Case Studies in Leadership and Adult Development: Applying Theoretical Perspectives to Real World Challenges

This book serves as an instructional tool for development of skills related to the organizational leadership of adults. The text offers teaching cases that explicitly partner the leadership and adult development literature bases so readers can work to apply leadership for adult development to real-world scenarios.

Case Studies in Leadership and Adult Development: Applying Theoretical Perspectives to Real World Challenges consists of 19 chapters, organized into three parts. Part I includes four chapters drawn from business and industry leaders' experiences encompassing cases from nonprofit, for-profit, and non-governmental agencies. Part II delves into three chapters that focus on the challenges of leading through crisis, including how the Coronavirus pandemic shapes decision making and impacts leadership in both K - 12 and higher education environments. Part III offers a comprehensive view of education through 12 chapters, four of which are drawn from higher education settings. Part III's balance includes cases from elementary, middle, and secondary schools and district-level leadership.

Written for graduate level courses in adult education, each case focuses on at least one major theory from both the leadership and adult development domains. Including questions for discussion and reflection, the book allows students to explore the linkages between leadership theories and adult development theories within the context of real-world scenarios.

Kristina N. LaVenia teaches and researches leadership for improved organizational outcomes with a special focus on leadership for adult development. Her background as a school counselor informs her educational research and leadership preparation work.

Judy Jackson May is an associate professor of educational administration and leadership, whose research focuses on factors impacting the academic, emotional, and social success of students of color. This lens is strongly informed by her experiences as a former special education teacher, district curriculum coordinator, and urban school principal.