Imagining Black Womanhood by Stephanie D. Sears

Author:Stephanie D. Sears [Sears, Stephanie D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Ethnic Studies, American, African American & Black Studies, Women's Studies, Gender Studies
ISBN: 9781438433288
Google: m-xAD4WKJ0sC
Publisher: SUNY Press
Published: 2010-09-01T04:14:08+00:00

Danielle interpreted the “messy and chaotic” nature of power within GEP as manifestations of historical shifts in women's power and women's fear of their new power. This lack of organizational experience of being in power, let alone sharing power, was important. GEP was a young organization. By young, I am referring to the staff's biological age and work/supervisory experience. By all accounts, for the majority of GEP's program coordinators this was their first salaried job with benefits. Most had held hourly youth worker or retail positions prior to their tenure at GEP. In addition, the management team was composed of many first-time supervisors and board members.

Recognizing the lack of experience, GEP provided leadership training for all of its new staff members. “Facilitative Leadership” was an intensive four-day training program designed to help participants “contribute ideas and expertise, speak up when they have problems, take initiative, make decisions, and share responsibility for success” (Interaction Associates 1997, sect. 1-3). While elements of the training survived in the organization, it seemed difficult to incorporate the mood or spirit of the training into GEP's daily practice. Perhaps it was the harsh realities of Sun Valley, the lack of time, or the chaotic world of nonprofit service organizations, where “crises” dictated the flow and thus the spirit and dynamics within the agency. The fear of power; the lack of role models, especially organizational role models; and the lack of experience being in powerful organizational positions made it difficult for GEP's leadership to articulate, let alone develop, an effective model for integrating both hierarchical and shared power. In the end, two competing decision-making strategies containing conflicting definitions of power coexisted within the program. These two competing impulses structured organizational power relationships and practices. Both GEP staff and girls resisted what they interpreted as illegitimate power within the organization.

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