“It’s Lonely at the Top”: Identifying High-Yielding Strategies Used by K-12 Administrators to Create Authentic Connections With Stakeholders
出版項
Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2023
說明
181 p
附註
Source: Dissertations Abstracts International, Volume: 84-10, Section: A
Advisor: Anderson, Andrew
Thesis (Ed.D.)--Northeastern University, 2023
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Leaders of K-12 schools have an endless list of job demands. These tasks range from the quantifiable administrative responsibilities such as budgets and finances, disciplinary matters, conducting evaluations and mitigating government mandates, to the more complex tasks of student success, development of teachers/staff, supporting stakeholders with personal and professional issues, creating community, and sustaining a positive school culture. As such, school leaders have little time to connect with their stakeholders beyond the surface-level interactions, thereby increasing the disconnect between the administrators and stakeholders at a human level. This action research explores strategies that can be used by K-12 administrators to create authentic connections with their stakeholders. A corollary research question aimed to understand the benefits of partnering with an outside consultant to identify best practices to create authentic connections between school leaders and stakeholders. This research deployed qualitative research procedures, collecting interview data for 10 K-12 administrators. Data indicated that organic and intrinsic interactions, following best practices and maintaining some leadership ethos, were drivers for authentic connections while the siloed nature of the job and leadership distress were deterrents to creating authentic connections with stakeholders. Participants also found the collaboration with an outside consultant with no ties to the school/school district to be a liberating factor in problem-solving for their unique problem of focus. Implications of the research suggest that it provides an opportunity to advance the understanding of leadership development where the findings can be integrated as a core part of training for administrators and an overall professional development for school leaders
