Feminine Faces of Leadership: Beyond Structural-Functionalism?

Abstract

Leadership continues to be a central focus for research in educational administration. Until recently, many studies about leadership have been based largely on the experiences of white males and interpreted based on the structural-functionalist perspective. In this paper the writer explores the phenomenon of leadership through the eyes and experiences of six women leaders who are school principals. The findings are from a recently completed phenomenological study of six women principals’ lived experiences with leadership.