‘Metaphors of leadership, metaphors of hope …’: Life stories of black women leaders in South Africa

Abstract

This article, based on biographical narratives of black women leaders in South Africa,examines the idea of using multiple metaphors to expand creativity in respect ofleadership. Metaphor is both a tool for shaping perspectives as well as site forconstructing meaning (through paradox and oxymoron), and thus was particularlyilluminating as a critical lens through which to view the three African women's leadershipof hope in the hopelessness of the world of schooling. As women describe their lives andexperiences, they often use metaphors to capture their frustrations and perceivedbarriers, as well as the effects that motivate them. The central question is one ofmeaning: What leadership meanings does one derive from artefacts, documents andmetaphors? How did production, understanding, and communication of human thoughtand action change the women's leadership styles? The argument raised in this articlereflects that using multiple metaphors to understand organisation and managementgives one the capacity to tap different dimensions of a situation, showing how differentqualities of leadership can coexist, supporting, reinforcing or contradicting one another.The metaphors of these ordinary people are simple ways of reflecting their understandingof their ordinary lives through two major themes teamwork and hope in hopelessness.