Educational Champions' Influence Tactics: Self-Determination Theory Analysis

• In Event: Leveraging Leadership for School Change

Abstract

This study identifies influence tactics used by educational champions, school staff members who operate as in-house entrepreneurs and introduce a significant change into their schools. The study also examines targets’ perspectives on the influence tactics, and in particular their source of motivation for complying to the influence attempts. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with principals, teachers and other school staff members to identify champions and their influence tactics. Five influence tactics surfaced from the interviews: pressure, exchange, persuasion, recruitment, and partnering, a tactic that expands the soft tactics repertoire. Analysis by self-determination theory explains a disparity in the interpretation given by champions and targets to tactics, when tactics undergo a modification towards the soft side and are experienced as softer.

Authors

• Ori Eyal, Hebrew University

• Doron Yosef-Hassidim, Lakehead University