ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the final leadership transformation produced by the Women’s Leadership Series (WLS), from depleted to inspired leadership. The post-WLS leadership stories of depleted leaders reflected a transformation to inspired leadership in which self-affirming and context-aligned thought processes replaced the earlier self-affirming and context-obliged processes. Nine percent of the WLS interviewees told stories that pertained to the transformation from depleted to inspired leadership. D. R. May engaged in two behaviors of depleted leadership: carrying the organizations’ problems and enduring scrutiny. Although the differing approaches of the heads of information technology and communications may have reflected differing values and priorities, one cannot ignore the organizational influences that might also have been at play. May’s story of enduring scrutiny occurred in the context of her efforts to lead a team that was developing and implementing an innovative research method. May, who had elder parents to care for, reflected on the work-life demands and struggles of the other WLS alumnae.
