Operationalizing Compassionate Leadership in K–12 Education: A Phenomenological Study

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable Session 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Building and Operationalizing Innovative Concepts and Theories in Educational Leadership (Table 38)

Abstract

Compassion, defined as a multi-step process involving an awareness of someone in distress and taking action to alleviate their distress, is widely valued across segments of society. Leadership plays an important role in how organizations function. The study of compassionate leadership, however, has not been extensively explored, particularly in the field of education. This phenomenological study operationalizes compassionate leadership from the perspective of K-12 teachers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed how social interaction, supportive relationships, and workplace culture mediate compassion and compassionate leadership in education. Implications for further research related to compassionate leadership in education are discussed.

Author

• Timothy D. Folger, Binghamton University - SUNY