Abandoning Leadership for a Better Way of Being for Women and Men

A New Solution for an Age-old problem

The time has come to recognise that if it has not been possible to eradicate leadership inequities experienced by women, then it is not that more should be done to strategize what women can do within the existing boundaries of leadership, but to question the very boundaries themselves.

Foreword Comment by Professor Richard Ryan, Professor of Psychology, Education and Human Development, and a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester

“Rodgers-Healey offers a strong and refreshing new voice in a literature on leadership too often consisting of rebranded theories echoing within a closed chamber. She highlights the subtle and not so subtle ways in which human potential is depleted when organizations operate within traditional models of leadership. More importantly, her work points beyond old notions of leaders as those with personal power, extraordinary talent, or individual charisma, toward a broader view of optimal work climates as those that catalyze mutual respect, freedom, diversity and engagement. Rather than simply reframing old paradigms already tainted in a masculinized worldview, Rodgers-Healey envisions a new model…”

Review by Dr Gordon Spence, Psychologist & Academic, University of Wollongong

“This book is for anyone who wants to take a serious look at leadership and rethink what is meant by – arguably – the most misunderstood concept of our time.

By shining a clear light on how the masculinisation of leadership is unnecessarily constraining (at best) and damaging (at worst), Dr Rodgers-Healey draws on her ground-breaking research to present the reader with a refreshing challenge.

That is, she provokes us to consider an alternative way of thinking about the advancement of organisational and community life by outlining her model of workplace Co-Existence; a framework that emphasises the importance of honouring the strengths, innate capacities and unique perspectives of both women and men.

Happily, this book is almost certain to challenge your thinking and lead you to wonder what being a leader in the future might look like.”

Review comment by Sir Gustav Nossal AC, CBE, FAA, FRS

“Diann Rodgers-Healey has written a courageous, ambitious and logically appealing book arguing for a radical change in the workplace to give far greater scope for a serious input from women to organisation and decision-making processes…Given the extensive research which lies behind it, the serious nature of the problem being addressed and the challenging suggestions for implementation, the book is a valuable and admirable contribution to an important debate. The arguments deserve to be placed before a wide audience.”

Review comment by Professor Shirley Randell (AO, PhD, FACE, FAIM, FAICD)

“Diann’s careful analysis and sketching out of the 20 principles for a Coexistence model gives us all ideas of how to reach towards the key Millennium Development Goal of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Abandoning leadership for a better way of being for women and men – doing leadership co-existentially – may well be one path to this vision.”

 Reveiw comment by Jeanette Brokman (HR Manager & Business Coach)

Abandoning Leadership  for a better way of being for women and men, is a must read for those passionate about diversity and leadership.   Diann Rodgers-Healey rightly challenges our mindsets on the gender debate by questioning the very concepts that define leadership and organisational culture. Significantly, Dr Rodgers-Healey proposes an inspirational framework that fosters a new way of being for the conceptual age.   Timely and insightful – the discourse is authentic and thought provoking, emphasising new meaning and systemic change necessary for today’s workplace.   A visionary and provocative read.”

Review comment by Shirley Koch Tertiary Educator, University of Sydney 

“Dr Rodgers-Healey’s new book, Abandoning leadership for a better way of being for women and men follows the historical progress of  the study of women in leadership and outlines and explores the barriers that have been encountered for both men and women as they have tried to ‘play the men’s game’ in the last fifty years or so. Her  ideas about how it is possible to rethink leadership outside  the masculine paradigm are interesting and thought provoking. Her interviews with a significantly  comprehensive and balanced  subject sample  allow her to interpret and analyse  their responses exploring a vast range of ideas leading to the possibility of  a new way of thinking about how to ‘do’ leadership.  While Dr Rodgers-Healey’s idea’s of co-existence  may seem somewhat idealistic it allows us a new and innovative space to begin a  conversation that is not based on competition or changing who we are but more about understanding  and utilising  gender differences: A welcome addition to the leadership discussion.”

Book Information:

Paperback, 210mm x 150mm, 163 pages, Black & White, Colour cover

Now available as a free download!

For educational institutions and libraries, orders can be placed at http://www.wheelers.co.nz/browse/search/results/?author=Rodgers-healey%2C+Diann

For purchase from ACLW, please email admin@aclw.org 

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