Signposts in Wonderland

In Lewis Carroll’s magical Wonderland, Alice approaches a fork in the road where she sees a cat sitting in a tree. Alice asks the cat, “Which road should I take?”

"Do you know where you want to go?” inquires the cat. “No,” says Alice. 

To which the cat replies, “Then any road will get you there.” 

To avoid being the proverbial Alice, I have finally assembled an outline for my thesis. A bona fide plan with chapter headings no less. At long last I feel that I am on top of this (well for now at least!). While the last 6 weeks have felt a bit like walking in circles (to clarify: I have been reading & thinking a LOT but the amount of pen to paper/fingers to keyboard time feels like it has been rather...lacking), the direction is finally set & the signpost clearly reads: 'thataway! at'em girl!'

Draft Title

Literary Approaches to Leadership Development: Using Women’s Literature to Explore Contemporary Leadership Issues

Chapter 1: Introduction

Approx. 1,000 – 1,500 words

• Background on this topic & field
• Justification for my research
• Guiding research question: “How can women’s literature and the feminine ‘voice’ be used in leadership development programmes to improve leadership practice?”
• Key themes: Gender & leadership development
• Outline/plan

Chapter 2: Leadership

Approx. 6,000 words

• Definition based on Donna Ladkin’s research of ‘The Leadership Moment.’

Leadership, as I conceive it in a business context, is the process of mobilising people effectively and efficiently so as they can work collectively towards a common purpose, goal or objective. But rather than being something that occurs through the agency of a single ‘leader’ figure; followers, context and the purpose to which effort is directed, all contribute to leadership’s occurrence (Ladkin 2010).

• Discussion on emerging approaches to leadership (i.e. post-heroic leadership, social constructionism, collaborative leadership, etc…)
• Discussion on leadership & the arts. Possible questions/issues to address:

-          What do the arts have to add to managerial practice?

-          How can the arts be of any interest to people who devote (or will devote) themselves to making organisations work efficiently?

-          What are the key differences in approaches

-          What do the humanities tell us about human nature?

-          The arts can “…foster curiosity about human issues and promote discussion of the values underlying human actions” (Arenas, 2006, p. 117).

-          Awakening an interest in civic issues and a sense of responsibility

-          Developing critical thinking

-          Promoting awareness of the ultimate values behind our decisions

What do the arts have to offer to leadership development? This paragraph from Management Education & the Humanities eloquently sums up what the arts have to offer:

“…extraordinary potential of analogic exploration, critical reflection and creative re-invention that these experiences offer in defining and addressing everyday management problems usually coped with by resorting or stereotyped routines. A humanistic culture will not provide administrators with the prescriptions or information that can be used immediately to solve specific problems, analytical or relational; nor will it enable them to take technically satisfactory decisions. But perhaps it will help them to evaluate events and persons with greater humility, to view phenomena from a broader perspective, to courageously confront the moral risks and responsibilities involved in doing their job, to rely constantly on a set of values rather than apply algorithms, and to give just as much importance to passion as to research, to wisdom as to competence” (Gagliardi & Czarniawska, 2006, p. 8). 

• Rewritten version of ‘Literature Review’ from Research Project in Semester 1 

Chapter 3: Doing Gender

Approx. 6,000 words

What is gender & how does it influence leadership? Exploring points of tension in current leadership discourse:

-          Expectations

-          Perceptions & stereotypes (i.e. the Selfless Heroine, the Iron Maiden, the Queen Bee)

-          Power & status

-          Women’s ‘styles’ of leadership (i.e. relational & collaborative approaches)

-          Women & authenticity

-          Tokenism

-          The working wife & mother

-          Female ambition

-          Women’s leadership in crisis situations

-     Gender neutrality in leadership texts/invisibility 

Feminist approaches to gender - Liberal vs. Cultural feminism:

Liberal Feminism: “From this perspective, a feminist is a person who believes that women are entitled to full legal and social equality with men and who favours changes in laws. Customs, and values to achieve the goal of equality. It emphasises the similarities between males and females, maintaining that give equal environments and opportunities, males and females will behave similarly” (Crawford, 2012, p. 9).

Cultural Feminism: “…emphasises differences between women and men. This perspective stresses that qualities characteristic of women have been devalued and should be honoured and respected in society. It views some gender differences in values and social behaviours as either an essential part of womanhood or so deeply socialised that they are virtually universal and unlikely to change” (Crawford, 2012, p. 10).

Tying it all together: A gender & humanities approach to leadership development

There is room to explore the gap in current research, since stories written by women which feature dynamic, fully-fleshed female voices are glaringly absent. [Refer back to literature review].

A few salient thoughts:

“By failing to counterbalance the shortcomings of agentic leadership with the feminine ‘other,’ these texts inadvertently overemphasise masculine understandings of leadership (Ahl, 2006).”

Instead of pitting ‘feminine’ against ‘masculine’ and romanticising differences, using women’s literature and adopting a feminine perspective simultaneously addresses the underrepresentation of women’s stories in this field, while also harnessing the ‘Other’s voice,’ a voice which has the potential to speak in more engaging ways about authentic & relational leadership. 

Chapter 4: Methods

Approx. 800 - 1,000 words

• Guiding question: How will I read the texts? (considering the tensions between ‘literary critic’ and ‘management facilitator’). Reconciling interdisciplinary approaches. 
• Thematic textual analysis based on an arts approach while simultaneously utilising the case study method so popular in business textbooks (modelled after Badaracco’s approach: Rather than providing ‘right’ answers, Badaracco encourages readers to ask thought-provoking questions and search “for explanations…by looking at themselves rather than blaming others”)
• Pedagogical interpretative framework – Interpretative-based studies emphasise socially constructed realities, intersubjectivity, practical reasoning, and ordinary talk.
• The value of reflective thinking as a method in leadership development. Reflective thinking is particularly important in leadership development, as through challenging our own assumptions, “we can develop more collaborative, responsible and ethical ways of managing organisations” (Cunliffe, 2004, p. 408).

Chapter 5: Findings: Chosen Texts

Approx. 7,000 – 10,000 words

• Criteria for selection of women’s literary works (discuss my method for selecting stories; how did I find them? What criteria did I set? etc)
• The process of choosing 3 – 5 texts from a pool of 12 appropriate stories (how do they work together? What are the unifying themes?)
• Analysis of 3 set texts (applying the same framework to each story, approx. 2,000 words each)

Chapter 6: Results (2): Workshop(?)

The project could be enhanced through the use of leadership development workshops and/or a ‘book club’ with women in positions of responsibility. Women’s stories and leadership issues will be discussed and recorded in a group setting. This additional method of data collection aims to demonstrate how discussing literature can contribute to the development of leadership awareness and enhance practice.

Chap 7: Discussion

So what?

Providing a justification for & method by which women’s literature can be used to awaken curiosity and stimulate debate on gender-related leadership issues in organisations.

Final Thoughts...

I'll do another summary of my latest readings in a week or two, but for now I want to end with this quote attributed to Sarah Grimke from The Invention of Wings (2014) by Sue Monk Kidd:

On the Road

I’ve discovered that I’m an abominable (or superlative – depending on how you look at it!) skim reader. Imagine a speedboat riding along the waves/pages so fast that you are barely touching the surface of the water/words. This is a good thing, at present, although perhaps a habit I will later regret? Anyway, I’ve read almost 3 novels (300 pages approx. each) in the last 4 days (and that’s with work and weekend commitments!). I would estimate that I can read a full novel of that size in probably less than four hours without disturbances. Textbooks are bit trickier – although my tactic with them is to highlight and post-it note until kingdom come! Meticulously going over them later and typing up each underlined sentence.

The direction I’m taking with my thesis has changed somewhat over the last week. Although I was hesitant at first to focus solely on women’s leadership, especially since authentic leadership was/still is something I’m quite passionate about and interested in, in terms of creating excellent discussion material and contributing to feminist discourse within business and leadership studies, refining my focus seems like the best course of action. Furthermore, finding good literature with strong female characters which also contained examples of ‘authentic’ leadership moments was proving tricky!

This doesn’t mean that at least one of the stories I select can’t be concerned with authentic leadership and how women enact it and experience it (I’m thinking The Secret Life of Bees!), but rather that I’ll have the freedom to utilise both a wider range of literary texts and make the whole study more provocative, topical and hopefully less ‘fluffy’/feel good – I don’t want to simply provide nicely packaged ‘right’ answers. Thus, the focus will be more on women’s leadership development rather than authentic leadership lessons.

With this in mind I’m in the process of re-defining my criteria for the selection of texts. For example: “Novels, short stories, and plays that raise contemporary leadership issues outside the bounds of traditional business case studies and are particularly concerned with the experiences of women, not only in relation to one another but also in relation to men. The narratives must create tension, raising pertinent questions and concerns about women’s leadership, and thus facilitating discussion on a diverse range of issues such as expectations & perceptions, female stereotypes, communal/relational leadership, feminism, working mothers, post-heroic leadership, authenticity, etc…”

Since the semester started four weeks ago I think now is as good a time as any to evaluate my progress. Obviously I’ve read a much broader range of material (see end list) than I am presenting here, but for time’s sake here are the possibilities so far (including an applicability rating, the relevant ‘women in leadership’ themes & a few thoughts on how each text could be used/discussion points):

1.       The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover

Applicability Rating: 6.5/10

Relevant Themes: Power + status, crisis situations, followership

Key thoughts: Examples of leadership in crisis, personal reflection, patriarchal domination, women's struggles and position relative to men. Only concern is that the material is much weightier than would be suited to a management course, and subjecting it to corporate scrutiny would overpower its more subtle, yet equally powerful elements (such as racial tensions).

2.       The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

Applicability rating: 6/10

Relevant Themes: Female ambition, power relationships between women, unsettling role models

Key Thoughts: I initially didn’t enjoy this novel and, to be honest, I still don’t think I like it very much (Jean Brodie is just…ugh!!). But the story does say some very interesting things about power and independence, expectations and perceptions, and what happens to women who act outside the bounds of societal convention. So while Miss Brodie is rather unlikable, her methods are unconventional (at least for the time period she is situated in), and thus worthy of discussion; i.e. what should young women be taught? How do female role models influence students? What power dynamics exist between women? 

 3.       The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Applicability Rating: 8/10

Relevant Themes: Authentic leadership & engagement, racial issues & women

Key Thoughts: A clear work environment (the honey business) where there is leadership and followership between women. August Boatwright exemplifies authentic leadership in its fullest sense, i.e. heart leadership, solid values, passionate engagement, self-discipline. Since the story is told from perspective of Lily, I could investigate how women respond to authentic leadership and female support.

4.       Sur by Ursula K. Le Guin

Applicability Rating: 8/10

Relevant Themes: Communal leadership, post-heroic leadership, expectations

Key Thoughts: A party of 9 women head to Antarctica in 1910 unbeknownst to almost any men, they explore the freezing territory for over 3 months and work as a team to accomplish their exploration, all of which goes completely unacknowledged as it wouldn't be acceptable (or even believable!) for women to have done this alone. It presents a range of examples of teamwork, leadership moving between group members, authentic engagement, the unique problems they encounter as women and the continual struggle to be accepted in a ‘man’s world’.

5.       A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

Applicability Rating: 7/10

Relevant Themes: Conditions for female leadership & examples of the social constructionism of gender.

Key Thoughts: This is a pioneering feminist text. While it is a non-fiction piece, Woolf examines in  detail the struggles faced by women in a world dominated by patriarchy, asking: “What does it require and mean for a woman to be successful? Can she ever be equal with the ‘dominant’ sex? How can she come into her own [as a writer and as a leader]?” Woolf uses a range of novels as examples to illustrate her point so it could work as part of my study if I picked out certain portions (mostly located in the latter half of the book) for analysis. Virginia Woolf is not very well read these days so most women (apart from literature buffs) are unlikely to have encountered her work in any great depth, and if they have, more likely one of her novels, such as Mrs Dalloway of To the Lighthouse.

 6.       The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

Applicability Rating: 9/10

Relevant Themes: Power & status, crisis situations, styles of leadership, the role of followers

Key Thoughts: Set in 1914 just as war is breaking out in Europe, a group of 39 men & women find themselves on a lifeboat only meant for 30 fighting for their lives. Told from the perspective of Grace (age 22) the novel explores the struggle for survival and leadership between Mr Hardie and Hannah & Mrs Grant. Grace, the protagonist, cleverly observes the leadership crisis and subsequent struggle for power between the men and women stranded on a lifeboat. At times both a supporter of Hardie and Mrs Grant, Grace sheds light on the human need for control and the power held by 'followers' in saving or damning their leaders. What is truly valuable about this novel is that it highlights the struggles women face as leaders and how when they emulate masculine styles of leadership and authority (making difficult life and death decisions) they are punished. Regardless of the time-setting, The Lifeboat is equally as applicable to today's society as 1914 America. Definitely a winner!

7.       The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Applicability Rating: 7.5/10

Relevant Themes: Maternal leadership, working mothers, female support networks, decision-making

Key Thoughts: This book is a rich portrayal of womanhood and contains a huge array of well-developed female characters. While the focus is on motherhood and the bonds between women rather than leadership per say, The Red Tent's universal themes and linear narrative lends itself to discussion on the 'power of women' and the importance of female relationships and support. How do women interact with one another when there are clear power boundaries? How does age influence leadership dynamics between women? Dinah's grandmother, Rebekah, is an example of a strong, perhaps almost masculine leader (see pages 147 - 166) who makes hard decisions which are often criticised. Yet at the same time she is also deeply perceptive and caring of those around her. Rebekah’s section may raise some good discussion points.

Other books I’ve read but have given low applicability ratings:

·         The Group by Mary McCarthy

·         Outline by Rachel Cusk

·         The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

·         The Aviator’s Wife

·         Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

As far as textbooks go, I’ve read a couple of anthologies for women’s plays and modern literature, along with a complete psychology textbook by Mary Crawford called Transformations: Women, Gender & Psychology (2012) to give me a reference point and basic understanding of current women’s issues and the nature vs. nurture argument. I’m currently reading three other scholarly texts, including Women’s Leadership (2009) by Valerie Stead and Carole Elliot, The Future of Feminism (2011) by Sylvia Walby, and Through the Labyrinth: The Truth about How Women Become Leaders (2007) by Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli. I hope to finish these by the end of this week, along with at least two more novels.

All in all, I feel this is quite a good effort for just four weeks of study! I’m going to give myself three more weeks of reading before I start writing seriously. This should give me time to read at least 7 more novels/plays and finish investigating women’s leadership from an academic standpoint.

From there the road will take an upward slant and I will start on the path leading to the summit (yay for mountain analogies!).