Leadership is not a dirty word: Exploring and embracing leadership in ECEC

Abstract

Leadership continues to be an energetically debated and contentious concept. In many contexts it elicits heated and robust discussion and illustrates a degree of disenchantment with the enactment of leadership by corporate moguls, politicians and others in positions of leadership responsibility (Wheatley, M. 2005. Finding Our Way: Leadership for Uncertain Times. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Inc; Sinclair, A. 2007. Leadership for the Disillusioned: Moving Beyond Myths and Heroes to Leading that Liberates. Sydney: Allen and Unwin; Preskill, S., and D. Brookfield. 2009. Learning as a Way of Leading: Lessons from the Struggle for Social Justice. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons). This was clearly illustrated in the 2008 Icelandic economic context where the community was turned upside down due to adventurous ‘entrepreneurs’, who, within a defective surveillance system, caused the collapse of the bank and financial system. In contrast leadership in the field of early childhood education could be expected to reflect aspects connected to the stereotypically feminine leadership style and demonstrate a collaborative or team approach, participation and power sharing (Shakeshaft, C. 1989. Women in Educational Administration. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE; Strachan, J. 1993. “Including the Personal and the Professional: Researching Women in Educational Leadership.” Gender and Education 5 (1): 71–80). However, this article explores two studies of leadership in the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC), one conducted in Iceland and the other in Australia and findings illustrate aspects such as micro-politics and horizontal violence which emerge as powerful influences on leadership aspirations and enactment.

RÉSUMÉ: Le concept de direction demeure controversé et énergiquement discuté. Dans de nombreux contextes, il soulève des débats chauds et toniques. On remarque quelque désenchantement face à la prise de direction par les magnats d'entreprises, les politiques et d'autres personnes en position de responsabilité directionnelle (Wheatley, M. 2005. Finding Our Way: Leadership for Uncertain Times. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Inc; Sinclair, A. 2007. Leadership for the Disillusioned: Moving Beyond Myths and Heroes to Leading that Liberates. Sydney: Allen and Unwin; Preskill, S., and D. Brookfield. 2009. Learning as a Way of Leading: Lessons from the Struggle for Social Justice. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons). Cela a été clairement montré dans le contexte économique islandais en 2008, lorsque la société a été bouleversée à cause d’ « entrepreneurs » aventureux qui, dans un système défectueux de contrôle, ont causé l'effondrement du système bancaire et financier. En revanche, on pourrait s'attendre à ce que dans le champ de l’éducation de petite enfance, la direction reflète des aspects liés au style de direction dit typiquement féminin et témoigne d'une approche coopérative et en équipe, de participation et de partage du pouvoir (Shakeshaft, C. 1989. Women in Educational Administration. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE; Strachan, J. 1993. “Including the Personal and the Professional: Researching Women in Educational Leadership.” Gender and Education 5 (1): 71–80). Quoiqu'il en soit, cet article examine deux études sur la direction dans le champ de l'accueil et de l’éducation de la petite enfance (AEJE), l'une réalisée en Islande et l'autre en Australie. Leurs résultats montrent des aspects, tels que la micro-politique et la violence horizontale, émergeant comme de puissantes influences sur les aspirations à la direction et la prise de direction.

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Führungsverhalten bleibt ein lebhaft diskutiertes und umstrittenes Konzept. Es löst in verschiedenen Kontexten hitzige Diskussionen aus. Darüber hinaus ist eine gewisse Ernüchterung in Bezug auf das Führungsverhalten von Konzernleitern, Politikern und anderen Personen in Führungspositionen spürbar (Wheatley, M. 2005. Finding Our Way: Leadership for Uncertain Times. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Inc; Sinclair, A. 2007. Leadership for the Disillusioned: Moving Beyond Myths and Heroes to Leading that Liberates. Sydney: Allen and Unwin; Preskill, S., and D. Brookfield. 2009. Learning as a Way of Leading: Lessons from the Struggle for Social Justice. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons). Dies wurde zu Zeiten der Wirtschaftskrise in Island 2008 deutlich, während derer die isländische Gesellschaft von abenteuerlustigen “Entrepreneuren” auf den Kopf gestellt wurde, die innerhalb eines nicht funktionierenden Überwachungssystems den Kollaps des Banken- und Finanzwesens verursachten. Im Gegensatz dazu könnte erwartet werden, dass Führungsverhalten in der frühkindlichen Bildung Aspekte eines typisch weiblichen Führungsstils im Sinne einer gemeinschaftlichen oder Teamherangehensweise, Partizipation und Machtteilung (Shakeshaft, C. 1989. Women in Educational Administration. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE; Strachan, J. 1993. “Including the Personal and the Professional: Researching Women in Educational Leadership.” Gender and Education 5 (1): 71–80) widerspiegelt. Diese Arbeit erkundet zwei Studien zum Thema Führungsverhalten im Bereich der frühkindlichen Bildung, die eine Studie aus Island, die andere aus Australien. Die Ergebnisse beschreiben Aspekte wie z.B. Politik auf Mikroebene und horizontale Gewalt, die als einflussreiche Faktoren auf Wünsche zum Führungsverhalten sowie deren Umsetzung wirken.

RESUMEN: La dirección (El mando) continua siendo (a estar) un concepto discutido con energía (y uno) que suscita controversia. En muchos contextos la función directiva (el mando) suscita fuertes discusiones y debates (débates) acalorados. Hay alguna decepción ante la asunción de esta función (l mando) por los magnates de empresas, gente política y otras personas en posición de responsabilidad directiva (de mando) (Wheatley, M. 2005. Finding Our Way: Leadership for Uncertain Times. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Inc; Sinclair, A. 2007. Leadership for the Disillusioned: Moving Beyond Myths and Heroes to Leading that Liberates. Sydney: Allen and Unwin.; Preskill, S., and D. Brookfield. 2009. Learning as a Way of Leading: Lessons from the Struggle for Social Justice. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons). Esto ha sido demostrado (muestrado) con claridad en el contexto islandés de 2008, donde la sociedad ha sido avocada (tumbado) por emprendedores aventurados en un sistema de vigilancia defectuoso, causando el hundimiento del sistema bancario y económico. En cambio, (el mando) la dirección en el campo de la educación de la primera infancia pudiera reflejar (reflectar) aspectos conectados al estilo de gestión (mando) llamado típicamente femenino y pudiera mostrar un enfoque de colaboración o del equipo, participación y distribución del poder (Shakeshaft, C. 1989. Women in Educational Administration. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE; Strachan, J. 1993. “Including the Personal and the Professional: Researching Women in Educational Leadership.” Gender and Education 5 (1): 71–80). Al contrario, este artículo explora dos estudios de la función directiva (mando) en el campo de la educación y el cuidado de la primera infancia (early childhood education and care, ECEC), (el) uno hecho en Islandia y (el) otro en Australia. Los resultados muestran aspectos como la micro-política y la violencia horizontal. Estos aspectos surgen como influencias poderosas en las aspiraciones y el asunción del mando.

Keywords:

• early childhood
• leadership
• micro-politics
• horizontal violence

Notes

In Iceland the term Early Childhood Education (ECE) is most often used when referring to the field. In this article we use the term Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) as ‘… a global term encompassing all arrangements providing care and education for children under compulsory school age’ (Bennett and Tayler 2006, 229).

In laws and regulations, published by the Ministry of Education and Culture (Iceland), the term ‘preschool’ is still used, and we use that term in the article, when referring to Icelandic ‘playschools’.