My educational leadership philosophy stems from 3 beliefs:
Northouse (2019) opens his chapter on gender and leadership with a quotation from Margaret Atwood, which exemplifies many women's struggle with imposter sydrome. Atwood speaks of women in leadership saying, “We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly” (Northouse, 2019, p. 404)*. I have witnessed disproportionate leadership in higher education, with most of my experience being that of males in advanced leadership positions. Both my job experience and my course work in Georgia Southern's doctoral program have provided me with a more broad definition of leadership; through this expanded idea I have come to understand that individuals should lead from where they are and with what the skills they have possess.
Additionally, my educational leadership philosophy recognizes the fact that mentors have a significant impact on how a leader develops. I have both served as a mentor and have been a mentee to a wonderful leader in higher education. Mentors allow even seasoned educational leaders to explore their own strengths and future career paths. My own mentor, Dr. Karen Sullivan-Vance (pictured below) has been my mentor for about 10 years and still plays a large part in my leadership development.
*Northouse, P.G. (2019) Leadership: Theory and practice. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.
- Leadership is contextual.
- Leadership is relational.
- The purpose of leadership is to advance the good of society.
Northouse (2019) opens his chapter on gender and leadership with a quotation from Margaret Atwood, which exemplifies many women's struggle with imposter sydrome. Atwood speaks of women in leadership saying, “We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly” (Northouse, 2019, p. 404)*. I have witnessed disproportionate leadership in higher education, with most of my experience being that of males in advanced leadership positions. Both my job experience and my course work in Georgia Southern's doctoral program have provided me with a more broad definition of leadership; through this expanded idea I have come to understand that individuals should lead from where they are and with what the skills they have possess.
Additionally, my educational leadership philosophy recognizes the fact that mentors have a significant impact on how a leader develops. I have both served as a mentor and have been a mentee to a wonderful leader in higher education. Mentors allow even seasoned educational leaders to explore their own strengths and future career paths. My own mentor, Dr. Karen Sullivan-Vance (pictured below) has been my mentor for about 10 years and still plays a large part in my leadership development.
*Northouse, P.G. (2019) Leadership: Theory and practice. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.
|
