Lead…For Father’s Sake: An Autoethnography on Leadership Growth in Western and Indigenous Contexts

Abstract

This autoethnography examines the juxtaposition of Western and Indigenous ideas of leadership through my lens and experiences as a refugee, student-athlete, a patriarch in a sub-Saharan African culture, and Soldier. I utilized existing literature on leadership perspectives from multiple regions (McManus & Perruci, 2015) to contextualize the study, revealing insights into differences in leader-follower relationship, decision-making, and responsibilities. Although the Western context, specifically the United States, is predominantly individualistic, I highlight the versatility and plurality of its leadership—sports and the military provide the most potent examples. Leaders in the Western context are judged on their leadership role, whereas Indigenous leaders are judged on their actions and every aspect of their life beyond their role. Indigenous Dinka (South Sudan) leadership context reveals unique insights into the role of leaders, followers, context, and culture. Leadership educators and scholars can use the insights to inform leadership development programs, research agendas for immigrant youth in the United States, and youth models of leadership ideas in practice.