M. Luksiene’s Leadership during the Lithuanian Education Reform

Abstract

The article analyzes the leadership phenomenon of the Lithuanian scientist and social figure M. Luksiene during the period of the Lithuanian Education Reform (1988-1997). It is based on the analysis of scientific literature, the qualitative analysis of M. Luksiene’s texts as well as expert surveys. The article aims to describe M. Luksiene’s leadership as a unique leadership phenomenon and to highlight the phenomenal features of the leadership.
 The problem: what was M. Luksiene’s leadership during the period of Education Reform. The subject matter – M. Luksiene’s leadership during the period of Education Reform. The Goal is to uncover the distinctness of M. Luksiene’s leadership during the period of Education Reform. tasks: 1) on the basis of scientific literature on leadership to define the concepts of leadership and leadership as a phenomenon; 2) to highlight the conditions during the Lithuanian Education Reform as a prerequisite for leaders to emerge; 3) through empirical examination to disclose the distinctness of M. Luksiene’s leadership.
 The research methods. The research is based on one type of empirical research, i.e. the case investigation, in which the object of investigation is composed of one social phenomenon – M. Luksiene’s activity during the Lithuanian Education Reform. The investigation is carried out at a personal level. The research is also based on qualitative research strategy and its specific methods: analysis of scientific literature, the qualitative analysis of M. Luksiene’s texts, expert survey.
 On the basis of the analysis of the research data the following conclusions are drawn:
 M. Luksiene’s appearance as an emerged leader is a case of a leadership where under the prevailing social and political circumstances, in the absence of bright, nonstandard-minded leaders, the distinctive intellectual and attitudinal maturity of M. Luksiene’s personality has led to her emergence as a leader. It is a case of harmony between maturity of a person as a leader and historical circumstances.
 The analysis of written word – diaries – suggests that M. Luksiene was engaged in distinctive public activities worth staying in human memory since her childhood. In her childhood she developed a sense of obligation, social sensibility, the perception of time and self, – all the features characteristic to self- awareness of authentic leadership.
 The analysis of the texts from the period of Education Reform suggests that M. Luksiene as a leader admits her weaknesses, but successfully brings people together to act for common purpose; she raises the corporate matters over personal; she is able to discern the favorable historical conditions for dramatic change in education and takes the initiative to take advantage of these conditions in a positive way; she justifies the change conceptually, shapes a clear vision surpassing day-to-day thinking; she sees the importance of education as a social system in building the State.
 The analysis of data from the expert survey suggests that in the activities of M. Luksiene both the transformational and the charismatic as well as authentic leadership have revealed themselves.
 Her personality traits commonly held as unique are: love of life; intelligence and simplicity; respect for the human being, self-devotion, strength; the ability to negotiate and reach an agreement; demanding high standards from herself and others; rare and unique combination of age, depth and breadth of thinking, experience (memory) and will; unique interconnection between the pre-war-war-postwar and years of Soviet stagnation experiences, and at the same time not lingering in the past but creating modern and compelling visions of the future, as well as their active implementation.
 All of the key features and characteristics of M. Luksiene have one common attitudinal, cultural and educational basis, or goal: to create an open, democratic educational system, in which the center of focus is a human being. Therefore, M. Luksiene is not only to be regarded as a charismatic leader, but also as the creator of the Lithuanian state with highest humanistic culture.