How Do Indiana Women of Achievement Awardees Support Preskill and Brookfield’s Learning as a Way of Leading Framework?

Abstract

In 2009, Preskill and Brookfield published Learning as a Way of Leading: Lessons from the Struggle for Social Justice that describes nine learning tasks characterizing organic leaders. These include being open to the contributions of others, critical reflection, supporting the growth of others, collective leadership, analyzing experience, questioning, democracy, sustaining hope in the face of struggle, and creating community. This research study connects the life experiences of selected Indiana Women of Achievement awardees to the leadership model but also shares characteristics that do not align with the model. This study highlights issues of how women’s leadership, social change, and transformation are manifested throughout their life journeys. We present examples of the model through 18 stories: two women for each of the nine characteristics. Other themes also emerged, including strong connections to their families, determination, perseverance, and achievement of goals.

Critical reflection in leadership development

“…The major leadership theories that capture or explicitly emphasize critical reflection are transformative leadership (e.g. Briscoe, 2013; Wood and Govender, 2013; Muir, 2014; Glowacki-Dudka et al , 2016) and authentic leadership (such as in Densten and Gray, 2001; Wilhelmson et al , 2006). Transformative leadership includes four major factors: “idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration” (Bass and Avolio, 1994, p. 3).…”

“…Other definitions of critical reflection focus more on its connection to collaboration, risk-taking and innovation. Building on the work of Preskill and Brookfield (2009) who describe critical reflection as a process of reflective practice, Glowacki-Dudka et al (2016) add that it includes “judging the strengths and weaknesses of actions to extend democracy and encourage collaboration” (p. 240). Critical reflection empowers leaders to probe deeply into the status quo, which includes examining the assumptions associated with the status quo.…”

“…Critical reflection empowers leaders to probe deeply into the status quo, which includes examining the assumptions associated with the status quo. If done within a supportive context, this can encourage leaders to take risks that may lead to new ways of thinking about an issue (Glowacki-Dudka et al , 2016).…”