inquiry (Butler-Kisber, 2010;Morehouse, 2012) and appreciative inquiry (Schall, Ospina, Godsoe, & Dodge, 2004;Simmons et al, 2013). These practical and methodological tools encourage "the observed" to consider their own leadership identities, thus becoming developers and inquirers themselves.…”

Sensegiving and the role of cognitive shifts in the work of leadership

“…As part of this program, Ford charged a research team based at the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University to develop new knowledge about leadership, based on the study of this particular leadership population (Schall, Ospina, Godsoe, & Dodge, 2004). This paper represents analysis of data from LCW's 2001 cohort.…”

“…Dunford & Jones, 2000), it reflected our intent to understand the work of leadership rather than individual-level characteristics and behaviors (Drath, 2001;Meindl, 1995;Denis, Lamothe, & Langley, 2001;Schall et al, 2004). From this perspective, which sees leadership as the property of a collective rather than an individual, the awardees were visible leaders who represented a synthesis of multiple contributions from many players.…”

Building bridges from the margins: The work of leadership in social change organizations

“…We draw on data from a national, multi-year, multi-modal qualitative study of social change organizations and their leaders, which explored the ways in which communities trying to make social change engage in the work of leadership (Schall et al, 2004;Ospina & Dodge, 2005). 1 These organizations represent disenfranchised communities with few material resources at their disposal.…”