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With research pointing to increased levels of stress and work demands on school leaders, attention has turned to examining the factors that contribute to their well-being. Studies have also shown that many school administrators not just survive but also thrive in their work and succeed despite work-related challenges. Furthermore, some principals e...
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... was defined for participants as the ability to bounce back after experiencing an adversity in life. The participants' responses showed a consistent trend of high agreement with statements regarding their perceptions of resilience ( Table 5). The results indicated an overall high level of persistence, adaptability, optimism, confidence, and perseverance, as well as the ability to learn from adversity and grow with each challenge. ...Context 2
... was defined for participants as the ability to bounce back after experiencing an adversity in life. The participants' responses showed a consistent trend of high agreement with statements regarding their perceptions of resilience ( Table 5). The results indicated an overall high level of persistence, adaptability, optimism, confidence, and perseverance, as well as the ability to learn from adversity and grow with each challenge. ...Citations
... After being piloted among school principals, the finalized survey instrument included 62 closed questions and 12 open-ended questions, which were thematically organized based on the systematic review of the literature into the following sections: flow, thriving, resilience, grit, and well-being. These constructs were identified in the literature on positive psychology as critical for the notion of flourishing, and the connection and correlations between these constructs for this particular study have been established and discussed elsewhere [65]. ...
The decrease in well-being of school leaders has become an area of concern among scholars and practitioners around the world. Globally, increasing social, political, economic, educational, and professional demands faced by school administrators have led to an unmanageable workload, stress, burnout, and a lack of work-life balance. However, some principals thrive amidst challenges and are recognized by various national and international awards as outstanding school leaders. Examining the challenges that award-winning school principals face can both prevent conditions that decrease their well-being and help understand coping strategies and support systems necessary for successful school leadership. Our study examined the sense of flourishing among the national award-winning principals in the Canada's Outstanding Principals (COP) program that recognizes outstanding contributions of principals in publicly funded schools. In this article, we describe participants' perceptions regarding the significance of principal well-being, barriers and challenges to their well-being, coping strategies to promote and sustain their well-being, and necessary policy and school system supports for enhanced principal well-being.
... Trust is a two-way construct (Brower et al., 2000;Louis and Murphy, 2017;Sue-Chan et al., 2012). There is a reciprocal relationship between the school leader and other school members (Kutsyuruba et al., 2024). When principals trust their staff, they are also likelier to trust them (Browning, 2014). ...
Faculty trust in educational leadership is a linchpin of schools' functionality and efficacy. Teachers' trust in their school leaders can significantly influence the work environment, teacher retention and student achievement. Our study, which employed a comprehensive mixed-methods approach, including 1320 questionnaires and interviews with 40 teachers and 5 principals, has identified eight practices, behaviours and actions (Fairness, Respect, Consistency-Reliability, Trusting the Teachers, Setting the Example, Competence-Organisation, Confidentiality, Open Door-Support) that foster robust trust in school leaders. These findings are not just insights but practical suggestions that school principals can implement to enhance faculty trust. By applying these insights, school principals can create a more trusting environment, improving teacher retention and student achievement. Furthermore, policymakers can use these insights to develop training initiatives that promote the growth of trustworthy educational leaders locally and internationally.
... This article draws from an extensive mixed-methods study (Kutsyuruba, 2022;Kutsyuruba et al., 2023Kutsyuruba et al., , 2024Kutsyuruba, Kharyati, et al., 2021) that examined the sense of flourishing of the national award-winning principals in the Canada's Outstanding Principals (COP) program. Although no longer active (as of 2022), this program was established in 2004 by the Learning Partnership in association with the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and the Canadian Association of Principals (Lowrey, 2014). ...
... For our larger study, an electronic survey was used to glean awardwinning principals' perceptions in relation to the following constructs in the overall sense of flourishing: flow, thriving, resilience, and grit. These constructs were identified in the literature on positive psychology as critical for the notion of flourishing, and the connection between these constructs for this particular study has been established and discussed elsewhere (Kutsyuruba et al., 2024). ...
School leaders in Canada face increasing social, political, economic, educational, and professional demands, which often lead to increased workload, stress, burnout, decreased well-being, and lack of work-life balance. Research demonstrates that school principals with high levels of resilience are better at coping with stress and crisis, are generally more effective as leaders, are more connected to schools and districts, and have lower levels of compassion fatigue. Examining the challenges that school principals face can both prevent conditions that decrease their well-being and help understand coping strategies and resilience-building approaches necessary for successful school leadership. Drawing from the study of flourishing among the national award-winning principals in the Canada's Outstanding Principals (COP) program, in this article we describe the participants' perceptions regarding their resilience as school leaders, the conditions that discouraged school principals in their role, and the approaches that allowed them to develop their personal resilience. The article offers recommendations on how school administrators can overcome the challenges and flourish by fostering resilience and growing a resilient mind-set.