UNTAPPED LEADERSHIP COURSE
Overview:
This module dives deep into the historical exclusion of marginalized voices from leadership narratives and theories. We'll explore how traditional leadership frameworks have been shaped by dominant perspectives and how this has contributed to a cycle of exclusion. In this session, you will begin the work of re-writing leadership by integrating your own lived experiences, perspectives, and values into a new understanding of leadership.
What you will learn:
The historical context of leadership theories and how they systematically excluded marginalized voices.
How to identify and unlearn traditional leadership models that don’t align with your experience or values.
The importance of creating new leadership narratives that reflect your personal and professional identity.
How to draft your own leadership statement as a guidepost for future decisions and actions.
By the end of this module, you will have reframed leadership in a way that honors your unique perspectives and have the tools to use this new framework in your leadership practice.
Introduction
Overview: This video introduces the session and highlights the importance of redefining leadership from the perspective of those who have historically been marginalized. The goal is to create space for authentic leadership that breaks away from exclusionary frameworks.
Key Takeaways:
Marginalized groups have been systematically excluded from traditional leadership narratives.
This session is designed to help reframe and redefine leadership based on your own unique experiences.
The goal is to build leadership models that better reflect diverse perspectives and lived experiences.
Call to Action: Reflect on what leadership means to you, especially as someone whose perspective may have been overlooked by traditional leadership models.
01.
SESSION OBJECTIVES
Overview: This video outlines the key objectives for the session: gaining a deeper understanding of exclusion in leadership theories and beginning the process of rewriting leadership from a more inclusive perspective.
As a result, you'll come away with:
A deeper understanding of how the exclusionary roots of leadership theories affect us today in implicit and explicit ways
A clearer awareness of what aspects of leadership we need to unlearn and relearn
A leadership statement and ethos that is truly reflective of our unique perspectives, serving as a guidepost for our leadership identities
02.
Framing Today’s Session
Overview: This segment connects present-day leadership challenges to historical exclusionary practices. It discusses how exclusion continues to influence leadership dynamics, often reinforcing outdated ideas about who gets to lead and how.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding the historical roots of exclusion in leadership helps explain the continued marginalization of diverse leaders today.
Leadership is often still defined by outdated models that don’t reflect the complexities of modern, diverse experiences.
Rewriting leadership requires a deep awareness of how these historical patterns play out in your current context.
Call to Action: Consider how your own leadership experiences connect to broader societal and organizational histories. How can you start to rewrite these narratives?
03.
The Exclusionary History of Leadership Research
Overview: This video explores how leadership has been traditionally defined by white, cisgender men, creating a cycle of exclusion that persists today. It highlights the need to interrupt this cycle and redefine leadership from a broader perspective.
Key Takeaways:
Leadership frameworks were historically developed and validated by white, cisgender male researchers, excluding diverse perspectives.
This exclusion created a cycle where only those who fit the mold of traditional leadership were recognized as leaders.
Interrupting this cycle involves redefining leadership based on diverse identities and lived experiences.
Call to Action: Reflect on how cycles of exclusion have impacted your leadership journey. What needs to change in how leadership is defined and recognized?
04.
Rewriting Leadership- Great Man and Trait Theories
Overview: This segment dives into the "Great Man Theory" and trait-based leadership theories, examining their exclusionary origins and inherent limitations. It encourages participants to reflect on how they would rewrite these theories from their own perspectives.
Key Takeaways:
The "Great Man Theory" and trait-based leadership theories are rooted in the belief that leadership is an inherent quality, reserved for a select few.
These theories ignore the influence of context, lived experience, and diversity on leadership effectiveness.
Rewriting these theories involves recognizing that leadership is not tied to inherent traits but shaped by a variety of experiences and identities.
Call to Action: Consider how your own experiences and values shape your understanding of leadership. How would you rewrite these theories to reflect your perspective?
05.
Reflections on Great Man and Trait Theories
Overview: This reflection video provides space to consider which aspects of trait-based leadership resonate or don’t and asks you how you would rewrite these theories based on their unique experiences and identities.
Key Takeaways:
Not all aspects of trait-based leadership are necessarily flawed, but they need to be viewed through the lens of diversity and inclusion.
Reflecting on what resonates with you helps identify the elements of leadership worth preserving or rejecting.
Rewriting these theories offers an opportunity to expand the definition of leadership beyond inherent traits.
Call to Action: Write down your reflections on trait-based leadership.
06.
Reflections on 1940s Behavioral Theories
Overview: This segment examines behavioral theories of leadership, which shifted focus from traits to behaviors. You are encouraged to explore task-oriented versus people-oriented leadership and reflect on how behavioral theories might be reshaped to better align with your values.
Key Takeaways:
Behavioral leadership theories emphasize the importance of both task-oriented and people-oriented behaviors.
These theories were developed during exclusionary times, and the societal context of their development often limits their applicability to diverse leaders.
Rewriting behavioral theories requires balancing task orientation with relational leadership in a way that resonates with diverse identities.
Call to Action: Reflect on how task-oriented and people-oriented behaviors show up in your leadership. How can you incorporate a balance that feels true to your values and context? What resonates for you and what doesn’t?
07.
1960s-1970s Contingency and Leader-Member Exchange Theories
Overview: This video explores situational leadership theories, such as contingency and leader-member exchange, and asks participants to consider how trust, power, and exchanges between leaders and followers should be viewed through a more inclusive lens.
Key Takeaways:
Situational leadership theories acknowledge the importance of context, trust, and relationships in leadership.
However, these theories still fail to address broader societal contexts, such as race, gender, and power dynamics.
Rewriting situational theories requires a more nuanced understanding of how marginalized leaders navigate trust and power in complex systems.
Call to Action: Reflect on how situational leadership theories apply to your experiences. How can they be reimagined to address broader contexts and power dynamics?
08.
Final Debrief & Takeaways
Overview: This final video encourages you to summarize your reflections and consider what aspects of leadership should be undone, redone, or preserved. The goal is to draft a leadership statement that reflects your unique perspective.
Key Takeaways:
Leadership theories must be undone, redone, and/or preserved based on their relevance to modern, inclusive leadership.
Drafting a leadership statement can be a powerful guidepost for decisions and personal leadership development.
Reclaiming and expanding leadership narratives helps build a more inclusive future and helps you personalize the leadership that is most resonant for you.
Call to Action: Summarize your reflections from past videos and draft a personal leadership statement that reflects your unique experiences, values, and vision for inclusive leadership.