With two-thirds of new leaders being women, it is becoming clearer that the face of our educational organizations is changing in symbolic and substantive ways. Some scholars have argued that every dimension of organizational leadership, including decision making, can be categorized as a masculine or feminine approach. Additionally, each decision…

Of the myriad responsibilities of the building principal, the most recognized and critical activity is overseeing and ensuring student success in the classroom. Considering the diverse population of professionals that building principals have under their supervision that directly impact students' classroom learning, the authors posit that a…

The challenges and opportunities faced by rural principals often fundamentally differ from those of urban and suburban principals due to geographic and social isolation, low enrollment, and small staff. Recent research, such as the special issue of Peabody Journal of Education (2014) on rural school leadership have explored the unique challenges…

Using qualitative survey data and focus groups, this statewide study explored the experiences of the North Dakota rural principal. The intent of this study was to develop an understanding of the rural principalship in a state with a predominantly rural population and informed by personal experiences of principals. Using qualitative thematic…

Leadership is less about our needs, and more about the needs of the people around us and the organization we are leading. Leadership styles are not something to be tried on like so many suits, to see which fits. Rather, they should be adapted to the particular demands of the situation, the particular requirements of the people involved and the…

This article focuses on one dean's approach to securing and maintaining faculty involvement in developing a School of Education CPED Initiative. Using the conceptual framework of "execution" (Bossidy & Charan, 2002), the author describes how the goal of creating a "change-capable" culture (a) demanded congruence between the…

The purpose of this study is to assess to what extent public school principals experience role uncertainty and risk on the job and to examine the joint effect of school principals' leadership style and use of power bases on school outcomes, under perceived role uncertainty and role risk. Questionnaires were administrated to 191 school principals…

The focus of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) on accountability created a high stakes educational environment. Although accountability is an important goal, guidance on how schools go about building the capacity to effectively accomplish the goals set in NCLB was not part of the legislation. This article supports the premise that a skillful balance of…

A co-principal leadership model, where two individuals serve in one leadership position, is considered a special case of distributing leadership (Gronn & Hamilton, 2004). The co-principal leadership model has been suggested as an alternative organizational form that re-structures the role of the principal by enhancing the positive aspects of…

Presents a model that synthesizes the work of theorists on leadership style and argues that leaders are unable to select an appropriate style in a given situation because they have never clarified their belief and value system. (Author/IRT)

If leadership education programs are improving, then why do some American graduates fail in leading schools and districts even as others succeed? As one way to answer this question, this study explores the preparation, careers, and success or failure of two superintendents prepared in top tier university leadership preparation doctoral programs.…

The leadership and career experiences of the principal in other eras are relatively missing from both the writings about school administration nowadays and the social history of schools. Exploring past forms of leadership might shed light on enduring aspects of leadership and its contextual-historical influences as well as on the development of…

Provides examples of ways an administrator can transform his weaknesses into strengths. An administrator must know who he is and what his best style is. (Author/IRT)

Examines factors, such as leadership style, that influence teachers' attraction to the principalship. Advocates changes in principal's role. (Contains 29 references.)(PKP)

A selected review of how the study of leadership has been approached is followed by brief descriptions of four leadership theories considered significant today. The research is applied to a program that focused on basic proficiencies in the seventh and eighth grades essential to passing the required Tennessee Proficiency Test. (MLF)