School Principals' Understanding of Mutual Responsiveness in Effective Leadership

Research has demonstrated that corporations succeed or fail on the basis of how well they are led. Although the importance of leadership in organizational decision making has been recognized and studied extensively, numerous studies have also demonstrated the central role that the principal plays in shaping the school culture which, in turn, is a critical factor in determining the success of the school district. Additionally, an essential component of effective leadership is the cultivation of followers. This paper presents findings of a study that sought to determine whether public high school principals in Ohio understood the role and importance of followership in school leadership, in particular, the role that they played as followers. A survey of a random sample of 111 Ohio public secondary school principals elicited 84 responses, a 76 percent response rate. The survey instrument was the Principal Sentiment Inventory (PSI). The data suggest that the principals were aware of and saw followership as essential to carrying out their role as middle managers. The principals exemplified three types of followership--exemplary, pragmatic, or conformist. Female high school principals reported a higher level of active engagement than male principals. Two figures and four tables are included. (Contains 28 references.) (LMI)