Leadership redefined with a handbook for developing a leadership repertoire
Abstract
James H. McMillan and Sally Schumacher (1993) authored a book on research titled, Research In Education. In their work, they describe several sources of research problems. One source of research problems is personal experience and insights. They feel that "personal experience and insights may suggest research problems that should be examined more in depth through qualitative methodologies" (McMillan & Schumacher, 1993, p. 75). I would like to rewind to my first semester in the Foundations course and examine the basic questions of leadership that were posed to me by Dr. Wren . .Aft:er examining the basic questions of leadership, I am going to analyze them and present the answers to those questions that I feel are appropriate for today's advanced high school and - college student. My analysis will be based on qualitative research of the leadership studies field and personal experiences here at Jepson. The impetus for this project evolved from my desire to redefine leadership and assess my education in the Jepson School. I feel strongly that his project will provide closure to my leadership education. In addition, the project will provide a useful resource for current and future Jepson majors, who will have the opportunity to examine my views and feelings on the leadership era that I studied. I hope that a Jepson major in the year 2005 will be able to pick up my project and read about the state of leadership studies from 1995 to 1997. Then that student will be able to compare my work with the current state of life and education at Jepson. Finally, the handbook that follows the first section of my project can be picked up and read by anyone with a desire to learn about leadership studies and develop a personal leadership style. In essence, this project is a theoretical analysis of leadership studies with a Pond twist. It will examine the purpose of leadership education, as well as address several questions: What is leadership? Who can lead? Who knows?