ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how women leaders often involve others in leadership by intertwining their personal sphere with the public sphere and engaging others collectively to create change. Many of the stories of the women leaders’ experience embody change through transformational and transformative projects, which challenge the status quo on behalf of marginalized populations. Women leaders lead in five different ways: through relational leadership, by sharing power with others, and by engaging with their community to understand their space, place, and role as social change agents. Women leaders in this chapter aim to change the lives of children and create a world that is fair. The women leaders tend to talk about their values and spirit and view their leadership as a source of personal strength as well as a way to comprehend and connect to place, space, and their role as social change agents. Hence, women leaders advocate for staff development and empowerment, innovation, and exploration. Finally, women leaders fight for balance between roles and tasks at work and at home. These versatile leadership strategies have served many women leaders well in milieus ranging from kindergarten to college. While women are paving their path into educational leadership in increasing numbers, they are still underrepresented when compared to men. The reasons and challenges for this are explored in more depth in this chapter.
