Browsing by Author "Niewoehner-Green, Jera"

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    Gender and Problem Solving: Implications for Leadership in Higher Education
    Bush, Sarah; Seibel, Megan M.; Niewoehner-Green, Jera; Rodriguez, Mary (Association of Leadership Educators, 2021-06-30)
    Leading and managing change through complex problem solving is an integral part of higher education. Yet, appropriately assessing and understanding one another through this work is difficult. Kirton’s Adaption-Innovation (A-I) theory explains problem-solving preferences; namely how people generate ideas, perceive and engage with structures in order to implement ideas, and respond to rules and group norms differently. While there is a dearth of literature related specifically to gender and problem-solving style preference, the environment assuredly influences behavior. Gendered expectations may warrant a behavioral response that is the result of coping to fit, rather than an exhibition of true preference. It is conjectured that genderinfluenced workforce behavior, if at a gap from preferred method of implementing change, can result in poor person-organization (P-O) fit and may adversely impact the success and retention of women in higher education. In this round table, we will explore how problem-solving style impacts the perceptions of women and how those perceptions impact their experiences in higher education. Understanding differences in preferred problem-solving styles can lead to an environment where problem-solving diversity is appreciated (Kirton, 2011). Further, as leadership educators, we can better understand methods for providing training and workshops that fully embrace preferred problem-solving styles and cognitive diversity in breaking down barriers of women’s success in higher education.