The Hidden “Who” in Leadership Education: Conceptualizing Leadership Educator Professional Identity Development

Abstract

There is a great deal of literature on leadership education best-practices (e.g., curricular considerations, teaching strategies, assessment of learning). Yet, to be a leadership educator is more than having knowledge or expertise of content and pedagogy. Perceptions, experiences, and values of leadership educators comprise a professional identity that is reflective of not only what leadership educators do, but also who they are and how they view themselves within the profession. This qualitative study builds on Seemiller and Priest's (2015) Leadership Educator Professional Identity Development (LEPID) conceptual model by analyzing stories from participants of a professional leadership educator development experience. Leadership educators' identity development reflected a consistent and linear progression through the identity spaces outlined in the LEPID model, and further can be viewed through three distinct dimensional lenses (experiential, cognitive, and emotional experiences). Additionally, leadership educator identities were shaped by a particular set of ongoing influences and critical incidents; the most prevalent incident was related to feelings of inadequacy in leadership expertise and competence. Findings from this study can inform educational programs and professional associations in efforts to train and develop leadership educators.

Developing a Vision of Leadership Educator Professional Practice

“…Seemiller and Priest () highlighted that leadership educators are the “Hidden Who” of leadership education. An attempt to draw boundaries around those who identify as leadership educators results in a dotted line—we desire to be inclusive of many professional roles and experiences, while at the same time build greater understanding of leadership education as a specific and distinct community within the broader field of leadership studies.…”

“…Harding and Matkin () described how leadership educators, along with their students, are on a learning and self‐development journey. Seemiller and Priest's (, ) work on conceptualizing and understanding leadership educator professional identity development (LEPID) surfaced the need to create conditions for intentional reflection and attention to communities of practice. Jenkins and Owen () raised critical questions about the professionalization of leadership educators, including formal and informal socialization processes that may support or inhibit individuals becoming leadership educators.…”

“…Danielwicz () suggests that the process of becoming a teacher is a process of identity development. Building from this assumption, Seemiller and Priest (, ) describe leadership educator professional identity (LEPID) as a multi‐dimensional process of “becoming” a leadership educator–perceptions of self and others creates a set of relationships and standards of practice that define competence or expertise, and participation in those relationships and practices legitimizes and propels one's trajectory across stages of identity development (pre‐exploration, exploration, experimentation, validation, confirmation). What critical incidents or experiences have shaped your leadership educator identity?…”

“…As an academic/professional field, legitimacy and identity come from publishing and sharing scholarship and creative work in spaces like professional conferences (Seemiller & Priest, ). However the systems and our professional roles or appointments may not recognize, reward (or even create space for) scholarship and creative inquiry.…”

Leadership Education: Illuminating a Community of Practice

“…Leadership education as a field is defined broadly as a COP that includes leadership educators (Guthrie & Jenkins, 2018;Seemiller & Priest, 2017). Harding and Matkin (2012) and Seemiller and Priest (2015) contend that leadership educators' identities emerge from various forms of participation in the field. Andenoro et al (2013) define leadership education more specifically as "the pedagogical practice of facilitating leadership learning in an effort to build human capacity and is informed by leadership theory and research.…”