Prelims

Half Title Page

AGAINST ALL ODDS

Series Page

Exploring Effective Leadership Practices Through Popular Culture

Series editor: Michael J. Urick

The aim of this series is to examine modern and innovative business theories and methods via relatable popular cultural themes. The books will provide academically rigorous and credible applications and solutions to practitioners and upper-level business students, in a format designed to be highly engaging and effective.

Titles in Exploring Effective Leadership Practices Through Popular Culture

• A Manager’s Guide to Using the Force: Leadership Lessons from a Galaxy Far Far Away

  Michael J. Urick

• Leadership in Middle Earth: Theories and Applications for Organizations

  Michael J. Urick

• Leadership Insights for Wizards and Witches

  Aditya Simha

• Leaders Assemble! Leadership in the MCU

  Gordon B. Schmidt and Sy Islam

• Bend the Knee or Seize the Throne: Leadership Lessons from Westeros

  Nathan Tong and Michael J. Urick

• Courageous Companions: Followership in Doctor Who

  Kimberly Yost

Forthcoming

• Cross-Cultural Leadership in the Four Nations: Lessons from Avatar The Last Airbender

  Sy Islam and Gordon B. Schmidt

• Slaying the Vampires, Werewolves and Demons of Ineffective Leadership

  Aditya Simha

• Bodies, Emotions, Success: Leadership Lessons from The Kardashians

  Brigitte Biehl

Title Page

AGAINST ALL ODDS: LEADERSHIP AND THE HANDMAID'S TALE

By

Cristina de Mello e Souza Wildermuth

Barry University, USA

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Emerald Publishing, Floor 5, Northspring, 21-23 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL.

First edition 2024

Copyright © 2024 Cristina de Mello e Souza Wildermuth.

Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited.

Reprints and permissions service

Contact: www.copyright.com

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters’ suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-80455-337-4 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-80455-334-3 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-80455-336-7 (Epub)

Dedication Page

This book is dedicated to all the courageous people who grab leadership when all odds are against them.

Contents

About the Author

Dr Cristina de Mello e Souza Wildermuth is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership at Barry University. She teaches leadership, ethics, diversity, and human resource development courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Dr Wildermuth is a passionate professor, researcher, and leadership development consultant who has engaged audiences and students for over 20 years. She immigrated to the United States in 1992 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and has traveled extensively, facilitating leadership, diversity, and inclusion programs in Latin America and Europe.

Dr Wildermuth’s main research areas include leadership development and education, ethics, and international/intercultural relations. She has published in peer-reviewed journals like the Journal of Business Ethics, the Journal of Leadership Education, and the Journal of Psychological Issues in Organizational Culture, as well as a book on diversity training published by the Association for Talent Development.

Dr Wildermuth holds a Master’s in Career Technology Education with a concentration in Training and Development and a Doctorate in Leadership Studies from Bowling Green State University, with a dissertation on employee engagement and personality. She is the co-chair of Linked:HR, a one million-plus LinkedIn group for HR professionals, and a member of the International Leadership Association’s Leadership Academy facilitation team.

Dr Wildermuth lives in West Melbourne, Florida, with her husband Mel and furry family members Friskey, Bambi, and Buffy. She enjoys exploring new beaches, taking impromptu trips to Walt Disney World in Orlando, and learning to paint with Bob Ross.

Acknowledgments

First, I am grateful to my family – my husband Mel and my daughter Maggie – for their constant support and encouragement to keep writing even when I thought the book would never be finished. My husband Mel “held the fort” at home as I went from work to writing and back to work with no time for anything else. Mel, thank you.

I’d also like to thank the Emerald team, particularly Fiona Allison, for her guidance and advice and Dr Michael Urick for inviting me to join this outstanding group of authors and scholars.

Finally, I would like to recognize a fantastic group of people from the International Leadership Association’s Leadership Education Academy: Dennis Ray, Sevinj Iskandarova, Jason Headrick, Nidhi Yadav, Sean Jordan, Keyhan Shamsi Yousefi, and Jonathan Lee. You helped me find joy in my work when I needed it the most!