The Impact of Critical Incidents on the Leadership Traits of Female Community College Deans

1. The Impact of Critical Incidents on the Leadership Traits of Female Community College Deans Laura YannuzziBenedictine University

2. The Issue • Despite advancements in equality, women are still faced with: • Significant pay gap • Under-representation in leadership positions • Predominantly male supervisors • Leadership development devised and focused on male leaders

3. What we know • Women in the workforce now outnumber men in terms of: • Education 2 • Employment 3 • Leadership Aspirations 2 • Community colleges are expecting large numbers of retirements in coming years, culminating in a ‘leadership gap’ 1 • While still marginalized in terms of representation, women experience more leadership opportunities at community colleges than four year institutions 4 • These trends set the stage for tremendous opportunities for women in academic leadership positions within community colleges

4. What we don’t know:Research Problem • While extensive research exists concerning women moving into academic leadership, little is known about what happens as a result of that move. • As women seize the opportunity to increase their representation in academic leadership positions, what impact will these experiences have on them? • How will critical incidents that occur during their tenure as leaders shape their leadership traits? • Will they view themselves differently as a result of serving in leadership capacities?

5. The Framework • This problem will be explored through a phenomenological perspective, seeking to capture the lived experiences of female academic leaders: • How do women perceive themselves as leaders? • How do women make sense of critical happenings that occur during their careers? • How do women use these experiences to help develop effective leadership traits?

6. The Purpose • The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of critical incidents on the development of effective leadership traits in female academic deans at community colleges. • Questions • What experiences or interpersonal qualities lead women to pursue academic leadership? • Are there common critical incidents that female leaders experiences during their career? • Do these critical incidents change the way women see themselves? • How do these critical incidents impact effective leadership traits?

7. Targeted Audience • This research has the potential to benefit: • Women as they consider, continue or reflect on academic leadership experiences • Community College administrators as they develop strategies for succession planning • Researchers and practitioners involved in the analysis and delivery of leadership development models

8. Review of the Literature- Books • Bataille, G. M., & Brown, B. E. (2006). Faculty career paths: Multiple routes to academic success and satisfaction. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. • Ehrenberg, R. G. (2004). Governing academia. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. • Escover, M. (2008). Creating collaborative leadership and shared governance at a california community college: A case study. Lewiston: Edwin Mellen Press. • Grogan, M., & Shakeshaft, C. (2011). Women and educational leadership (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. • Kezar, A. J. (2009). Rethinking leadership in a complex, multicultural, and global environment: New concepts and models for higher education (1st ed.). Sterling, Va.: Stylus Pub. • Martin, J. L. (2011). Women as leaders in education: Succeeding despite inequity, discrimination, and other challenges. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Praeger.

9. Review of the Literature- Select Articles • Women's Status in Higher Education. (2011). ASHE Higher Education Report, 37(1), 1-161. • “We know more about the representation of women than we do about aspects of campus climate that contribute to women's status.” • “We know that judging progress toward equity by aggregate numbers alone yields a warped image of equity attained.” • Dahlvig, J. E., & Longman, K. A. (2010). Women's Leadership Development: A Study of Defining Moments. Christian Higher Education, 9(3), 238-258. “women identified what they perceived to be their “most defining moment:” (a) someone speaking potential, sometimes as succinctly as a single sentence, into their lives, leading to a reframing of self-perception; (b) encountering a person or situation that resulted in reframing the participant’s understanding of leadership in ways that allowed these women to begin perceiving themselves as leaders; and (c) experiencing a situation that led to feeling compelled to stand up for a conviction or strong belief.” • Gianakos,I. (2002). Predictors of Coping With Work Stress: The Influences of Sex, Gender Role, Social Desirability, and Locus of Control. Sex Roles, 46, 5, 149-158. • Men are more likely to use alcohol and women more likely to use direct action coping in response to work stress • Femininity and/or masculinity scores are related to control-related coping but are unrelated to escape-related coping.

10. Review of the Literature- Select Articles • Giannini, S. T. (2001). Future Agendas for Women Community College Leaders and Change Agents. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 25(3). “As women play a major role in these educational reforms, they must simultaneously develop a personal version of their plan of action for renewal and commitment to mentoring female students, faculty, and staff at their colleges.” • Stout-Stewart, S. (2005). Female Community College Presidents: Effective Leadership Patterns and Behaviors. Community College Journal of Research and Practice,29(4) • No significant differences between female community college presidents of rural, suburban, and urban/inner city colleges in leadership patterns. • Relationship found between percentage of full time students and leadership • Townsend, B. K., & Twombly, S. B. (2007). Accidental Equity: The Status of Women in the Community College. Equity & Excellence In Education, 40(3), 208-217. doi:10.1080/10665680701334777 • Examines climate of community college with respect to diversity • Finds that climates which support the development of women appear to be more accidental than intentional

11. Proposed Methodology • Qualitative Study • Participants: 10 Female Academic Deans from Community Colleges, identified through Purposeful Sampling • Data Collection: In-depth Interviews, using a semi-structured interview guide, will ask participants to reflect on leadership experiences • Data Analysis: Interviews will be coded and analyzed for: • recognition of critical incidents • themes regarding the impact of leadership experiences on the participants’ leadership development • themes regarding how experiences impact the way participants view themselves

12. References • Shults, C. (2001). The Critical Impact of Impending Retirements on Community College Leadership (Leadership Series, No. 1). Retrieved from American Association of Community Colleges website: http://www.aacc.nche.edu/Publications/Briefs/Documents/11062001leadership.pdf • Patten, E., & Parker, K. (2012, April 19). A Gender Reversal On Career Aspirations. Retrieved July 4, 2012, from Pew Research Center website: http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/04/19/a-gender-reversal-on-career-aspirations/ • Mulligan, C. B. (2010, February 5). In a First, Women Surpass Men on U.S. Payrolls. Retrieved July 4, 2012, from New York Times website: http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/in-historical-first-women-outnumber-men-on-us-payrolls/ • Drake, E. (2008). Literature Conceptualizing Women in Community Colleges: 1997-2007. Community College Journal Of Research & Practice, 32(10), 762-777.