Sustainable school leadership – how can school principals’ resilience be developed?

Background

School principals play a crucial role in the quality and development of schools. At the same time, their role is characterised by high demands, complex organisational conditions and a constant need to manage change. International research shows that personal resilience – the ability to cope with setbacks, adapt and continue to lead under pressure – is a key prerequisite for sustainable school leadership. However, there is limited knowledge of how this resilience develops and how the school’s organisational structure influences it.

Aim of the project

The project investigates how experienced school principals develop and maintain personal resilience, and how organisational conditions can facilitate or constrain this process. The starting point is that sustainable leadership is shaped not only by individual characteristics but also by the interaction between the principal and the organisation in which leadership is exercised.

Method

The study is being conducted as a practice-oriented qualitative interview study involving approximately 30–40 experienced school principals from several school governing bodies. The interviews are based on an internationally developed research protocol and are analysed using thematic analysis. The project is being carried out in close collaboration with the participating school governing bodies through regular dialogue and joint seminars.

Expected results and significance

The project will contribute new knowledge on how personal resilience develops in the role of school principal and how organisational conditions can strengthen or weaken this development. The results may provide school authorities with a better basis for creating sustainable organisational conditions for school principals, thereby strengthening schools’ long-term development and quality.