A woman coordinator in an early childhood education center: a case study on defining leadership based on feminine perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand how a woman coordinator in an early childhood education center defines the concept of leadership by describing her roles and responsibilities. Considering the purpose, a descriptive case study was used as a research method. Data were collected through an in-depth semi-structured interview, detailed observations, field notes, and audio taped voice recordings of conversations, mostly with the coordinator. Data were coded under the two main categories that are: knowledge as power and relationship. There were two sub-categories under the category of relationship: web of inclusion and life balance. Catalytic leadership, distributed leadership, and adaptive work constituted the main category of knowledge as power. In a relationship with the current leadership theories, expert and legitimate power sources were determined in the leadership style of the case. Moreover, determination to present masculine and feminine types of leadership was linked with the people she interacted with and the situation she was in. Despite attempts to distribute responsibilities and tasks in the early childhood center, the power distribution among stakeholders could not be sustained by the coordinator.