Richard H. Ackerman

The wounded leader and emotional learning in the schoolhouse

This paper considers the emotional dimensions of leadership by exploring what a self‐described leadership crisis or ‘wounding’ experience means to educational leaders and how it influences their professional and personal growth. It focuses on how leaders cope with the endemic and chronic conditions of leadership life: vulnerability, isolation, fear and power. Methodologically, the paper draws on a phenomenological study that conducted in‐depth interviews with 65 school leaders working across the United States. The study concludes that the wound provides an opportunity to question ones leadership and to change, and is an important source of emotional and social learning. The study affirms that emotion matters in the exercise of leadership, especially during times of crisis.

On being wounded: implications for school leaders

Examines stories of school leaders who experienced a serious conflict, dilemma or critical event in their leadership practice that in some way profoundly affected or “wounded” them, a situation akin to an illness that reflects some of the same characteristics: loss of control, predictability and functioning, disassociation, fear, anger. Focusses on the meaning of being wounded and implications for school leaders. Concentrates on not only the content of stories told by so‐called “wounded leaders,” that is actions, events and responses, but primarily on the kinds of stories that they tell themselves and how these stories address their own “woundedness” and help them, in a sense, to heal. Based on extensive in‐depth interviews, we explored three assumptions. First, woundedness is likely an inevitable and necessary part of leadership. Second, for most school leaders, the wound takes different forms and can be a double edged sword. Finally, story can be used by leaders to make sense of their crises of practice...

The Meaning of Mentoring: Notes on a Context for Learning

The purpose of this chapter is to present a general overview of the concept of mentoring as a leadership development strategy. Mentoring is taking on new and emerging meanings in today’s world of leadership formation. As such it is assuming increasing importance as a component in the learning and professional development of school leaders. The ancient origins of mentoring can be traced to Greek mythology wherein Mentor was the name of Odysseus’ trusted counselor, and it was under the disguise of Mentor that Athena became the guardian and teacher of Odysseus’ son, Telemachus. In Dante’s Divine Comedy, Virgil is mentor to Dante on his journey through Hell and purgatory to Heaven. Mentoring has “been practiced throughout the ages” and is evident in any culture in which the older, wiser members of a community guide the younger and less experienced (Redmond, 1990, p. 188). The word “mentor” may call to mind an image of teacher, advisor, guide, protector, coach, or sponsor (Anderson & Shannon, 1988; Daloz, 1986, 1999; Dante, 1961; Hansman, 1998; Homer, 1961; Kram, 1983; Levinson et al., 1978; Philips-Jones, 1982; Schein, 1978; Zey, 1984). Such images represent some of the roles a mentor can play. This chapter presents a selective review of the mentoring literature plus a summary of more recent developments in research and practice conducted in educational organizations on leadership mentoring.

Leadership Learning That Makes a Difference in Schools: Pushing the Frontier at the University of Maine

This chapter describes the model of leadership knowledge and the approach to leadership development employed in the University of Maine’s graduate program in Educational Leadership. The model and learning framework described here emerged from the Educational Leadership Area Faculty’s developmental work over the past 15 years with a broad array of educators in Maine and beyond. The model has been through many refinements as faculty have used it to shape learning experiences and their own andragogical roles in the service of leadership development. The program follows a model of leadership development based on three complementary dimensions of leadership knowledge: cognitive, ideas, and research about the “technology” of schooling; interpersonal, the relationships, and human dynamics of leadership; and intrapersonal, the “internal” dynamics of the leader’s philosophical and personal world. Leader learning generates the capacity to self-manage (intrapersonal) and to form productive relationships (interpersonal) so that people are mobilized to action that benefits student learning (cognitive). The chapter describes the model of leadership knowledge and shares some of the learning methods faculty have developed to match the particularities of the cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal knowledge bases that make up leadership performance.