Feminist Theory and Educational Leadership

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Scholarly research has shown that women leaders tend to follow a more transformational and collaborative style rather than the more traditional command and control model preferred by many male leaders. In Feminist Theory and Educational Leadership, Dr. Robert Palestini profiles ten great female leaders from the past and present to discern the commonalities in their leadership behavior that could be helpful in enhancing our own leadership styles. This book should be required reading for those leaders and aspiring leaders who wish to improve upon their leadership behavior. -- Rosalie M. Mirenda, president, Neumann University In Feminist Theory and Educational Leadership, Dr. Robert Palestini posed the question as to whether women leaders have a distinctive leadership style and whether their leadership behavior may be instructive to both male and female leaders who are in the process of honing their own leadership styles. By studying the leadership styles of ten great women leaders ranging from Golda Meir to Indira Gandhi to women's basketball great Pat Summitt, Palestini concludes that women leaders have enlightening and useful stories to tell, whether one is a current or aspiring educational leader. -- Patricia Fadden, president, Immaculata University Dr. Robert Palestini is true to his respect for gender equity in his book Feminist Theory and Educational Leadership: Much Ado about Something! As an administrator when Dr. Palestini was Superintendent of Schools, I once asked him if I could share at an upcoming meeting an article about what a leader should be? He cautioned me that the female administrators may take exception to the fact that the article was written in the male perspective. I assured him that we, the female administrators, were above the use of pronouns and more interested in doing what was best for students. The female leaders portrayed in Dr. Palestini's new book are examples of this mentality. Whether past or present, their use of collaboration attests to their respect for the "we" pronoun to get the job at hand completed. -- Joanne Walls, principal, Ocean City Primary School The study of leadership has come a long way from the "great man theory." In his examination of ten great women leaders, Dr. Palestini focuses on the transformational, situational and moral leadership qualities that ground current leadership theory. Current and aspiring educational leaders, regardless of gender, will benefit from refection on the frames of leadership, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building practices of these highly effective leaders. -- Elizabeth Weber, director, human resources, Exeter (PA) School District