Empathy, Empowerment, and Evolution: Rethinking Leadership Success in Lebanese Higher Education

• In Event: Leadership and Faculty Development in International Education

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how Lebanese women leaders in higher education define and measure success within a sociocultural context marked by gendered expectations. Using a phenomenological approach, the research integrates appreciative inquiry, emotional intelligence, and social constructivism to illuminate narratives from 15 women in senior academic roles. Findings challenge conventional success metrics, revealing themes of community collaboration, transformative impact, and continuous personal-professional evolution. This paper proposes a reimagined definition of leadership success rooted in culturally adaptive, empathetic, and empowering frameworks. The study amplifies marginalized voices and offers a vision for inclusive academic leadership through contextually grounded pathways for change.

Author

• Lina Safa, Pepperdine University