Creativity—The Effectiveness of Soul of Leadership Professional Learning Program

• In Event: Social and Emotional Learning, Creativity, and Mindfulness: Essential Competences in Schooling

Abstract

Introduction, Literature, & Objectives. A critical element of effective leadership, creativity significantly influences various aspects of education such as leadership efficacy, wellbeing, school climate, and positive student outcomes. With its potential to drive leadership development, lifetime achievement, and technological progress (Amabile, 2012), creativity flourishes in environments where leaders offer autonomy and support innovative efforts. At an intra-psychological level, it nurtures the comprehension of new learning stimuli, while at an inter-psychological level, it encourages learners to share, refine, and collectively build upon their ideas. School leaders who prioritize creativity augment student engagement and learning outcomes and establish a dynamic, adaptive learning environment (Beghetto, 2021). As a result, students reap the benefits of a more engaging and personalized educational experience, positively impacting their overall academic, social, and emotional achievement. The unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic, along with the national calls for equity and racial justice, underscore more than ever the need for school leaders to be creative in finding solutions especially in under sourced circumstances. Thus, this study explores how school leaders (principals and assistant principals) managed through their participation in the alumni network of Soul of Leadership: Courage, Presence, & Integrity (SoL)—a professional development program based on cultivating social emotional competencies to bring forth creative solutions to issues their schools have struggled with especially after COVID-19.
Theoretical Framework. This research study is informed by the theory of transformational learning. In the theory of transformative learning (Mezirow, 1991), adult experiences are conceptualized as having the power to both transform one’s perspectives and assumptions and change one’s behavior.
Methods & Data. Data for this study comes from a sample of 45 school leaders from Massachusetts school districts who participated in The Soul of Leadership Courage, Presence, and Integrity (SoL) alumni network. Post interviews were conducted, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim in their entirety. The data was analyzed using various phenomenological analysis steps developed by Moustakas (1994) that included bracketing, horizontalization, thematic coding, and synthesizing a composite description.
Preliminary Findings. The findings highlight the significant impact of the creativity practices in SoL that enabled them to construct their own creative identity. Participants made explicit connections between their experiences with SoL and the creative actions they’ve taken in their personal and professional lives as they navigated through the challenges successfully. Participants expressed improvement in their ability to preserve and redirect paths toward goals in order to success. They extended these creative skills to a sense of optimism and a belief in the possibility of positive outcomes, even in changing circumstances. As a result, they felt an improvement in their sense of personal accomplishment as leaders.
Significance. The findings demonstrate the value of SoL program in nurturing leadership qualities and equipping aspiring leaders with the essential skills necessary to be effective in their roles. Creativity should be a core pillar in leadership skills that should be integrated in training and licensure programs as well.

Authors

• Kathleen B. King, North Central College

• Julia Mahfouz, University of Colorado - Denver

• Stephen Kotok, St. John's University

• Danny Yahya, University College London