Experiencing Engagement: Stories from the Field

How do people experience engagement? We explore this question by interpreting stories of engagement, stories associated with projects undertaken in conjunction with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation's Leadership for Institutional Change (LINC) initiative. The stories convey a sense of what it means to be and feel engaged: it is a resonant experience, enabling participants to gain deeper understanding about themselves, others, and their work. By engaging in dialogue about the stories and exploring images embedded in stories, LINC project directors gained insights into the nature of engagement as a catalytic force for leadership and change. Organizing in a special form of learning community, a "community of practice," they experienced an engaged form of leadership--relational leadership--and experimented with the community of practice form as a vehicle for change. The directors' learning experience has implications for the future direction of the engagement movement.