Developing authentic leadership through strengths-based coaching: a pedagogical approach for women in higher education
Haley N. Rosson, Cheyenne Luzynski, Julie A. LockmanPurpose
Women's persistent underrepresentation in senior leadership, holding fewer than one-quarter of positions in higher education, points to the need for pedagogical approaches addressing identity, power and systemic barriers, rather than skills alone. This paper examines how integrating strengths-based coaching with authentic leadership theory and explicit power analysis creates developmental pathways for women leaders.
Design/methodology/approach
The pedagogical model integrates authentic leadership theory, DeFrank-Cole and Tan's Four Domains framework and Desimone's professional learning principles. Implementation occurs through a longitudinal strengths-based leadership coaching program combining peer-coaching pods, integrated curriculum and narrative identity exercises. Proposed mechanisms and outcomes are derived from semi-structured interviews with seven program completers and sustained implementation across nearly 70 participants in multiple cohorts.
Findings
Three interconnected pedagogical mechanisms supported women's authentic leadership development. Structured strengths awareness helps women reinterpret personal talents as legitimate leadership assets. Narrative identity exercises enable articulation of authentic leadership philosophy. Facilitated power conversations shift participants from hierarchical (“power over”) to relational (“power with”) orientations. Women reported increased confidence, stronger identification as leaders and resistance to gendered leadership expectations.
Practical implications
Leadership educators can adapt five design elements: longitudinal structure, small peer-coaching pods, integrated curriculum linking strengths to identity and power, narrative exercises and facilitator modeling of collaborative leadership.
Originality/value
Unlike skill-focused professional development, this model demonstrates how integrating strengths-based practice, identity work and power reframing addresses interconnected barriers women face. The pedagogical framework offers educators a theoretically grounded, empirically tested approach to fostering equitable leadership cultures that transfers beyond specific program contexts.