School Leader Perceptions: Exploring the Effective Strategies of the Mindful School Culture Leader

• In Event: The Promise and Power of Mindfulness for School Leaders

Abstract

Due to principal attrition and turnover, a less experienced school leader workforce exists who may uniquely perceive their effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to explore school leaders’ perceptions of effectiveness by investigating how mindfulness strategies contribute to school leadership. A qualitative, collective case study design was implemented using semi-structured interviews. The Community CEO Framework used depicts the school leader as one who operates with leadership intelligence, principal mindfulness, resiliency, and culturally responsive school leadership. Based on the results of this study, ways should be explored to incorporate situational leadership, organizational mindfulness, and care leadership into principal preparation programs, as part of professional development, and as topics of action research.

Authors

• Derrick Robinson, University of Memphis

• Eugenia B. Hopper, Coastal Carolina University