Resilience-Building and Inhibiting Factors Among New School Principals

• In Event: Principal Leadership: Influence, Success, STEM, and International Perspectives

Abstract

Principalship role complexity requires resilience. This study examines principals' resilience-building factors along factors challenging it. Therefore, we conducted 61 interviews and two focus groups with 21 school principals throughout their first principalship year. The principals' interviews' analyses revealed five resilience-undermining factors and four factors that build resilience. The resilience- undermining factors are: 1. Stress from work overload; 2. Difficulty in facing key players; 3. Lack of administrative knowledge; 4. Acceptance or rejection by staff; 5. The Corona crisis challenges. Resilience building factors are: 1. Personal growth; 2. Short successes; 3. Supportive environment; 4. Student support. The study conceptualizes resilience patterns among school principals entering office, and may help build support systems for incoming principals.

Authors

• lior halevi, Mandel Leadership Institute
  Presenting Author

• Chen Schechter, Bar-Ilan University
  Presenting Author