Leading Aesthetically: Insights from the Founders of the San Antonio Conservation Society

Abstract

IntroductionRena Maverick Green and I on March 22nd, 1924, planted an acorn that today has grown into a large spreading live oak tree. Neither of us could have done it alone, but she had the experience and I had the time, and everyone we invited to join with us had accepted. It was as artists that we organized and we asked artists and lovers of art to join with us to save what was distinctive of San Antonio.(Emily Edwards, March 22, 1979)While scholarly interest in artful perspectives of leadership has flourished (Barry & Meisiek, 2010), research development of these concepts remains at a nascent stage (Springborg, 2010). Assorted fusions of art and leadership have appeared in the past decade in practitioner (e.g., Green, 2004; Fisher, Jr., 2004) and academic (e.g., Hansen, Ropo, & Sauer, 2007; Taylor & Ladkin, 2009) venues, though many seem to embody rather awkward amalgamations. As a result, numerous authors have called for more examinations of artistic leaders (e.g., Barnes, Humphreys, Oyler, Pane Haden, & Novicevic, 2013; Ladkin & Taylor, 2010; Novicevic, Humphreys, Buckley, Cagle, & Roberts, 2011) and further development of aesthetic leadership constructs (Bathurst, Jackson, & Statler, 2010; Biehl-Missal, 2010). Yet, a review of the extant literature reveals no broad conceptual framework for leading aesthetically. Developing such a framework is important for the advancement of aesthetic leadership practices and the development of aesthetically-aware leaders.In an attempt to fill this gap, and heeding the call for more consideration of nontraditional groups and leaders (Peiro & Melia, 2003), we analyzed the historical case of the San Antonio Conservation Society (SACS) and its prominent artist-leaders, Emily Edwards and Rena Maverick Green. Grounded in emerging theoretical concepts related to the artist-leader and aesthetic leadership, we reason that an examination of these aesthetically-aware leaders who actually exhibited authentic aesthetic leadership is warranted.We begin by describing our assumptions of logic and historical method of interpretation. To provide appropriate historical context, we then chronicle the establishment of SACS. As shown by the beginning quotation, any discussion of SACS has Emily Edwards and Rena Maverick Green inevitably entwined, so their inspirational histories follow. Next, we review the literatures related to the theme of leadership as art and aesthetic leadership. Finally, grounding our interpretations of the historical case in aesthetic leadership theories, we present a hermeneutic approach to authentic aesthetic leadership.Assumptions of Logic and Historical ApproachWhen theory is at a nascent phase, studies of unique cases can be very powerful; delivering more compelling insights than broad empirical studies can offer (Siggelkow, 2007). Consequently, historical case studies can be particularly beneficial as inspiration for the extension of theory (Shamir, 2011) by providing interpretive evidence prior to empirical research (Eisenhardt & Graebner, 2007). Accordingly, the case of SACS, with its unique artist-leaders, was not randomly selected (see Siggelkow, 2007), as we reasoned it offered compelling insights with regard to leading aesthetically.Historical case research requires that authors present clear procedures and precise language so that readers may evaluate the persuasiveness (Siggelkow, 2007) and plausibility (Weick, 1989) of the interpretations of case data (Benjamin, 2006). As we applied an interpretivist approach to the archival data, we presumed Bevir's (2002) philosophy of postfoundational intentionalism, capturing not only the intent of case subjects but also indicative meanings extending from the original contextual intent of the documented language. Considering data from this perspective allows researchers to act as translators explaining the people of the past to us today using our own personal lens of discovery (Novicevic, Harvey, Buckley, Brown, & Evans, 2006, p. …