Abstract
Leaders may identify the word crone negatively as hag or witch, activating attitudes related to misogyny, sexism, and ageism (Rikke, 2019). They may be surprised to know, therefore, that there is a growing interest in women leaders, over the last few decades, in becoming a crone as a project of self-definition and personal empowerment (Lewis McCabe, 2004). Understanding “croneness” is an opportunity for men and women to embrace feminism, to appreciate the psyche of women, and to embrace the potentially wise ways afforded of female consciousness (Kinkead, 2015). In this study, a theory of communication, the Coordinated Management of Meaning (Pearce, 2007), is utilized to explore the nature of crone generativity (Morselli & Passini, 2015) and their generative capacities as leaders (Castillo & Trinh, 2019). Women over the age of 70 who have been actively engaged in crone development for at least one year, are asked to identify critical moments in communication related to their projects and to investigate those critical moments using the LUUUUTT model (stories lived, untold, unknown, unheard, untellable, told, and storytelling in culture). With this critical self-reflection as a precursor the women describe how their crone development influences their meaning-making (noticing, observing, reflecting, and engaging in their projects). The results demonstrate how crone development changes the ways in which older women lead major projects.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2021 Special Focus—Aging Societies: Extended Working Lives and Discrimination Against Older Workers
KEYWORDS
Crone, Leadership, Female Consciousness, Wisdom, Communication, Coordinated Management of Meaning
