Student Research: Jennifer Barron - Interweaving the Strengths of Relationality and Hierarchy in Emergency Services: A First-Person Approach to Enhancing My Leadership Practice.

The School of Leadership and Management would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Jennifer Barron on the completion of a Master’s Thesis titled, Interweaving the Strengths of Relationality and Hierarchy in Emergency Services: A First-Person Approach to Enhancing My Leadership Practice.

This thesis is available through RRU’s library here  https://hdl.handle.net/10613/29466

We asked Jenn a few questions about this research, and this is what they said:

What are some key takeaways from your thesis that would be helpful for other leaders?

The benefits of taking a “both/and” approach allow us to honour the strengths of different worldviews and knowledge systems. Indigenous concepts such as Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing) and the Two-Row Wampum Belt really highlight how to hold space for plural views and practices.

Trust intuitive knowledge and other ways of knowing, and value the ability to show up wholistically as a leader through whole-person presencing.

That relationality is what gives hierarchy purpose, and there are benefits to including relational leadership practices within hierarchical organizations.

What surprised you about your experience of the thesis process?

I was nervous about a first-person thesis and worried I wouldn’t find my voice or have enough to say. I also chose to include arts-based methods, which pushed me out of my comfort zone. What surprised me most was how much I found myself in the process. I didn’t expect the process to be so profoundly impactful.

I also had the opportunity to present my research at the World Creativity Conference in Seoul, South Korea. I was surprised to have such an amazing opportunity to share my work and hear from others all over the world!

How are you applying lessons learned from your whole MA-Leadership journey? 

A lot of my lessons involve personal practices and how I show up day to day. I am taking more time to journal and self-reflect, to practice art, and to really tune in to my intuition. I find that this, in turn, shifts the way I interact with those around me. I have started incorporating intentional gratitude practices at home and at work, and I try to prioritize relationships over tasks. I feel like these small steps create a ripple effect, making space for larger changes and impacts.