Birthing in the

Community as a Right:
An example of a
Transformative Leader
By:
Kristy Jones
Daniela Magurean
Karen Mason

An Aboriginal Midwife
My first breath of life came with the
helpful assistance of a qualified person
trained in a Cree culture (She) was
knowledgeable, experienced, and
confident in her abilities. For her it was
a way of life. It was also spiritual and
communal. Babies were not just
delivered. Babies were prayed into this
world. It was a sacred undertaking. It
was a family affair and a community
event.

Defining
Transformative Leadership
At the heart of transformative
leadership is: notions of
promise, liberation, hope,
empowerment, activism, risk,
social justice, courage, and
revolution
(content from Shields, 2010,

Lesleys Social Location:

Mohawk Woman
Midwife
Community Leader
Activist
Mother
Wife

Lesleys Personal Journey

1985 Lesley and her husband
Francois had their first son in
Edmonton, AB with a midwife
1989 Birth of their second son,
Kaila
1990 Kailas death
1993 Birth of youngest son

It's just like holding your hand open and a butterfly

can land and as long as you keep your palm open
that butterfly sits there and you think, wow, he's
beautiful. His colours, his markings are so delicate.
But then the other side of it is that he can leave any
time and you just have to accept that and the only
way that you can hold onto him is to [close your
hand] and that option was given to us to put him
through the transplant to try to hold onto him but I
really felt like there was such a risk of going like this
[closing and then opening your hand] and then "Oh
God. What have I done to him?" You know, his wings
are all crumpled and crippled, his colours are all
faded. And it seemed right to just keep my palm
open and appreciate how beautiful he was knowing
that at any time he could go Paulette, L., 1993.

Lesleys Educational Journey

1981 Midwifery as a vision
1981 1982 Started self-study
1982-1992 Fundraising for education,
created own program through distance
learning and self directed study.
1992 On site training in El Paso, Texas
1993 Licensed in Texas
1998 Licensed in Alberta
2005 Licensed in the NWT

Lesleys Professional Journey

1987 Offered childbirth education services
1993-1998 offered home births (about 5/year)
and pre and post natal care
1999 Lesley got funding to do a community
consultation process for options to bring birthing
back to the community
2000 Lesley was joined by midwife, Gisela Becker
2002 1st reading of legislation
2003 Legislation was passed
2005 Legislation was proclaimed
2005 Lesley and Gisela were hired as midwives
by the local health authority

Ideologies
Medicalization
Scientific knowledge is defined as the
best, most efficient, legitimate solution.
Processes are defined in medical terms and
interventions are used to solve problems.
(Brubaker & Dillaway, 2009)

Urban Imperialism
Urban world views define the best practices
in a rural setting.
(Bodor, 2008)

7 Elements of Transformative
Leadership
1. Critique and Promise
(Shields, 2010)
2. Deep and Equitable Change
3. Deconstruct and Reconstruct
4. Acknowledge Power and Privilege
5. Private Good and Public Good
6. Focus on Liberation, Democracy, Equity, and Justice
7. Moral Courage and Activism

Essence
For me personally, midwifery was
another expression of activism. It
was a movement, not just for
healthy moms and babies, it was a
movement around sovereignty, it
was a movement about selfdetermination and empowerment.
Lesley Paulette, Midwife, Fort

Transformative Leadership:
Leaders carry the kind of passion
which creates systemic change
It begins
- with questions of justice and democracy,
critiques inequitable practices and
addresses both individual and public good
- by challenging the use of power and
privilege that create or perpetuate inequity
and justice
(Shields, 2010, Abstract & pp. 564).

Transformative Leadership:
Achieving Unparalleled
Excellence
An ethically based leadership model
that integrates a commitment to
values and outcomes by optimizing
the long-term interests of
stakeholders and society and
honoring the moral duties owed by
organizations

Distinctions:
Transformation
Transformative
al
Systemic

Within organization

Social justice and equitable

change

Organizational effectiveness

Deconstruction and
reconstruction

Understanding organizational
culture
Liberty, justice, equality

Liberation, emancipation,
democracy,
Lives with tension and
challenges, requires moral
courage and activism
Tool for oppression and action

Looks for motive, develops

common purpose, focus on
organizational goals
Inspirational
Complex and diverse systems
Developing people and design

Critique and promise(Shields, 2010, p.563

Figure 1.)

Acknowledging power and

Transformational leadership:
a different approach
Leaders effect on followers
Individualized consideration,
intellectual stimulation, idealized
influence and inspirational
motivation
(Yukl, 1999, p.287)
Concerned with empowerment and
positive influence

Transformational leadership:
a different outcome
Advocating within the organization
Working within the system
Inspiring others
Narrower focus

Overview of learning:
Lesley Paulette, a transformative
leader

Personal and professional journey as a

leader
Challenging the status quo in order to
create systemic change for the public
good
Passion and substance as a leader

Why Midwifery?
There was a definite shift away from
viewing birth as a cultural, spiritual, and
social act. The government took control
of medical care with authority and
disrupted the traditional family and
organization in the name of improved
health
(Becker, G. & Paulette, L., 2003-04,

We wish to express
our gratitude and
thank you to Lesley
Paulette for sharing
her journey as a

Thank You

References:
Ackoff, Russell L. A Systemic View of Transformational
Leadership. Article Source:
http://www.acasa.upenn.edu/leadership.pdf
Becker, G. & Paulette, L. (2003-04). Informed choice
with a focus
on rural and northern midwifery in the Northwest
Territories. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research
and Practice, 2 (3), 22-25.
Bodor, R. C. (2008). Nonsexual dual and multiple
relationships:
when urban worldviews define rural reality.
Rural Social
Work and Community Practice, 13(1), 7-19.

Caldwell, C., Chaudoin, J., Dixon, R. D., Floyd, L. A.,

Cheokas, G. & Post, J. (2011). Transformative
Leadership:
Achieving Unparalleled Excellence.
J Bus Ethics. 109:175187. DOI 10.1007/s10551011-1116-2
Paulette, L. (1993). A choice for Kaila. Humane
Med., 9 (1)

Shields, C. M. (2010). Transformative leadership:

working for
equity in diverse contexts. Educational
Administration Quarterly, 46,
doi:10.1177/0013161X10375609

Yukl, G. (1999). An Evaluation of Conceptual

Weaknesses