Carol
A. Mullen
Past
President, NCPEA
Virginia
Tech
Do
educational leaders experience breathtaking, all-consuming, transformative
leadership journeys? Do they see themselves on a journey of growth and
development, as humans and as leaders?
If
educational leaders intuit that their lives and/or professional
journeys/development are on a path, what are some implications for thinking
about leadership, conducting research, and preparing future educational
leaders?
These
are overarching research questions that NCPEA Past Presidents Carol Mullen and
Fenwick English are asking in a new book of theirs on the leadership journey as
it intersects with the lived experiences of educational leaders, with relevance
for the preparation of leaders and the educational leadership field. A primary
source of inspiration for this book is American mythologist Joseph Campbell’s
description of the university mythic pattern. We think that it very well may
have applicability to your experiences as a leader, both in your work and in
your life.
General
Description of the Journey Theme
The educational leader (i.e., hero)
begins in the ordinary world, and receives a call to enter an unknown world of
strange powers and events. The leader who accepts the call to enter this
strange world must face tasks and trials, either alone or with assistance. In
the most intense versions of the narrative, the hero must survive a severe
challenge, often with help. If the hero survives, s/he may achieve a great gift
or “boon.” The hero must then decide whether to return to the ordinary world
with this boon. If the hero does decide to return, s/he often faces challenges
on the return journey. If the hero returns successfully, the boon or gift may
be used to improve the world (Campbell, 1949/1973).
While Campbell describes 17 stages
or steps along this journey, in fact very people (e.g., mythic heroes,
educational leaders) experience all 17 stages. These 17 stages can be
compressed into the following major phases.
Please share a transformative
leadership experience that you have had that could very well contribute to the
greater good of our profession. Thank you in advance for your time!
~ Carol Mullen
Specific
Description of the Journey’s Phases ~ please comment
Departure deals
with the hero's adventure prior to the quest
What call have you accepted (or
rejected) in your work as an educational leader that turned out to be a
significant decision? What feelings, thoughts, or struggles did you experience
during this phase of your leadership journey?
Initiation deals
with the hero's many adventures along the way
While on the journey, what
experiences did you encounter? Who or what helped you, challenged you, or
blocked you? What trials did you undergo? These take the form of a series of
tests, tasks, or ordeals that the person must undergo to begin the
transformation.
Return deals
with the hero’s return home with knowledge and powers acquired on the journey.
What did you experience upon your
return home to the ordinary world? What new insight did you gain from your
journey? What wisdom did you come to and have you had the opportunity to
integrate the wisdom gained on the quest into your work, life, consciousness,
or being? Have you shared your wisdom with friends, colleagues, networks, or
even the rest of the world?
Reference
Campbell,
J. (1949/1973). The hero with a thousand
faces. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
Press.
