How Superintendents Use Narrative to Foster a Culture of Learning and Promote Positive Change

• In Event: Roundtable Session 28
  In Roundtable Session: Superintendent Leadership Across Educational Contexts

Abstract

Educational leaders work in increasingly complex environments with people who have diverse backgrounds, interests, and goals. To be effective, these leaders must understand the dynamic process of creating and managing culture and change. Stories have the potential to help people connect, develop genuine understanding, and unite around common purposes (Fisher, 1984; Guber, 2011). This paper reports the results of a qualitative case study that examines if, how, when, and why superintendents intentionally use stories as a leadership strategy. Preliminary results indicate that many superintendents use storytelling purposefully in order to develop relationships, build community, promote a culture of improvement, clarify key expectations, and support positive change.

Author

• Barry J. Aidman, Texas State University