We’ll Know It When We See It
This week I was prepared to read yet another book on how to be a leader. The first line of Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice, edited by Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana made it clear that this was not one of THOSE books. “This edited volume has one primary purpose – to stimulate serious scholarly research on leadership” (3). I set the book aside and looked through the volumes of leadership literature in my bookcase and realized that what I have been reading are books about the way to DO leadership, rather than books that present scholarly research about leadership. I was intrigued (though not enough to read all 787 pages in detail, to be honest).
This book is a collection of 26 essays about different types of leadership settings, theories, and practices. In each essay, a solid case is made for why we need more scholarly research in that particular area. In the first essay, the editors note that there are “virtually no doctoral courses on leadership” (5). I’m thrilled to be a part of an entire program that focuses on leadership, but the point is well taken that just six years ago (when this book was published), doctoral level courses were scarce, making it incredibly difficult to find solid research on leadership theories, practices, and models. As I worked my way through these essays, grabbing some of the most powerful thoughts and tagging the essays I want to go back and carefully digest later, I came to recognize that, as Glyyn and DeJordy put it, “leadership is one of the world’s oldest preoccupations” (119), no one is really able to define it. Zupan references Supreme Court Justice Steward’s struggle to define pornography (“I’ll know it when I see it”) when explaining that scholars even struggle to develop a consistent model of leadership (265). HUH. No wonder we have so many “how-to’s” and not so much in the way of overall leadership research.
I do think this book is a great start toward changing that. Leadership is just way too big a concept to distill down to one, simple model or definition, in my opinion. I do think leadership is something we all know when we see, but defining it is a lot like explaining how you know you’re really in love, it’s just not that simple. What this book does well, though, is showing the vast spectrum of challenges and contexts in which leadership must be studied. In the chapter on Women and Leadership, Ely and Rhode provide in depth research into the challenges women face in leadership. The authors focus specifically on women in business and law, but I was able to recognize myself in their research from my time working in state government, education, and in the church. Besides the obvious allusions to what we just saw in the presidential election, Ely and Rhode painted a sort of dismal picture of the double binds and catch-22’s women find ourselves in when leading. I can’t tell you how many of my evaluations said that I needed to be careful not to appear too assertive in one section and not to worry so much about being liked in another section. One female executive taught me the mantra, “I’m not here to be liked, I’m here to be respected and run this place efficiently.” I took this to heart with my fellow managers and people up the line, but could never bring myself to do it with the people I supervised (which explains the “being liked” comment, I suppose). In that world, being called the “dragon lady” or “b*tch on wheels” was a badge of honor, but I really struggle to maintain my inner strength when I transitioned to church leadership. What started as toning down my assertiveness turned into a new uncertainty about my leadership abilities. It took me years to recapture the essence of my inner strength without allowing the pendulum to swing too far the other way. It still always feels like such a delicate balance.
Honestly, I found the essay by Ely and Rhode to be as refreshing as it is depressing. Last week we read that we are all theologians (Grenz & Olson). The week before that we read that we are all leaders (Lowney). Frankly those books, while some of my favorites, left me feeling frustrated because they came from a uniquely male perspective. How can women claim we are all theologians if a large group is unwilling to be taught by women? How can women claim we are all leaders if a large group is unwilling to follow women? According to Ely and Rhode, they can’t until real change begins to happen in organizations and in women themselves.
What I would love to see is the churches who do support women in ministry taking a lead in supporting culture innovations such as paid parental leave and child care, instituting them as culture leaders, and encouraging other organizations to do the same. If churches do the work work to remove the psychological (internalized stereotypes) and logistical barriers that are holding our leaders back from living into their calling and potential, we can influence business and culture to do the same.
About the Author
Kristin Hamilton
12 responses to “We’ll Know It When We See It”
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Thanks Kristin. We live in different worlds, you and I, and I appreciate your thoughts and insights into areas of leadership and life that are not overly familiar to me. While my denomination accepts and ordains women leaders, I still live and move in a male-dominated church world in many instances. You bring good challenges to that.
Thanks Geoff. This is one of the best parts of this program for me – being able to see glimpses of the world through each others’ eyes.
Kristin, I definitely agree. Both men and women should be using their gifts to serve. The work is great.
“What I would love to see is the churches who do support women in ministry taking a lead in supporting culture innovations such as paid parental leave and child care, instituting them as culture leaders, and encouraging other organizations to do the same.”
What I would also love to see is the men who are in the leadership positions lead. I mean lead like Christ. I told my husband that I really don’t seek “power” or “recognition”. I don’t need those. I don’t really care if the Church is led by men. But, men, then please lead. The Church is lagging behind in the justice issues. Men, I don’t care if you lead, but please lead the way in stopping poverty, human trafficking, domestic violence, and prejudice. Jesus cared about the poor and the marginalized. Men, please lead more like Jesus.
I agree for the most part, Mary, except that I do care if churches are led by ONLY men because I think it robs the body of the full image of what a godly leader looks like. We were designed in partnership and the church suffers when that partnership is missing, especially when women are called by the Spirit.
That being said, I do want the men (and women) who lead to lead in the way of Christ. We all need to be sacrificial leaders who are working to usher in the Kingdom.
Kristin, I love your personality. It is upfront and center. When I met you, I met you, not a cover up. One of the greatest things about women is that we are similar to chameleons. We can adjust to any situation. We decide when to adjust. But inside we are still the same.
God made us special with the strength of Adam (man). He gave us one of Adam’s ribs.
Thank you, Lynda. I think we do have the ability to adjust because we have had to adapt in order to get things done the way we believe God is calling. I’m grateful that God created both women and men with strength to lead and partner in the Kingdom.
Kristin Yes I absolutely agree that it is the church that should take the lead on promoting women and empowering them as leaders. We are called to be a light to the world and I think this is a way in which the church can be that beacon of light and set an example for the world to follow.
Wouldn’t it be amazing, Christal, if churches lead the way? When I remember that the churches used to be the gathering place, the schoolhouse, and (many times) the health clinic in a town, I wonder why we thought we needed to get out of the business of helping people. One of the things I admire about the Catholic church is the holistic, parish model of caring for the community body, mind, and spirit.
“…leadership is something we all know when we see”.
So true. How many of us have encountered “leaders” who were leaders in name only (position), and others who had no title or authority but whom people sought to follow? (See Mary’s post on this– isn’t it great when our individual reflections merge?)
It’s intriguing how many of us have responded to the chapter on women in leadership this week. I think so many of us in our cohort are wrestling with ways to understand how we, as women, are and should be leading.
I appreciate you offering a goal for churches who affirm women to also lead the way in providing tangible ways for them to do so. I’d also like to offer a goal– for the guys in our group (love you all) to choose to reflect on some aspects of what our authors write on women’s leadership. I am so thankful for your support and response to our struggles in blog responses, but they have been responses to our initiation of the challenges and not initiated by you guys. I’d like to see you all take the initiative to reflect on upcoming texts that deal with women’s leadership challenges– from your perspective, because I/we value that. And we need guys like you that will drive the issue forward as advocates.
I’m co-signing your challenge, Katy, because I believe the men in this group to move the church. I would love to hear your reflections, guys, on issues that may seem only critical to women. 🙂
Kristin, thank you for your honesty, and transparency. I always enjoy reading your posts and talking with you. You bring unique insights and help me to see the bigger picture. Thank you!
Thank you Jim. I feel the same when I read yours. We are truly a group of iron sharpening iron by bringing our passions and experiences to the table.