This was one of the key questions of the “Learning Journey – Women in Leadership. Co-creation Leadership” (2022-23) at the European University Viadrina. Dr. Claudia Neusüß (program director), Bastian Bretthauer, Patricia Redzewsky from the compassprange team and our wonderful swarm partner Deborah Ruggieri accompanied the program with great joy. The concept explicitly focused on leadership and leadership culture as a field of competence and learning space in the scientific community. Something that has so far rarely been the case in day-to-day scientific operations. Leadership is often designed as one “task” among many and is perceived as being of secondary importance compared to more important academic topics in the narrower sense (research, teaching, publishing), it is subordinated to the importance of academic profiling or is simply “assumed” as given. Fixed-term contracts, work overload and the idea of science as a vocation are contrary to consistent management and work-life integration, especially for women, including mothers or caregivers.
The program offered three formats: core workshops, topic workshops and individual coaching. In these different constellations, as well as moderated groups and free small groups, the participants explored leadership dimensions and leadership instruments as spaces of opportunities. The fact that the participants came from different areas of administration, science management and science, and were both experienced and interested in leadership, promoted an exciting exchange on an equal footing. Awareness of existing (own and other) know-how and experience, the formation of successful tandems and networking between the participants were other important topics. The individual coaching sessions followed the empowerment and work-life integration approach to focus on strategic career development, opportunity structures and peer networks.
Developing knowledge where there are questions means working inductively and in a practice-relevant manner. The participants tried out looking into the future, developed visions of good leadership, thoughtful communication and negotiation, managing team conflicts and balancing areas of tension in leadership processes. The roles and methods of leadership, diversity-oriented, lateral and other forms of leadership, one’s own leadership image and one’s own role in a group, as well as different leadership models (shared leadership, part-time, etc.) were discussed from the perspective of equality; power bases, force fields, visibility and beliefs were continuously reflected and readjusted.
The participants realised spaces of opportunity, were given room for exchange and networking and received feedback. Insights into this in the short documentary.
This learning journey has strengthened individual pathfinding in career development as well as the change agency for equality in the scientific community.
Many thanks once again to Bettina Gebhardt, Katja Kraft – Head of the Equal Opportunities Department at the European University Viadrina , Prof. Dr. Ulla Gläßer, LL.M., Anja Hennig, Niki Kasis, Thekla Lange, Anja Rillcke, Johanna Habenicht – Production, and all participants of the program!
