Leadership is a widely researched topic and this is increasingly the case in the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC). Within this research, there is growing international attention to definitions of leadership and the ways in which leadership is enacted within early childhood contexts (Aubrey, 2007; Whalley, Chandler, John, Reid, Thorpe & Everitt, 2008; Woodrow & Busch, 2008). Despite considerable work in the UK (Whalley, et al., 2008) there remains limited theorising or empirical evidence to support policy development related to the topic of leadership in other areas of the world. . Australian research indicates that the nature of the ECEC field demands leaders enact leadership in ways that are seen as culturally appropriate to the highly feminised profession (Hard, 2008). Findings from a small Icelandic case study support this interpretation, referring to the impact of micro-politics in the ECEC workplace (Jónsdóttir, 2007). Work around interpreted professional identity and horizontal violence in ECEC indicates challenges for personnel who choose to enact leadership in ways that do not conform to models of leadership considered appropriate by others (Hard, 2008). Even the enactment of leadership itself may elicit a cultural backlash. One implication of such a situation can be an avoidance of leadership positions and roles. This presentation explores the perceptions of two Australian ECEC leaders, one near retirement reflecting on her career, leadership and her relationship to what she perceives as the ECEC field and the other a young, new career ECEC leader who details her aspirations. The presentation builds on the conceptualisation of leadership enactment as linked to professional identity (Hard, 2008) and tests this notion against the actions, thoughts and values of these two leaders. Research questions focused on how participants’ interpreted the notion of leadership, their experiences of leadership and the challenges they reported in their exercise of leadership. The value of this research is the identification of leadership challenges and possible strategies for successful leadership enactment which may be applicable to current ECEC personnel or pre-service teachers in Australia and internationally.

This was a qualitative research project, using a case study approach to gain rich data around the individual enactment of leadership. This is a common approach to leadership research as it allows the examination of leadership accounts, understandings and behaviours from those enacting leadership. The intention was to use what Bassey describes as a “theory seeking/theory testing case study linked to fuzzy general predictions” (2007, p. 145). Participants were a purposeful sample and lengthy semi-structured, interviews were conducted with participants later invited to member check their transcripts. Symbolic interactionism was used as a methodological tool to analyse the ways in which participants interpreted their own professional identity and in turn their capacity to enact leadership through their own leadership experiences. This tested Hard’s proposal that “the individual’s interpretation of their professional identity influences their sense of hesitancy or agency to conduct leadership” (2008, p. 92)

The two case studies provide rich data indicating that leadership enactment in ECEC is complex and challenging. The way participants interpret the field of ECEC indicates strong cultural norms which can impact upon their individual capacity to enact leadership. For one participant, this has resulted in a career long struggle to pursue her area of interest and take a leadership role while navigating the complexities she perceives in her own field. Analysis indicates particular challenges that can emerge in the ECEC field which impact leadership enactment but also that it is possible to achieve successful leadership despite such impediments. If professionals in the field and pre-service teachers are aware of these issues and strategies for success they may have enhanced ability to build their individual leadership capacity and challenge the perpetuation of strong cultural expectations in the ECEC field.