Exploring systems thinking and middle school principal leadership

This qualitative constructivist grounded theory study explores middle school principals’ descriptions of the leadership practices they employ as they lead the implementation of a middle school model, the ways these descriptions reflect systems thinking concepts, and how these systems thinking concepts influence these leadership practices. Nine acting middle school principals were interviewed using a semi structured interview protocol that included 10 predetermined interview questions designed to reflect core themes that emerged as a result of a literature review surrounding middle school principal leadership, systems thinking concepts, and this study’s theoretical framework, Holistic School Leadership (Shaked & Schechter, 2017). Interview transcripts were analyzed using initial in vivo coding, focused coding, and axial coding methods, generating three overall themes representing the study’s most salient results: • Middle school principals coordinate and rely upon specific structures and systems. • Middle school principals value and regularly leverage intercommunication. • Middle school principals cultivate trust and interdependence with and among staff. Multiple exemplar interview excerpts are included to illustrate and validate the identification of these themes, which are discussed relative to the results of this study’s literature review and within the specific context of each of the study’s research questions. Implications regarding the results of the study are presented, including a new theoretical proposition illustrating Holistic School Leadership’s (Shaked & Schechter, 2017) influence on participants’ perceived leadership practices. This study concludes with recommendations for future research, policy, and practice.