Birthing in the Community as

a Right: An example of a
Transformative Leader
By:
Kristy Jones
Daniela Magurean
Karen Mason

An Aboriginal Midwife
My first breath of life came with the helpful
assistance of a qualified person trained in a Cree
culture (She) was knowledgeable, experienced,
and confident in her abilities. For her it was a way
of life. It was also spiritual and communal. Babies
were not just delivered. Babies were prayed into
this world. It was a sacred undertaking. It was a
family affair and a community event.
Chief Ovide Mercredi, Misipawistik Cree Nation

Defining
Transformative Leadership
At the heart of transformative
leadership is: notions of promise,
liberation, hope, empowerment,
activism, risk, social justice, courage,
and revolution
(content from Shields, 2010, pp.559).

Lesleys Social Location:

Mohawk Woman
Midwife
Community Leader
Activist
Mother
Wife

Lesleys Personal Journey

1985 Lesley and her husband Francois
had their first son in Edmonton, AB with a
midwife
1989 Birth of their second son, Kaila
1990 Kailas death
1993 Birth of youngest son

It's just like holding your hand open and a butterfly can land and
as long as you keep your palm open that butterfly sits there and
you think, wow, he's beautiful. His colours, his markings are so
delicate. But then the other side of it is that he can leave any time
and you just have to accept that and the only way that you can
hold onto him is to [close your hand] and that option was given to
us to put him through the transplant to try to hold onto him but I
really felt like there was such a risk of going like this [closing and
then opening your hand] and then "Oh God. What have I done to
him?" You know, his wings are all crumpled and crippled, his
colours are all faded. And it seemed right to just keep my palm
open and appreciate how beautiful he was knowing that at any
time he could go Paulette, L., 1993.

Lesleys Educational Journey

1981 Midwifery as a vision
1981 1982 Started self-study
1982-1992 Fundraising for education, created
own program through distance learning and self
directed study.
1992 On site training in El Paso, Texas
1993 Licensed in Texas
1998 Licensed in Alberta
2005 Licensed in the NWT

Lesleys Professional Journey

1987 Offered childbirth education services
1993-1998 offered home births (about 5/year)
and pre and post natal care
1999 Lesley got funding to do a community
consultation process for options to bring birthing
back to the community
2000 Lesley was joined by midwife, Gisela Becker
2002 1st reading of legislation
2003 Legislation was passed
2005 Legislation was proclaimed
2005 Lesley and Gisela were hired as midwives by
the local health authority

Ideologies
Medicalization
Scientific knowledge is defined as the best, most
efficient, legitimate solution.
Processes are defined in medical terms and
interventions are used to solve problems.
(Brubaker & Dillaway, 2009)

Urban Imperialism
Urban world views define the best practices in a rural
setting.
(Bodor, 2008)

7 Elements of Transformative Leadership

(Shields, 2010)
1. Critique and Promise

2. Deep and Equitable Change

3. Deconstruct and Reconstruct

4. Acknowledge Power and Privilege

5. Private Good and Public Good

6. Focus on Liberation, Democracy, Equity, and Justice

7. Moral Courage and Activism

Essence
For me personally, midwifery was another
expression of activism. It was a movement,
not just for healthy moms and babies, it
was a movement around sovereignty, it was
a movement about self-determination and
empowerment.
Lesley Paulette, Midwife, Fort Smith, NWT

Transformative Leadership: Leaders carry

the kind of passion which creates systemic
change
It begins
- with questions of justice and democracy, critiques
inequitable practices and addresses both individual and
public good
- by challenging the use of power and privilege that
create or perpetuate inequity and justice
(Shields, 2010, Abstract & pp. 564).

Transformative Leadership: Achieving

Unparalleled Excellence
An ethically based leadership model that
integrates a commitment to values and
outcomes by optimizing the long-term interests
of stakeholders and society and honoring the
moral duties owed by organizations
to their stakeholders
(Caldwell et al., 2011, pp. 176)

Distinctions:
Transformative

Transformational

Systemic

Within organization

Social justice and equitable change

Organizational effectiveness

Deconstruction and reconstruction

Understanding organizational culture

Liberation, emancipation, democracy,

Liberty, justice, equality

Lives with tension and challenges,

requires moral courage and activism

Looks for motive, develops common

purpose, focus on organizational goals

Tool for oppression and action

Inspirational

Critique and promise

Complex and diverse systems

Acknowledging power and privilege

Developing people and design

(Shields, 2010, p.563 Figure 1.)

 Leaders effect on followers

Individualized consideration, intellectual
stimulation, idealized influence and
inspirational motivation
(Yukl, 1999, p.287)
Concerned with empowerment and positive
influence

 Advocating within the organization

Working within the system
Inspiring others
Narrower focus

Overview of learning:
Personal and professional journey as a leader
Challenging the status quo in order to create
systemic change for the public good
Passion and substance as a leader
Oppression and marginalization

Why Midwifery?
There was a definite shift away from viewing
birth as a cultural, spiritual, and social act. The
government took control of medical care with
authority and disrupted the traditional family and
organization in the name of improved health
(Becker, G. & Paulette, L., 2003-04, p.22).

References:
Ackoff, Russell L. A Systemic View of Transformational
Leadership. Article Source:
http://www.acasa.upenn.edu/leadership.pdf
Becker, G. & Paulette, L. (2003-04). Informed choice with a focus
on rural and northern midwifery in the Northwest
Territories. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research
and Practice, 2 (3), 22-25.
Bodor, R. C. (2008). Nonsexual dual and multiple relationships:
when urban worldviews define rural reality. Rural Social
Work and Community Practice, 13(1), 7-19.
Brubaker, S. J. & Dillaway, H. E. (2009). Medicalization,
Natural childbirth and birthing experiences.
Sociology Compass, 3(1), 31-48.

Caldwell, C., Chaudoin, J., Dixon, R. D., Floyd, L. A.,

Cheokas, G. & Post, J. (2011). Transformative
Leadership: Achieving Unparalleled Excellence.
J Bus Ethics. 109:175187. DOI 10.1007/s10551-011-1116-2
Paulette, L. (1993). A choice for Kaila. Humane Med., 9 (1)

Shields, C. M. (2010). Transformative leadership: working for

equity in diverse contexts. Educational
Administration Quarterly, 46, doi:10.1177/0013161X10375609
Yukl, G. (1999). An Evaluation of Conceptual Weaknesses
in Transformational and Charismatic Leadership
Theories. Leadership Quarterly, 10(2), 285305.