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Promising practices for developing leadership capacity in future school administrators

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Promising practices for developing leadership capacity in future school administrators

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Content Running head: BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 1
PROMISING PRACTICES FOR DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY
IN FUTURE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
by
Ryan Weiss-Wright
____________________________________________________________________
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
August 2016
Copyright 2016 Ryan Weiss-Wright
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 2
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to acknowledge those who have made this dissertation possible through their
support and encouragement. My thanks go to Dr. Kathy Stowe for her continuous feedback,
direction, and structure in guiding our entire dissertation group through this process.
I also express appreciation to my committee members, Dr. Courtney Malloy and Dr.
Maria Ott, whose feedback and appreciation for the work guided my study. I appreciate their
contributions to this work.
Most significantly, I acknowledge my family, who have reminded me throughout the
process of what is really important. My wife, Ashley, gave unending commitment to my
endeavors and supported me through this process while simultaneously taking care of our
growing family. This work would not have been completed without her immense patience,
understanding, and sense of humor.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments 2
List of Tables 5
List of Figures 6
Abstract 7
Chapter 1: Overview of the Study 8
Background of the Problem 9
Statement of the Problem 10
Purpose of the Study 12
Research Questions 12
Significance of the Problem 13
Limitations and Delimitations 14
Definitions 15
Organization of the Dissertation 16
Chapter 2: Literature Review 17
Principal Attrition and Turnover 18
Impact of Principal Turnover and Attrition on Student Success 19
Principal Succession Planning 21
Succession Planning and Tapping 23
Mentoring 27
Benefits of Mentoring 30
Formal Mentoring 31
Informal Mentoring 32
Transformational Leadership 33
Chapter Summary 34
Chapter 3: Methodology 35
Research Questions 35
Research Design 36
Sample and Population 38
Overview of the Organization 38
Theoretical Framework 39
Conceptual Framework 39
Data Collection 41
Instrumentation 41
Data Analysis 43
Ethical Considerations 45
Chapter Summary 45
Chapter 4: Results 46
Participant Profiles 47
Results for Research Question 1: Strategies and Promising Practices 50
Identification and Tapping 51
Informal Mentoring 56
District-Led Initiatives 60
Discussion and Analysis of Research Question 1 64
Results for Research Question 2: Perceptions 64
Accountability 65
Who You Know, Not What You Know 67
Discussion and Analysis of Research Question 2 69
Results for Research Question 3: Facilitating and Inhibiting Factors 69
Superintendent’s Vision 70
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 4
Superintendent’s vision as a facilitating factor 70
Superintendent’s vision as an inhibiting factor 72
Participant Buy-In 73
Participant buy-in as a facilitating factor 73
Participant buy-in as an inhibiting factor 74
Discussion and Analysis of Research Question 3 75
Chapter Summary 76
Chapter 5: Summary 77
Summary of Findings 78
Implications for Practice 80
Recommendations for Future Study 84
Conclusion 85
References 87
Appendices
Appendix A: Observation Protocol 91
Appendix B: Participant Recruitment Letter 92
Appendix C: Matrix of Mentee Interview Protocol to Research Questions 93
Appendix D: Matrix of Mentor Interview Protocol to Research Questions 96
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 5
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Summary of the Participants 42
Table 2: Research Questions as Instrumentation 43
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 6
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Conceptual framework, Ed.D. thematic group, 2015 40
Figure 2: Creswell’s model for qualitative data analysis 44
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 7
ABSTRACT
This study on leadership development followed the theory of transformational leadership
as a theoretical framework for understanding and evaluating the practices that build the capacity
in the next generation of K–12 school and district leadership. The purpose was to identify
strategies that comprise successful programs, both formal and informal, for aspiring
administrators through examination of the perspectives of aspiring leaders and a detailed look at
the factors that both inhibit and facilitate district implementation of strategies to build leadership
capacity. The study was conducted using a series of semistructured interviews with district and
site leaders in a K–12 district in Los Angeles County, California. Data were triangulated between
observations, document analysis, and interviews. Findings indicated that the vision of the
superintendent is the catalyst for development of promising district practices for building
leadership capacity. Through identification, informal mentoring, and district-level accountability,
this district has created a reservoir of highly qualified leaders. This study conveys the
significance of transformational leadership by the superintendent in implementing promising
practices for leadership development.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 8
CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
Second only to the impact of classroom teachers, effective school leadership is
paramount to the success of students (Barnett, 2013; Gill, 2012; Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, &
Wahlstrom, 2004; Searby, 2014). If student success is to be the goal of K–12 education, it is
critical to examine the need for strong school leadership, particularly in the face of principal
turnover and principal attrition. The need for consistent and sustainable school leadership is
evident (Leithwood et al., 2004). As school principals retire, relocate, change careers, or leave
the profession, student success is affected. Béteille, Kalogrides, and Loeb (2012) found that the
frequent turnover of school leadership resulted in lower student achievement gains, as evidenced
by a positive correlation between principal turnover and low student achievement. One method
of addressing these gaps in student achievement is to examine the number of administrative
vacancies left by principal attrition and turnover and to find ways to fill those vacancies with
high-quality leaders. The number of administrative vacancies is indicative of the need for
districts to employ strategies for building leadership capacity that will sustain the next generation
of school leadership.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014-2015) estimated that
more than 13,000 new elementary and secondary principals will be needed in the next 10 years.
The gaps caused by principal turnover and attrition may negatively affect student achievement as
they create inconsistencies and gaps in school leadership. One method for addressing this
shortage is to develop a systematic approach to developing the next generation of leaders.
Currently, there is a lack of inter-district programs that build the leadership capacity of their own
employees (Fink & Brayman, 2006). The absence of these inter-district programs creates a
problem of practice for school districts aiming to build consistent and sustainable school
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 9
leadership. Research has shown that one method for building the next generation of leadership in
a school district is to invest time and resources into inter-district strategies or programs that
increase the capacity of the leaders already employed by the district and create pathways for
aspiring leaders to move into administrative roles. A promising practice that distinguishes itself
as successful for building leadership capacity in K–12 districts is mentoring (Barnett, 2013;
Clayton, Sanzo, & Myran, 2013; Parylo, Zepeda, & Bengston, 2012; Searby, 2014). The district
used as the focus for this study has prioritized mentoring as a method for increasing the capacity
of its leadership from within. The study examined this practice as it relates to the current
problem.
Background of the Problem
Getting the most effective leader into the top position stimulates organizations to prosper
and grow (Conger & Riggio, 2007). For schools to be successful, strong leadership is essential,
and leaders must be cultivated, developed, and prepared to take on the role of principal. Building
leadership capacity in school districts can be facilitated or inhibited by a variety of factors.
Leadership capacity, for the purposes of this study, is defined as an “organizational concept
meaning broad-based, skillful participation in the work of leadership that leads to lasting school
improvement” (Lambert, 2005, p. 38). For the purposes of addressing this problem of practice,
transformational leadership was used as a theoretical framework for this study. Transformational
leadership (Northouse, 2010) focuses on transforming individuals to accomplish more than what
is usually expected of them. Transformational leadership occurs when both leaders and followers
raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality. This higher level of leadership may
require more than what a traditional university preparation program can offer. Transformational
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 10
leaders seek to inspire others toward leadership for the betterment of the instructional
organization.
Principal mentoring has been rapidly gaining acceptance districts since 2000 (Wallace
Foundation, 2007). Mentoring was defined by Maxwell (2005) as a process of developing others;
a mentor seeks to develop a mentee by aligning individual development with the vision of the
organization. The mentoring process can be formal (organized and institutionalized) or informal
(natural relationships that form between aspiring and current leaders). The acceptance of
mentoring has helped to stir states and districts to implement mentoring programs in an effort to
prepare school leaders for the principalship. The Wallace Foundation (Leithwood et al., 2004)
cited justifications for this shift: Mentoring is used as a mechanism for new principals to become
accustomed to the principalship and mentoring can help to build a pipeline of qualified leaders.
This new focus on mentoring is helping to prepare future administrators for potential roles.
Working with a qualified mentor allows futures administrators to receive hands-on training in the
field and provides a venue for students to become practitioners. Mentoring is one key strategy to
build leadership capacity in the next generation of leaders.
The reviewed studies indicate that, in order to address the problem of principal vacancies,
districts are entering into partnerships with university preparation programs, instituting formal
and informal mentoring, and using transformational leadership to prepare the next generation of
school leaders. This is the background of the problem, including a look at what strategies are
currently being used to develop aspiring school leaders.
Statement of the Problem
Leadership is a central tenet to a successful school. Lambert (2005) suggested that
principals are not capable of leading alone and that it is important to build leadership capacity
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 11
among all members of the school community. As the demands on educators increase, so does the
need to identify future leaders who are capable of providing high-quality instructional leadership
and coaching for struggling teachers. The demands of the modern principalship are demanding
and challenging to meet (Watt, Mills, & Huerta, 2010). This is especially true with the
introduction of the new Common Core State Standards, which require a restructuring of the way
teachers approach classroom instruction through an increased need for rigor and relevance.
During this pivotal time in education, principals are asked to perform as knowledgeable and
informed instructional leaders. To do their jobs well, principals fulfill multiple responsibilities,
both internal and external to the school environment (Goldring et al., 2009). Research has shown
that, for districts to be successful, future leaders will benefit from being cultivated and supported
to provide high-quality leadership that is both transformational and instructional in focus.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014-2015) reported that an
estimated additional 13,100 new elementary and secondary school principals will be needed
between 2012 and 2022, while a large proportion of educational administrators is expected to
retire in the next 10 years. Of the 114,330 school principals (public and private) who were
principals during the 2011-2012 school year, 12% left the principalship and an additional 10%
left their current school sites (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014-2015).
There is a growing need for aspiring administrators to fill the vacancies left by principal attrition
and turnover. Too often, university programs inadequately prepare future principals for the
challenges that will face them (Gill, 2012). In the absence of these effective university programs,
there exists a need for quality district leadership programs and meaningful mentor relationships
that will prepare future school leaders. In order to fill those vacancies, districts may benefit from
having a hand in developing people who have the skills to lead schools. In an effort to address
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 12
the needs created by principal turnover and attrition, literature shows that districts are developing
programs, both formal and informal, to build the leadership capacity of the next generation of
school leaders.
Purpose of the Study
This study’s purpose was to identify strategies that comprise successful programs, both
formal and informal, for aspiring administrators. Strategies employed by a school district to build
the next generation of leaders were examined for potential promise. The perspectives of the
participants were assessed to identify perceptions of the success of district practices for building
leadership capacity. It was essential to understand the future leaders’ insights into the mentoring
relationships in which they were involved. This study was a detailed look at the factors that both
inhibit and facilitate district implementation of strategies to build leadership capacity. These
factors were analyzed to determine which were most effective in the development of the next
generation of leaders.
Research Questions
Three questions, developed in collaboration with a thematic group, guided this study:
1. What strategies and promising practices does the Jones District employ to build the
next generation of leaders?
2. What are the perceptions of aspiring administrators regarding the effectiveness of these
practices?
3. What are the factors that facilitate and inhibit implementation of strategies designed to
build leadership capacity?
This study utilized the theoretical framework of transformational leadership (Kouzes &
Posner, 1995; Northouse, 2010). Transformational leadership draws attention to a broad array of
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 13
school and classroom conditions that may need to be changed if learning is to improve
(Leithwood et al., 2004). Transformational leadership is concerned with improving the
performance of followers and developing followers to their fullest potential (Northouse, 2010).
This study utilized this lens to examine the promising practices of school districts as they build
capacity in their leadership to become transformational leaders, with specific attention given to
three elements. First, inspiring the shared vision, leaders generate enthusiasm for a common
vision through active engagement. Second, enabling others to act, leaders create an environment
in which each person feels capable and powerful. Third, modeling the way, leaders show by
example and build their credibility as transformational leaders (Kouzes & Posner, 1995).
The methodological framework for this study involved document analysis, interviews,
and observations. The triangulation of these data sources resulted in a representation of effective
strategies for building leadership capacity.
Significance of the Problem
Since leadership has the second largest impact on student learning (Barnett, 2013; Gill,
2012; Leithwood et al, 2004; Searby, 2014), it is critical that school leaders be adequately trained
and prepared for the demands of the position. The data from this study will be useful to school
districts seeking to develop their leadership from within. The strategies employed by district
personnel in cultivating school leaders will provide critical insight into what is effective for
building and sustaining school leaders. District personnel can use this information to create
effective leadership training programs or to enhance existing programs to have a more long-
lasting effect on participants, that is, to build a program that is sustainable for future generations
of school leaders. The research on mentoring and effective programming can inform the way
organizations seek to identify, recruit, and bring school leaders on board.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 14
The data obtained during this study can influence universities to enter partnerships with
local districts in order to strengthen administrative preparation programs. Parylo et al. (2012)
highlighted the benefits to both districts and universities of establishing partnerships that give
program participants access to mentoring, collaboration, and connections to the field. As districts
seek to build the leadership capacity within their organization, they may seek these partnerships
with local universities in order to strengthen the quality of candidates applying for administrative
positions. At the same time, university programs may seek these partnerships with districts as a
way to enhance their programs and increase enrollment in an effort to produce highly qualified
candidates for school leadership positions.
The data obtained in this study may be useful to future researchers in studies related to
leadership capacity and leadership development. The examination of promising practices will
inform what factors inhibit and enable leadership development within educational organizations.
Future researchers may use this information as a springboard for examining which practices
work best for building leadership capacity.
Limitations and Delimitations
This study’s limitations were beyond the control of the researcher but may have affected
the results. While efforts were made to make the study applicable to the larger groups, the small
sample size of administrators and aspiring administrators within the target school district
prevents broad generalization. The experiences of these participants may be unique to their
individual institution.
Due to the qualitative methodology of this study, the interview process elicited reflective
responses from participants. While participants were encouraged to be honest, it is not possible
to verify that they responded with complete candor. Thus, the study is limited to what the
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 15
participants chose to disclose. Participation was completely voluntary and limited to the persons
who agreed to participate.
Another limitation of this study was time. Due to time constraints, the researcher was
limited to a 3-month span for data collection. The short time frame had an impact on the size of
the sample.
While the researcher made every attempt to mitigate bias, subjectivity comes with
qualitative interviews and observations. This is recognized and reduced as much as possible.
Delimitations to this study were parameters that were set by the researcher. Participants
were selected based on their involvement in a mentoring relationship aimed at building
leadership capacity. All participants were from the same urban southern California school
district, comprised of 32,000 students in 21 schools. Participants were chosen because they were
involved in a district effort designed to build their capacity as leaders. These participants were
considered to show interest for school leadership, specifically site administration.
Definitions
Instructional leadership: A focus on improving classroom practices of teachers as the
direction for the school.
Intern: Someone who works in a temporary relationship with a mentor to learn the job of
principal by performing administrative duties.
Leadership capacity: An organizational concept meaning broad-based, skillful
participation in the work of leadership that leads to lasting school improvement (Lambert, 2005).
Mentoring: A professional relationship in which an experienced person assists another in
developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the less-experienced person’s
professional and personal growth (Barnett, 2013).
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 16
Protégé: A person who is in receipt of mentorship (Daresh, 2004).
Transformational leadership: A style of leadership that draws attention to a broad array
of school and classroom conditions that may need to be changed for learning to improve.
Organization of the Dissertation
This study examines the strategies employed by school districts to develop future
administrators and school leaders. Chapter 1 provided an overview of the study and establishes
its importance for school districts and aspiring administrators. Chapter 2 offers a review of the
literature with a focus on the next generation of school leaders, factors that facilitate and inhibit
leadership capacity within institutions, district programs, and mentoring. This chapter also
describes the theoretical framework of transformational leadership used for this study. Chapter 3
describes the research methodology and presents the reasons for selecting a qualitative approach.
This chapter also details the sample and the rationale for selecting participants, accompanied by
details regarding the study’s framework for data collection and analysis. Chapter 4 reports and
evaluates the findings of the research, with particular focus on addressing the research questions
and discussing the results related to existing literature. Chapter 5 is a summation of the
dissertation and a discussion of the study’s findings and future implications of the work,
concluding with recommendations for future research.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 17
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
There is a growing need to recruit, train, and bring on board school administrators to fill
the vacancies left by principal attrition and turnover (Barnett, 2013; Fink & Brayman, 2006; U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014-2015). Principal turnover has significant implications for school
culture, which is why it is critical to strengthen the pool of succeeding principals with the tools
needed to navigate cultural challenges and strengthen schools. To do their jobs well, school
principals must fulfill multiple responsibilities, both internal and external to the school
environment (Goldring et al., 2009). One method of addressing the varieties of these roles
coupled with the workload of school administration is to promote quality leadership development
aimed at sustaining and strengthening school leadership from within. These development
programs may strengthen school districts by employing a “grow-your-own” philosophy for
developing the next generation of school leaders (Fink, 2011). With quality programs in place,
including mentors, university partnerships, networks, and field experiences, school districts are
able to build leadership capacity among up-and-coming school leaders. Principal turnover has
greater implications for school culture than can be seen on a school leader’s resume, so it is
critical to strengthen the pool of succeeding principals with the skills and abilities necessary to
navigate these cultural challenges.
The purpose of this study was to determine how school districts build leadership capacity
among the next generation of school leaders. To that end, the study highlights factors that both
facilitate and inhibit school districts in implementing strategies that build these capacities. The
study examines the strategies and programs used by school districts to recruit, train, and bring on
board future leaders and the rationale for their implementation. Essential to this inquiry is an
examination of existing literature addressing the development of leadership capacity, grow-your-
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 18
own philosophies, and formal and informal mentoring. This research review begins by
examining literature that discusses the effects of principal turnover and attrition on student
achievement, emphasizing the need for the next generation of school leadership. The review then
addresses planning for principal succession, and growing the next generation of school leaders.
The chapter concludes with a review of the literature pertaining to the significance of mentoring
relationships, both formal and informal, and the growing need for skill development and training
in the next generation of school leaders and the connection to the present study.
Principal Attrition and Turnover
Frequent turnover of school leadership has resulted in lower teacher retention and lower
gains in student achievement (Béitelle et al., 2012). In a study conducted in the Miami-Dade
County Public Schools district from the 2003-2004 through the 2008-2009 school years, data
were analyzed on all staff, students, and schools. The study found that principal turnover was
positively associated with teacher turnover, particularly the turnover of effective teachers, and
negatively associated with student achievement (Béitelle et al., 2012). Ongoing efforts to
improve public education and raise student achievement have raised questions regarding the idea
of high-quality sustainable school leadership. The accelerating turnover of principals resulting
from the aging of the Baby Boom generation and principals’ mobility have created difficulties
that threaten the sustainability of school improvement efforts (Fink & Brayman, 2006). Of the
114,330 school officers who were principals during the 2011-2012 school year, 22% turned over,
6% moved to a different school, 12% left the principalship, and 5% left their school but their
current whereabouts could not be determined (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014-2015). The
positive relationship between principal turnover and teacher turnover has a negative impact on
student achievement (Béitelle et al., 2012). Teachers are 19% less likely to leave their schools
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 19
when they are not working for a first-year principal. Research shows that teacher experience is
directly related to student achievement (Barnett, 2013). Turnover, no matter what the cause or
the typology, disrupts the educational process in schools (Azaola & Kelly, 2015). As educators
seek to build strong, high-achieving, competitive school systems, it is necessary to address the
need for stable school leadership.
The turnover of school leaders, although inevitable, is receiving greater attention today
because a large number of principals are approaching retirement age (Azaola & Kelly, 2015).
The average tenure of today’s school principal is 5 years, significantly shorter than the tenure of
the previous generation of school principals (Fink & Brayman, 2006). The retirement of the
Baby Boom generation of school principals, combined with the shifting culture in principal
turnover, has created unrest for public school sites that are seeking stability and a strong sense of
identity or school culture. In order to bring about sustainable improvement in schools, principals
need sufficient time to negotiate or renegotiate an identity and acceptance within their school’s
community of practice (Fink & Brayman, 2006). Rapid transitions in school leadership, whether
due to retirement or turnover, limit leaders’ abilities to create and leave a lasting legacy, and
studies have shown that these transitions in school leadership have an impact on student
achievement.
Impact of Principal Turnover and Attrition on Student Success
The effect of turnover on school performance may be negative, in part, because it leads to
a reduction in principal experience at schools that experience turnover (Béitelle et al., 2012).
However, there is not significant research on the inexperience of principals having a negative
impact on student achievement. What is more significant is the research showing that the
constant churning of principals in and out of schools will create instability that can undermine
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 20
performance (Béitelle et al., 2012; Fink & Brayman, 2006). Hargreaves and Fink (2004) studied
change over the course of three decades in eight U.S. and Canadian high schools, from the
perspective of more than 200 teachers and administrators. The study found that a key force in
leading meaningful long-term change was leadership sustainability (Hargreaves & Fink, 2004).
When teachers, parents, and students experience instability, it is difficult to create a cohesive
culture. The instability created by principal turnover could have negative effects on school
performance, even when succeeding principals are identical in skills and knowledge to the
exiting principals (Béitelle et al., 2012). Principal turnover has greater implications for school
culture than can be seen on a school leader’s resume. This is why it is critical to strengthen the
pool of succeeding principals with the skills and abilities necessary to navigate these cultural
challenges.
Azaola and Kelly (2015) stated that the turnover of school leaders is inevitable, but lately
it has received greater attention because of the large number of principals that are approaching
retirement age. Turnover presents a significant challenge to a schools, local authorities, and
policy makers because it diminishes the sense of shared purpose and makes it difficult to
maintain an improvement focus long enough to accomplish anything meaningful (Azaola &
Kelly, 2015). Moreover, the turnover of school leadership can leave personnel, students, and
families guarded to future leadership or culture changes and predisposes them to question
inexperienced principals. This turnover can often be perceived as instability, resulting in lower
student performance. School improvement becomes unpredictable, rising with one leader and
sinking with the next; the cumulative result is that a school’s effort to sustain “deep learning”
experiences for all students becomes extremely limited (Fink & Brayman, 2006). The challenge
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 21
for districts is to create succession plans that address these changes and turnover in school
leadership.
It is critical that schools be on the frontlines of addressing the need for high-quality
leaders to fill gaps left by turnover. Fink and Brayman (2006) extended the work on a previous
study by interviewing 20 principals, both past and present, at four schools to obtain information
of the effects of leadership transition at each of the schools. Their findings indicated that the
rapid turnover of school leaders and principals created significant barriers to educational change;
when principals were viewed by stakeholders as interchangeable messengers. The kind of
leadership required for long-term sustained enhancement of learning for all students will remain
elusive (Fink & Brayman, 2006). As new leaders seek to navigate and change this cultural
dilemma, it is imperative that they are prepared with the tools to do so.
Due to the high rate of principal turnover, it is necessary to prepare future leadership for
the demands of the profession (Azaola & Kelly, 2015; Béitelle et al., 2012; Fink & Brayman,
2006). This preparation of the next generation of leaders is critical to create sustainable
improvements in teaching and learning. The problem of poorly selected leaders could worsen as
the Baby Boom generation retires and the supply of high-quality replacements dwindles (Conger
& Riggio, 2007).
Principal Succession Planning
In this section, literature on principal succession planning is reviewed, giving particular
attention to strategies that districts use to plan for principal turnover and attrition. In the face of
large numbers of principal vacancies, districts are not facing a labor shortage so much as a skills
shortage, characterized by the inability to fill school leadership positions with people who
possess the skills necessary to be successful (Myung, Loeb, & Horng, 2011). This shortage is
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 22
precisely the reason it is so critical to develop, train, and bring on board the next generation of
leaders who will fill the vacancies left by the current rate of principal turnover and attrition. The
skill shortage of the next generation of leaders may stem from the recruitment and selection
process that districts utilize (Myung et al., 2011). A review of current literature reveals
significant benefits to thoughtful succession planning and building leadership capacity from
within. With the imminent skills shortage, educational organizations are developing strategies to
plan for principal succession and grow the capacity of emerging leaders within their
organization.
Fink (2011) discussed the “grow-your-own” philosophy, in which schools and districts
over time have taken steps to sustain leadership quality from one leader to the next in order to
ensure excellence in their schools and districts. In his work on school districts in Canada and
England, Fink examined how school systems were moving beyond filling up pipelines with
credentialed leaders to an examination of leadership pools and reservoirs of leadership capacity
through distributed forms of leadership. The next generation of leaders is already present within
school systems but this is often unrealized by both district personnel and the individual leaders
themselves. Currently, school systems search for school leaders only when openings occur,
rather than cultivating an active reservoir of highly trained candidates with the skills necessary to
transform schools (Bierly & Shy, 2013). The important shift in viewing leadership development
as an investment rather than a cost has resulted in district-developed succession plans that build
an organization’s leadership capacity by developing a pool of candidates for future roles (Fink,
2011). When districts are not proactive in establishing and building an effective next generation
of leadership, they are resigned to look for leadership only when job vacancies arise, often
leaving the district with less-than-adequate options (Fink & Brayman, 2006).
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 23
Districts should work internally to build the next generation of leaders. “By building
leadership capacity and using existing human and material resources wisely and judiciously,
policy makers can attend to the existing leadership challenges, and develop, and perhaps more
importantly sustain the long-term excellence of their schools and school districts” (Fink, 2011,
p. 678). The next generation of leadership will be the determining factor in the lasting success of
school districts. At a time when transformational leadership is vital to solving the nation’s public
education crisis, most districts lack an effective model for identifying, encouraging, and
developing the next generation of leaders (Bierly & Shy, 2013). Part of this process involves
current district and site leadership distributing leadership throughout the school. Leadership
succession is more than grooming the principal’s successor; it requires following a model of
distributed leadership throughout the school’s professional community so others may carry the
torch when the time comes (Hargreaves & Fink, 2004). It is a process of establishing a culture
that values succession and develops the next generation of leaders for sustainable school success.
It is critical for leaders to develop people, providing individualized support, appropriate models
of best practice, and beliefs considered fundamental to the organization (Leithwood et al., 2004).
Succession Planning and Tapping
In The Practice of Leadership, Conger and Riggio (2007) noted that human resources
professionals anticipate greater difficulty in filling leadership positions in the future, specifically
those at the higher management levels. The time to build future leadership, to plan for principal
succession, and to prepare for principal turnover is imminent; the absence of a plan can have a
negative impact on school districts and educational organizations. In the absence of a formalized
succession management plan, school leaders often informally identify and encourage teachers
who they think should become school leaders, in a process known as tapping (Myung et al.,
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 24
2011). The informal nature of tapping has both positive and negative outcomes. If school leaders
are skilled at tapping the right teachers and those teachers want to pursue leadership positions,
the process is successful in building and sustaining the next generation of school leadership.
However, if current leadership taps teachers who are unwilling or unequipped for school
leadership, tapping can be counterproductive (Myung et al., 2011). In an effort to build
leadership capacity within a school district, tapping is beneficial but not a guaranteed pipeline for
preparation of the next generation of leaders.
In the study conducted by Myung et al. (2011), 900 current administrators were surveyed
in Miami, Florida; among current principals, 72% were tapped by a former principal and 52% of
assistant principals were tapped by a former principal. The study did not mention which of these
were tapped formally and entered into an aspiring administrator program and which were tapped
informally and entered into an informal relationship with a mentor leader. The researchers asked
current administrators about their experiences with tapping when they were teachers; 93% of
principals and 89% of assistant principals reported being encouraged by at least one individual to
become a school principal. It is clear from the study that the majority of school principals and
assistant principals had someone tell them that they had what it took to become a school
administrator, and the impact on their career choice was evident.
In a similar embedded case study conducted by Ripple, Raffel, and Welch (2011), more
than 100 administrator career transitions were studied in the Delaware education system.
Consistent with what was found by Myung et al. (2011), the Delaware study revealed that most
administrative career decisions were influenced in part or entirely by other actors in the system,
described as recruiting or tapping (Ripple et al., 2011). In both studies, tapping was mentioned as
an informal process that would be strengthened by support of local human resources
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 25
management. While tapping may serve as a way of drawing talented educators into leadership
positions, it can also perpetuate the status quo of persons who are selecting others who share the
same beliefs, skills, and goals (Ripple et al., 2011). These studies show that tapping is effective
for motivating future leaders to pursue administrative positions, although it may also be
inequitable as it provides opportunities to those who share traits with current leadership. School
districts may benefit from being aware of this potential side effect of principal tapping.
As school districts and educational organizations seek to strengthen their leadership
capacity from within, it may be beneficial to formalize methods of tapping to continue to build
the next generation of leaders for their organization (Myung et al., 2011; Ripple et al., 2011). To
develop and ensure excellence in schools or districts over time, successful organizations have
taken steps to sustain leadership quality over time from one leader to the next (Fink, 2011). Often
referred to as a succession plan, these processes are aimed to ensure that the next generation of
leaders has the capacity necessary to sustain and grow an organization. Hargreaves and Fink
(2004) stated, “Sustainable leadership means planning and preparing for succession—not as an
afterthought, but from the first day of a leader’s appointment” (p. 2). Growing the next
generation of leaders requires active planning. Leadership itself is an activity, a social practice
that includes many people; school leadership is a distributed practice, stretched over the schools’
social and situational contexts (Fink, 2011). To ensure the success of the next generation of
leaders, it is therefore imperative that current leaders be active in their processes for tapping,
growing, and building capacity within their current pools of potential leaders. Hargreaves and
Fink (2004) conducted a study that examined change in education over the course of three
decades in eight U.S. and Canadian high schools, as seen through the eyes of more than 200
teachers and administrators. The study showed that leadership succession was rarely successful;
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 26
charismatic leaders were followed by less-dynamic leaders who could not maintain the
momentum (Hargreaves & Fink, 2004). When this occurs, school improvement efforts are
stunted and the school community ultimately suffers.
There is hope in educational organizations that are shifting toward building policy around
a formalized process for building leadership capacity, such as programs aimed at pairing an
aspiring administrator with an experienced mentor, or classes and academies that focus on
leadership instruction and development. There is a move away from looking at leadership
recruitment and development as a cost to viewing them as investments, from relying on
“replacement planning” to a “grow-your-own” strategy, and from hiring based on existing
proficiencies to recruiting people with potential to become school or district leaders (Fink, 2011).
This systematic change in building capacity in the next generation of leaders will be necessary
for sustainable school improvement. Getting leader selection right not only can be a boon to
organizational performance but can also give people an opportunity to excel in the work that they
enjoy (Conger & Riggio, 2007). The notion of getting the right people “on the bus” (Collins,
2001) is the critical move in building school communities that will flourish. Too often, a
charismatic principal turns around an underperforming school, then sees his work unravel within
months of his subsequent promotion to the central office (Hargreaves & Fink, 2004). Best
practices suggest that educational organizations move beyond filling pipelines with certified
potential leaders as a way to increase and sustain the leadership capacity of schools and districts,
to investing in the next generation of leaders who would be ready to assume leadership roles
when vacancies arise, as well as to look to distributed forms of leadership as reservoirs of
leadership potential (Fink, 2011).
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 27
This section focused on the importance of principal succession planning through both
formalized and nonformalized programs. Currently, tapping the next generation of leaders by
current leaders is a process that is used by educational organizations to build leadership capacity.
Research suggests that formalizing the process of tapping and principal succession planning
would better sustain the success of schools and districts. The research puts responsibility on the
current generation of leaders to adopt distributive leadership practices to build capacity among
those with whom they currently work.
Mentoring
This section reviews the benefits of partnering university preparation programs with
district personnel in order to strengthen and increase the leadership capacity of future
administrators. Mentoring is one critical way to prepare the next generation of leaders for school
administration (Barnett, 2013; Clayton et al., 2013; Parylo et al., 2012; Searby, 2014). Maxwell
(2005) described mentoring as a process of developing others in which one seeks to develop the
mentee by aligning individual development with the vision of the organization and the mentor
continues to grow while helping others. Mentoring is used to address issues of principal
shortages, principal preparation, socialization, and professional development and serves as a
reciprocal learning process (Parylo et al., 2012). When used in conjunction with university
preparation programs, mentoring by district personnel can help to prepare the next generation of
school leaders for the principalship. In their seminal work, Bush and Coleman (1995) described
principal mentoring as a process of benefitting new principals, mentors, and their school systems.
Mentoring promotes growth and ongoing learning for both a mentor and a mentee; mentoring
can contribute to increased feedback and easing loneliness and can provide career affirmation
and advancement (Parylo et al., 2012). Parylo et al. (2012) conducted a study of 16 participants
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 28
from four school systems in Georgia and identified mentoring as a critical path to principal
effectiveness. The process of mentoring is beneficial to educational organizations as a whole and
can contribute to positive student outcomes:
When an aspiring principal enters a mentoring relationship, he or she gains the
opportunity to share responsibility with a practicing principal, as the mentee works with
the mentor in the school setting, opportunities to take on leadership roles will develop as
they move through the stages of the learning process. (Young, Sheets, & Night, 2005,
p. 10)
The mentoring process presents unique opportunities for aspiring principals to gain
hands-on experience in the day-to-day activities of school administration. Formal mentoring
refers to an organized process that pairs aspiring administrators with veteran leaders; informal
mentoring existed before mentoring programs were established and refers to the natural
relationships that form between aspiring and current leaders (Barnett, 2013). While the
modalities are different, the goals are similar: to build leadership capacity in future leadership
through relationships. This critical relationship, allows the current generation of school leaders to
develop leadership capacity in the next generation of leaders, especially in areas where university
programs may fall short. Mentoring is also regarded as a way to fill the gaps in traditional
university-based preparation programs. In a Georgia study conducted by Parylo et al. (2012), 16
principal participants were selected from large school districts; they represented a range of
school levels, gender, and career stages. All principals in the study had been mentored and some
reported having served as mentors to assistant principals and teacher leaders. Parylo et al.
concluded that mentoring and experiential learning were more valued by principals than were
formal courses. The ongoing collaboration that comes with mentoring can provide new leaders
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 29
with the feedback to navigate the difficult decisions that they will face as new leaders. The
relationship also provides accountability and support for the next generation of leaders on a
practical level, which may not always be found in university preparation programs (Searby,
2014).
Collaboration between veteran and new or aspiring leaders can promote an environment
that is conducive to high levels of student achievement (Clayton et al., 2013). Mentoring is
therefore critical to the building of leadership capacity within a school district in order to ensure
success and sustained growth by providing mentees with the support and guidance to be school
leaders. When mentoring is coupled with a district-based leadership program, it provides districts
an opportunity to reach a more diverse candidate pool, increase the number of aspiring leaders,
and increase the level of support provided to mentees by their mentors (Clayton et al., 2013).
When this process is systematic or formalized, it is more easily sustained over time. As is the
case with district partnerships with university preparation programs, district-initiated mentoring
is a significant way to ensure continuity of district leadership for meaningful student growth.
When mentors model continuous growth, aspiring leaders observe the ongoing habit of learning
demonstrated by the leader, creating a culture in the organization in which everyone is expected
to learn (Barnett, 2013). Barnett (2013) conducted a study at East Tennessee State University in
which he assessed the perceptions of principals who served as mentors for the university’s
aspiring principals program. The study found that the principals perceived that this culture of
learning was a critical component of student success; it demonstrated to a district community that
everyone was invested in constant improvement.
An effective mentoring program offers the next generation of leaders an environment in
which they can pursue questions, issues, concerns, and frustrations with an experienced peer who
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 30
provides support, advice, and direction (Parylo et al., 2012). This environment creates a safe
place for aspiring or new principals to engage in professional learning, both formal and informal.
In a study conducted by Parylo et al. (2012), formal and informal mentoring not only proved to
be a powerful principal development strategy but also extended and enhanced other types of
principals’ professional learning. Frequently, it was described as the most useful and most valued
professional learning. It is this critical connection to experienced leaders that strengthens and
builds capacity in the future leadership and promises enduring success of educational
organizations. Connection is a critical component of mentoring, which benefits both the current
and future generation of school leaders.
Benefits of Mentoring
Mentor benefits include collegiality and networking, professional development, the
opportunity to reflect, and personal satisfaction and reward (Parylo et al., 2012). Mentoring
relationships within school systems strengthen current and future generations of leaders by
providing opportunities for collaboration, reflection, and growth. Through development of future
leaders, mentors must be reflective and intentional about their current practices as they seek to
teach others through their experiences. Mentors may take advantage of opportunities to gain
more self-knowledge through personal inventories and self-understanding (Searby, 2014)
required of them as they explain their craft to their protégé. This reflection leads to personal
growth, which, again, benefits the educational organization as a whole.
The benefits for mentees, that is, new or aspiring principals, are extensive. Positive
outcomes for mentees include emotional support, counseling, sharing ideas and problem solving,
professional development, improved confidence, opportunities to reflect, and an opportunity to
network (Parylo et al., 2012). These extensive benefits for mentees allow them to navigate
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 31
difficulties that often come with school leadership. Through mentoring, mentees are provided
with the opportunity to share their experiences, be provided with meaningful feedback and
support, and increase their levels of confidence in their own leadership abilities (Clayton et al.,
2013). This support and safe space for new leaders is critical to strengthening the leadership
capacity within school districts. Daresh (2004) contended that mentoring contributed to the
principals’ personal and professional growth at all career stages and posited that the job of the
mentor appears to be one that will continue to play a visible role in future schemes designed to
improve the quality of educational personnel in general.
One emerging concept from the Georgia-based study of 16 principals who had been
mentored (Parylo et al., 2012) is the idea of mentoring as socialization. The principals described
their perception that mentoring is the best socializing strategy to help novice leaders to become
comfortable as site administrators. This process of “onboarding” new leaders, connecting them to
an experienced leader and to each other, helped to reduce feelings of isolation often associated
with school leadership (Searby, 2014). By helping novice leaders to be comfortable in the
principal’s seat, mentoring enables new leaders to succeed, directly benefiting the district and the
students through their success. The socialization of mentoring provides benefits to both mentors
and mentees by establishing relationships and connections for school leadership as practices
become more reflective and intentional.
Formal Mentoring
Formal mentoring programs may follow specific stages and essential mentoring
components. Young et al. (2005) developed a 25-component framework for mentoring. This is
one approach for mentoring that provides guidelines, targets, and checkpoints. A framework for
formal mentoring is intended to provide information in a structured manner that mentors and
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 32
mentees can use during the various stages of mentoring. Zachary (2005) classified the formal
mentoring process as having four stages: preparing, negotiating, enabling, and closure. These
four stages can also serve as the framework for structuring a formal mentoring program or
relationship. Clear structure for a mentoring program can provide guideposts as the mentor and
mentee relationship grows over time (Barnett, 2013).
Ehrich, Hansford, and Tennent (2004) conducted a meta-analyses of 159 studies
conducted over 13 years in an attempt to identify the benefits of formal mentoring programs for
both mentors and mentees. The study found that 21% of the education studies reported benefits
associated with collaborating and networking for the mentor. This increase in collaboration led to
reduced feelings of isolation for mentors as they continued in their leadership roles. Reflection
was the second most frequently cited outcome for mentoring relationships, followed by personal
satisfaction, reward, and growth (Ehrich et al., 2004). Overall, the study found that mentors
benefited greatly from mentoring relationships.
Ehrich et al. (2004) also examined benefits for mentees, including collaboration and
networking. More than 35% of the studies pinpointed help with teaching strategies, content,
resources, planning, and discipline (Ehrich et al., 2004). The evidence from that study
demonstrates a high number of positive outcomes from formal mentoring relationships.
Informal Mentoring
In contrast to formalized mentoring programs, informal mentoring relationships form on
their own. This section discusses the difference in informal mentoring. Noe (2006) stated that the
majority of mentoring relationships are informal; they form based on shared interests,
admiration, or job demands that require different skills. This is a contrast to the formal mentoring
process in which individuals are assigned to mentors. Informal mentoring is more commonplace,
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 33
occurring naturally in the way that friendships and other relationships are formed. In informal
mentoring, participants are brought together under natural circumstances. Noe (2006) studied
nine sites across the United States and involved 139 educators and 43 mentors to examine factors
related to the mentoring relationship. It was found that mentoring relationships that provide the
complete range of career and psychosocial functions are considered to exemplify the primary
function of a mentoring relationship. Informal mentoring in its simplest form is aimed at
personal and professional development for the participants.
The contrast found in Noe’s (2006) study was that mentoring relationships that were
focused solely on career functions were characterized by less intimacy; it was not expected that
protégés would obtain the same types of benefits from formalized mentor relationships as from
informal mentoring relationships. Often. formalized mentoring relationships become encumbered
by time limitations, incompatible work schedules, and personality conflicts (Noe, 2006). These
limitations are one reason certain organizations have steered away from complete formalization
of the mentoring process.
Transformational Leadership
This section examines the philosophy of transformational leadership and how it affects
leadership development. Transformational leadership provides a theoretical framework for this
study based on its focus on leadership that engages with others to create relationships and
connections (Northouse, 2010). In Kouzes and Posner’s (1995) model of transformational
leadership, they conducted research over 20 years and found that leadership was not a position
but a collection of behaviors and practices that serve as guides for leaders to accomplish their
achievements. In the process of building leadership capacity among the next generation of school
leaders, transformative practices may be employed to enable others to act and create a shared
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 34
vision. Inspiring a shared vision includes generating enthusiasm and excitement on the part of
others through genuineness (Kouzes & Posner, 1995). Enabling others to act means that they are
involved in decision making and are encouraged to collaborate (Kouzes & Posner, 1995).
Transformative leadership discusses moving an organization forward by changing and
transforming individuals. Organizations that employ strategies to increase leadership capacity in
future leaders are transforming the ways in which districts plan for principal succession.
Chapter Summary
Strategies for building leadership capacity in the next generation of leaders in order to be
prepared for the high rate of principal attrition and turnover are identified in the literature and
examined for review. However, there is a deficiency of scholarship specific to the content of
mentoring relationships and what constitutes mentorship. The reviewed studies are not
comprehensive in their coverage of mentor/mentee perceptions within the context of the
mentoring relationship. The present study was designed to remedy these research gaps and
provide insight into the specifics of best practices in principal mentoring.
Due to the high rate of principal turnover and attrition, there exists a need for future
principals. The reviewed literature showed that best practices for planning for principal
succession include district-university partnerships, tapping, and mentoring. Using
transformational leadership as a theoretical framework from which to work, the study was
designed to identify promising practices that facilitate building leadership capacity in the next
generation of leaders. Districts that are working closely with universities to prepare
administration candidates have established reservoirs of principal candidates to use when they
experience principal turnover. Coupled with on-the-job mentoring, these districts have
experienced links to student success.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 35
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
The intent of this study was to discover how districts build leadership capacity among the
next generation of leaders. This study focuses on an examination of promising practices in
districts actively investing in future district leadership and the factors that both facilitate and
inhibit leadership development. The strategies employed by the target school district have shown
potential to create capacity and sustainability among leaders who are already employed by the
district.
This chapter describes the research design of the study, including the participants and
sample selection. It re-introduces the theoretical framework and the conceptual framework that
together formed the foundation for the study. Data collection procedures are examined, along
with instrumentation. Finally, the format for data analysis is delineated, along with the ethical
considerations made to ensure the safety and confidentiality of the participants.
Research Questions
Three research questions, developed in collaboration with a thematic group, guided the
study:
1. What strategies and promising practices does the Jones District employ to build the
next generation of leaders?
2. What are the perceptions of aspiring administrators regarding the effectiveness of these
practices?
3. What are the factors that both facilitate and inhibit the implementation of strategies
designed to build leadership capacity?
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 36
Research Design
The research questions were the basis for the framing of the study and guided the choice
of research method for data collection. Qualitative methodology was used for this study in order
to obtain first-hand accounts and insight into the experiences of participants in district leadership
development programs. The methods that a researcher uses for conducting research depend
partly on the goals of the researcher. Maxwell (2013) discussed types of goals and how they
influence qualitative research methods; for this study, the goals were intellectual: seeking to
understand what is going on and why it is happening. The study was designed to gain
understanding of how districts build capacity in the next generation of leaders. Qualitative, or
interpretive, research comes from a holistic approach to understanding the whole story (Merriam,
2009).
In this study, as in all qualitative studies, the researcher was the primary instrument for
data collection and analysis (Creswell, 2013). The researcher conducted the interviews and the
observations. This first-person approach resulted in rich descriptions in the teachers’ natural
setting, which is paramount to qualitative research (Merriam, 2009). Rich descriptions in a
naturalistic setting, in this case the school, allows the researcher to establish context, which
increases the validity of the findings.
In qualitative research, interviews and observations are applied as the primary method for
data collection. Merriam (2009) described interviews as conversations with a purpose. Interviews
provide insight into past events, as well as information on feelings, thoughts, and other
unobservable processes. Through the interview process the researcher accesses individuals’
perspectives on a situation to develop a picture of what cannot be seen (Merriam, 2009).
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 37
Several types of interviews can be used in the course of a qualitative study. For this
study, the researcher used a semistructured interview protocol with a list of questions that
functioned as a guideline. The semistructured interview approach is important because it gives
the interviewer freedom to explore relevant topics that may come to light during the course of the
interview (Merriam, 2009). These guiding questions, combined with probes for further
information (Patton, 2002), create a conversational feeling between the interviewer and the
interviewee. This approach places less pressure on the interviewee and encourages more honest,
robust, and helpful data. The researcher used probing questions to uncover information about the
participants’ perceptions of district strategies for building leadership capacity.
Equally critical to qualitative research is the process of observation. Observations give
the researcher the opportunity to see the phenomena in action (Merriam, 2009) and to validate or
refute any predisposed theories about the topic. Observations are the process of watching the
data occur in its natural setting; they are a necessary component to triangulate the data from
interviews and documents. Observations must be done to provide the researcher with context
(Merriam, 2009). Context cannot be obtained through interviews; the behavior must be observed
to create a whole picture. Observations allow the researcher to see the process, the way a
phenomenon occurs organically, and provides first-hand experience that interviewing cannot
provide (Merriam, 2009). For this study, observations of teachers in their natural element,
working with their peers, provided critical insight into their interactions with teacher-leaders.
Observation is critical to enable the researcher to determine what data are relevant to the
study and to the research questions. A good researcher detaches from his or her professional role
in order to conduct unbiased, practiced observations (Merriam, 2009). For this study, the
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 38
researcher remained neutral in observations, avoiding bias. The observation protocol is shown in
Appendix A.
Sample and Population
Selecting participants for this study followed the process of purposeful sampling.
Merriam (2009) described purposeful sampling as a process in which respondents are chosen
based on predetermined criteria. The study examined the experiences of several principals,
program participants, and the superintendent of Jones Unified School District (pseudonym). The
sample size was small, prohibiting broad generalization but allowing for transferability.
Jones Unified School District was selected as the site because it is a district that currently
employs strategies for developing the next generation of school leaders. The study used
purposeful sampling to identify principals, program participants, and district leadership.
Purposeful sampling allowed the researcher to select principals and program participants who
were actively involved in leadership development. Each potential participant was emailed a
recruiting letter (Appendix B) requesting his or her participation in the study and stipulating the
criterion for participation: current participation in a program for developing future leaders.
Overview of the Organization
The site for this study is an urban school district in southern California. Comprised of
more than 30,000 students and 21 schools, the district serves a diverse student population. This
district was selected because of its promising practices for building leadership capacity in future
leaders. Through an informal program aimed at pairing aspiring administrators with current
administrator mentors, this district employs a “grow-your-own” philosophy for leadership
development. Because of this program, the researcher employed purposeful sampling (Merriam,
2009) in the selection of the district for research.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 39
The focus for leadership development at Jones Unified School District this year has been
on identifying potential leaders and cultivating their leadership capacity. The leadership team is
currently reading Maxwell’s How Successful People Lead (2013). The superintendent has
charged the district leadership with identifying two or three people whom they currently
supervise and who may have leadership potential. The superintendent’s vision is to have every
leader in the district working with future leaders in an effort to build the leadership capacity from
within.
Theoretical Framework
In order to study Jones School District’s development of future leaders, it was necessary
to ground the research in theory. Transformational leadership (Northouse, 2010) focuses on
leadership that changes and transforms individuals, frequently incorporating charismatic and
visionary leadership. The transformational theory of leadership is a process of engaging with
others to create a connection that increases motivation and morality in both the leader and the
follower (Northouse, 2010). As leaders work to build the leadership capacity of the next
generation, transformational leadership serves as a framework from which this work can be
done. When applied to building leadership capacity, transformational leadership requires that
mentors and current administrators look beyond top-down leadership and rather seek to build a
communal vision and inspire others to act (Northouse, 2010). This study focuses on three
elements of transformational leadership: (a) model the way, (b) inspire a shared vision, and (c)
enable others to act (Kouzes & Posner, 1995).
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework, designed by a thematic group, was based on emerging themes
in review of the literature. In order to build a reservoir of high-quality candidates for
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 40
administrative positions, it is important first to understand the historical impact of principal
turnover and attrition. In the face of the administrative vacancies, it has become necessary for
schools and districts to build succession plans for these openings. The literature reveals that
quality succession plans include building leadership capacity in the next generation of leaders
through transformational leadership practices: enabling others to act, inspiring a shared vision,
and modeling the way. Many factors both facilitate and inhibit districts from implementing
succession planning, such as resource allocation, time allotment, current structures of leadership,
district mission and vision, and turnover at the district leadership level. The conceptual
framework shown in Figure 1 illustrates the process of building leadership capacity to prepare
for the next generation of school administrators.

Figure 1. Conceptual framework, Ed.D. thematic group, 2015.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 41
Data Collection
This study was conducted through a series of semistructured interviews with three
aspiring administrators and their mentors, the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, and
the District Superintendent, as well as through observations of mentoring sessions. The
researcher reviewed documents related to the district leadership team, including meeting
agendas, handouts, books being studied, and notes taken by participants. The interview protocols
were developed in conjunction with a team of researchers as part of a thematic dissertation group
and are included as Appendices C and D. Questions in the interview protocols related directly to
the research questions for the study. Prior to conducting the interviews, the interview protocols
were piloted to ensure that the questions made sense to interviewees and were responsive to the
research questions, as well as to gauge the amount of time to allot for each interview.
The interviews took place in each participant’s place of work. Interview questions were
semistructured and allowed the researcher to ask follow-up probing questions. Each interview
lasted approximately 1 hour and was conducted in person. Table 1 shows the participants for the
study (using pseudonyms), their relevant characteristics, and the length of their interviews.
Instrumentation
Instrumentation for this study included semistructured interviews, observation of a
mentoring session, and program documentation analysis. The interview protocols were
comprised of semistructured questions, which provided a framework for participant responses
(Appendices C and D). Probing questions were asked for follow-up in an effort to gain in-depth,
descriptive responses related to participants’ answers (Patton, 2002). The semistructured
interview guide was developed to ensure that each person being interviewed followed the same
general lines of inquiry (Patton, 2002). Follow-up questions were asked to
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 42
Table 1

Summary of the Participants

Years in Reason for
Years at current ascent to
Participant Seacoast leadership Length of leadership
pseudonym Current role Unified position interview role

Jack Shepherd District Superintendent 2.5 2.5 1.5 hours Identified and
mentored by
principal
Peter
McAllister
Assistant
Superintendent of
Human Resources
13 6 1.5 hours Groomed for
position by
predecessor
Ashley
Nicoles
Middle School
Principal
18 5 1 hour Pursued
opportunities to
be mentored and
coached
Whitney
Wilson
Elementary Principal 9 5 1 hour Identified and
mentored by
former principal
Harrison
Johns
Director of Secondary
Education
13 1 1.5 hours Pursued
administration,
sought mentoring
in order to learn
the position

gain additional insight into participants’ experiences as they related to the research questions.
These follow-up questions were aimed at understanding participant perceptions and were useful
in gaining affective information (Merriam, 2009), such as the impact of the program or
mentoring relationship on the participant.
In order to gain full understanding of the program and to triangulate the data, multiple
documents were analyzed. Documentation related to the program, participant notes, meeting
agendas, program requirements, and handouts. These documents were coded and analyzed to
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 43
gain insight into the work that is being done in the Jones School District to build leadership
capacity in future administrators. The use of several methods of data collection (interviews,
document analysis, and observations) strengthened the study’s capacity to obtain rich pictures of
what is happening in the district.
Table 2 illustrates how the research questions for this study were utilized to determine the
appropriate sources of instrumentation. The interviews conducted with participants, the
observations of the mentoring, and the artifacts collected comprised data collection.
Table 2

Research Questions as Instrumentation

Research question Interviews Artifacts Observations

1. What strategies and promising practices does
the Jones District employ to build the next
generation of leaders? X X X
2. What are the perceptions of aspiring
administrators regarding the effectiveness
of these practices? X X
3. What are the factors that both facilitate and
inhibit the implementation of strategies
designed to build leadership capacity? X X X

It is critical to examine interview protocols for both the mentor and mentee interviews, as
well as the interviews for the superintendent and assistant superintendent. Appendices C and D
contain the interview protocols used in this study.
Data Analysis
The process of data analysis provided answers to the research questions (Merriam, 2009).
The data collected via the previously discussed sources were compiled and analyzed according to
each research question. Levels of coding were developed and applied to the data gathered from
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 44
interviews, observations, and document and article analysis. The analysis process employed for
this study was modeled on Creswell’s (2013) six steps for data analysis. The thematic
dissertation group developed the process of analysis implemented (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Creswell’s model for qualitative data analysis. Based on Research Design:
Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, by J. W. Creswell, 2013, Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage.
As the model demonstrates, the first step was to organize all data collected from the
interviews, observations, and artifact collection. After organization, the researcher scanned the
data to gain an initial understanding of the information and to identify emerging themes. Third,
the researcher coded the data by organizing it into chunks and forming similarly themed
categories. Fourth, a description of the participants’ experiences and the coded data were used to
develop descriptions and themes that added to the complexity of analysis. Fifth, the descriptions
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 45
and themes were represented in a qualitative narrative. Sixth, the researcher made a full
examination of the data to make meaning from the findings and results that emerged through
data analysis.
Ethical Considerations
Throughout the data collection and analysis processes, it was critical to maintain ethical
considerations. The researcher diligently followed the university procedures for ethical conduct
in research designated by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and IRB approval was granted
for implementation of the study. The study’s participants all voluntarily offered their
participation and were not coerced in any way.
This study used pseudonyms for institution and all participant names in order to protect
the confidentiality of participants. All records were kept confidential and discarded upon
completion of the dissertation. All data were kept in a secure location to prevent harm to the
participants through inappropriate usage.
Chapter Summary
This chapter provided an overview of the qualitative case study method and data analysis
used in the implementation of this study.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 46
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
This chapter presents a discussion of the results of the research conducted at Seacoast
Unified, including a detailed look at participant interviews, observations, and artifact collection.
The goal of this study was to examine the strategies that comprise successful programs, both
formal and informal, for aspiring administrators. A thorough examination of strategies employed
by one school district, Seacoast Unified, aimed at building the next generation of leaders was
examined for potential promise. Accordingly, the perspectives of various educational leaders
were examined as they related to the practices of Seacoast Unified for building and creating the
next generation of school leadership. Essential to this study were the perspectives of mentor
leaders as well as mentees, or future leaders, and their insights into those mentoring
relationships. This study is a detailed look at the factors that both inhibit and facilitate Seacoast
Unified’s implementation of strategies to build leadership capacity. These factors were analyzed
to determine which were the most effective in development of the next generation of leaders.
To discern how Seacoast Unified was building the capacity of the next generation of
school leaders, three research questions framed the study. Two participant interview protocols,
document and artifact collection, and district leadership team observations were generated from
these research questions.
1. What strategies and promising practices does the Seacoast Unified School District
employ to build the next generation of leaders?
2. What are the perceptions of aspiring administrators regarding the effectiveness of these
practices?
3. What are the factors that both facilitate and inhibit the implementation of strategies
designed to build leadership capacity?
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 47
Data collection occurred via interviews with participants and participant referrals, district
leadership team observations, document and artifact collection, and examination of district
policies. Triangulation of these multiple data sources increased the validity of the study’s
findings. After a brief introduction of the participants, the study’s findings are presented in
alignment with the corresponding research questions.
Participant Profiles
Five participants were purposefully selected for this study. The first two were the
Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Seacoast Unified. The
other three participants were chosen through recommendation and direction of the District
Superintendent. All participants agreed to take part in at least one 1-hour interview and to be
available via telephone and e-mail for follow-up and clarifying questions. The District
Superintendent provided documents related to the District Leadership Institute designed to train
district leaders in building leadership capacity in future leaders in the Seacoast Unified School
District. A formal 5-hour observation was conducted at the year-end culminating Leadership
Institute attended by the entire District Leadership Team.
All participants are established leaders in the Seacoast Unified School District. Holding
varying levels of school and district leadership positions and aspiring to various levels of district
leadership, the participants represent those whom the District Superintendent considered to be
successful in mentoring relationships that add to the leadership capacity of the school district.
Pseudonyms are used in this study to protect participants’ confidentiality. To that end, the
participants are referred to here as Dr. Shepherd, Peter McAllister, Ashley Nicoles, Whitney
Wilson, and Dr. Harrison Johns.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 48
District Superintendent Dr. Jack Shepherd is new to the Seacoast Unified
superintendency, currently in his third year in the position. Dr. Shepherd has held various
leadership positions in school districts; however, he is a product of the Seacoast Unified School
District, where he attended elementary through high school. Beginning his career as a fifth-grade
teacher, he went on to serve as a middle school assistant principal and elementary school
principal and a middle school principal in two school districts. He then served for 3 years as the
Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Classified Personnel Director for the
Personnel Commission, and finally served for 3 years as Deputy Superintendent for a large
school district. Dr. Shepherd can be characterized as charismatic and intentional, priding himself
on knowing his employees as people and inspiring a shared vision in his school district.
Peter McAllister has been with the Seacoast Unified School District for his entire life. He
attended Seacoast schools, taught at the district high school, and served as Principal of the adult
school; he has held his current role as Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for 5 years.
Peter is passionate about working with children, slightly sarcastic and rough around the edges,
with a no-nonsense approach to his work. Peter aspires to hold other district office leadership
positions, such as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, and Superintendent.
Ashley Nicoles is a middle school principal in the Seacoast Unified School District; she
has worked with the school district for 18 years, beginning as an elementary school teacher.
Ashley credits her ascent to district leadership positions to one mentor who gave her multiple
responsibilities while teaching elementary school to gain administrative and leadership
experience. Always a go-getter, Ashley actively pursued leadership positions and opportunities
within the school district. “I was one of those people who went poking and looking for the type
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 49
of experiences I needed for leadership positions.” Ashley is enjoying her current position but is
determined to obtain a doctorate in education and move into district leadership.
Whitney Wilson is a principal of a 4/5 elementary school in the Seacoast Unified School
District. Whitney began her career as a teacher and did not intend to go into administration.
However, during her 8 years of teaching, a principal who encouraged and influenced her into
pursuing positions outside the classroom mentored her into a district coach position. Whitney
began work in a resource position out of the classroom, then moved to being a summer school
principal and then vice principal, then gained her current position as Principal, where she has
served for 5 years. Whitney also aspires to be a Director in the District Office.
Dr. Harrison Johns has been with the Seacoast Unified School District for 15 years,
holding a variety of leadership positions. At the local high school, he served for 7 years as
Assistant Principal, followed by 6 years as Principal, and now is entering his second year as
Director of Secondary Education for the Seacoast Unified School District. Dr. Johns’s leadership
style is very evident in his work in building leadership teams both as a high school principal and
in his current role at the district office. Dr. Johns prides himself on establishing collaborative
cultures in both positions, where no one is working in isolation; rather, there is a culture of
shared ideas, successes, and challenges.
Each participant attributed ascension into leadership positions to a mentor or leader who
took time to identify potential and grow it through a relationship. Each participant has in turn
identified people in whom he or she recognizes a certain degree of leadership potential and has
taken strides to foster and grow that potential. Many of the participants noted that they had not
actively aspired to leadership; instead, they were encouraged and nurtured into their current roles
by people who championed their potential. Peter stated, “I don’t think anyone starts off wanting
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 50
to do HR (Human Resources), I got into education because of how much I liked working with
kids, and several people along the way recognized that I could be a district leader.” In part, those
who comprise the current district leadership team and the participants for this study were
nurtured through transformational leadership practices to reach their full potential in their current
leadership roles. The transformational leadership practice of modeling the way (Northouse,
2010) is a critical component to a mentoring relationship, providing the catalyst for action in
aspiring leaders.
As a whole, all participants not only agreed that they had benefited from a mentoring
relationship leading to their current leadership positions but recognized a responsibility under Dr.
Shepherd’s leadership to continue the tradition of mentoring to build the leadership capacity of
the next generation of Seacoast Unified leadership. Throughout the interview and observation
process, these individuals demonstrated a commitment to the success of the Seacoast Unified
School District. “Through various roles as mentors and mentees, these leaders help to usher in
the next group of instructional and transformational leaders for the Seacoast Unified School
District,” said Dr. Shepherd. Based on the focus of the study, these participants all embody
Seacoast’s promising practices for building the next generation of school leaders. The next
sections report the study’s results by research question, gleaned from participant interviews,
artifact collection, and observations.
Results for Research Question 1: Strategies and Promising Practices
The first research question was aimed at identifying strategies and promising practices
employed by the Seacoast Unified School District to build and develop leadership capacity in the
next generation of school leaders. Chiefly, Seacoast Unified makes use of informal mentoring to
prepare aspiring leaders to take the much-needed steps toward district and school leadership.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 51
Mentoring is one critical way to prepare the next generation of leaders for school administration
(Barnett, 2013; Clayton et al., 2013; Parylo, Zepeda, & Bengston, 2012; Searby, 2014). This
promising practice used by the Seacoast Unified School District has proven to be effective over
and over again in recruiting, onboarding, and developing leaders. Mentoring is used to address
issues of principal shortages, principal preparation, socialization, and professional development
and serves as a reciprocal learning process (Parylo et al., 2012). In Seacoast, the process begins
with the district-led initiative for current principals and directors to identify future leaders, often
referred to as tapping, and then to use mentoring as way of building their leadership capacity.
After a thorough review of the data, three themes emerged as strategies or promising practices in
the Seacoast Unified School District for developing the next generation of school leaders:
identification and tapping, informal mentoring, and district-led initiatives.
Identification and Tapping
In the absence of a formalized succession management plan, school leaders often
informally identify and encourage teachers whom they think should become school leaders, in a
process known as tapping (Myung et al., 2011). The research conducted at Seacoast Unified
revealed that tapping is used informally and is a driving force in the identification and
development of the next generation of school leaders. The study focuses on current district
leaders and their process of identifying future leaders to mentor and their own leadership
development as they seek to advance to the next level. In response to an interview question about
the district’s succession plan, Dr. Shepherd stated,
We have nothing formal, nothing charted out. We talk about it a lot, we know who is out
there and what positions we have coming up and what candidates we have for those
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 52
openings. And if we don’t have someone lined up, we discuss what experiences someone
would need before they make the jump.
Rarely formalized, the leaders interviewed for this study describe being tapped at one point or
another in their ascent to leadership positions.
Dr. Shepherd provided an example: “We have two district office positions coming up and
we are already talking about backfilling those positions—we are starting to work with specific
people to bulk up their experiences.” Peter echoed, “We are actively promoting the experiences
of those we think would be a good fit to get set up for those open positions.” This type of work
was exemplified in an activity observed (June 25, 2015) during a District Leadership Institute.
Seacoast Unified identified the process of assessment as one of the key elements that drive
leadership development in others, emphasizing that a good leader is always assessing a person’s
weaknesses and wrong thinking—not to exploit that person, but to strengthen and help him/her
succeed (observation, June 25, 2015). Dr. Shepherd also issued a call for support: nobody gets
ahead in life without the help and support of other people. This type of communication further
highlights the district’s emphasis on supporting one another into leadership positions, creating a
culture of leadership development. The culture of tapping and identification is prevalent
throughout Seacoast.
Another activity at the Leadership Institute (June 25, 2015) called for participants to
answer three questions about their practices for identifying and building capacity in future
leaders: “Based on your work place, who comes to mind as potential leaders? How much time do
you currently spend developing potential leaders? and What would/could you do differently?”
Principals responded in a variety of ways. One principal shared, “I try to encourage potential
leaders to get there on their own; I’ll show them the steps, but they need to get there.” Another
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 53
district leader said, “I embed leadership development in the structure of my leadership team.
Leadership team is charged with making sure the staff feels like their voices are being heard.”
The district has a focus on identification of future leaders and cultivating their leadership to
strengthen the district. Dr. Shepherd stated during the activity, “Who are the 20% that we need to
invest in? If you remember, last year we focused on giving people opportunities to use their
skills, use their attitudes, and use their abilities, this continues that work.” The practice of
identifying the 20% allows Seacoast to hone in on specific individuals who will strengthen the
district through their leadership. Growing the next generation of leaders requires active planning.
Leadership itself is an activity, a social practice that includes many people; school leadership is a
distributed practice, spanning the schools’ social and situational contexts (Fink, 2011). Shepherd
and the team at Seacoast embody this social practice in a variety of ways.
Ashley said that, when she first came to teach at the middle school level, the principal
told her that she was not ready to take on leadership positions because she was not “veteran”
enough. “But that didn’t stop me. I wanted to be one of the ones he selected for leadership
positions, so I kept asking. Eventually, he started pushing me and I was able to take on that
responsibility.” In Ashley’s experience, she had to aggressively pursue being “tapped” for future
leadership positions. But once she did, she was quickly identified and mentored by her principal
into the leadership positions that she had been pursuing. “Having my principal as an
administrator to ask questions and encourage me to take on additional responsibilities was the
most critical component to my being promoted, he pushed me into the necessary experiences.”
While she did not refer to this process as “tapping,” what Ashley was experiencing was the
informal identification of her potential and a push into the necessary experiences that she would
need to move on to the next levels of leadership.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 54
It was similar for Whitney:
I had one principal who was the biggest influence in getting me to look outside of the
classroom. She pushed me to pursue my admin credential, and was always giving me
projects and things to do, made me help in the process of applying for California
Distinguished School, but mostly she was just encouraging, she was always pointing out
upcoming openings.
Whitney’s experience with her principal tapping her was the reason she chose to apply
for positions outside the classroom, leading to her eventual position as a school principal. This is
consistent with research that shows most administrative career decisions are influenced in part or
entirely by other actors in the system, described as recruiting or tapping (Ripple, et al., 2011).
Both Whitney and Ashley have taken this philosophy of tapping and applied it to their
own practices as principals. Whitney stated,
I’m a big believer in planting seeds, if I see something that I want a teacher to pick up on,
or I want someone to really grow, I try and point out what that teacher is doing in a way
that encourages them to try something out.
Ashley similarly stated, “There’s a gut feeling first of all that someone can take the helm and run
the ship and they have that rapport with people that is necessary for leadership.” Both women
described using this information to create experiences for these future leaders. Ashley shared,
On this campus, I try to give those people I’ve identified an opportunity to lead. I give
them those opportunities to try new things and let them present at PD, let them send out
the email to the staff, and just talk with them and give them advice on how to handle
certain situations.
Similarly, Whitney stated,
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 55
I definitely have two people here who need to be in a bigger picture role, maybe a TOSA
at the District Office, they need to reach a bigger audience. For these individuals, I push
them to be on the writing team, give them a greater role in grade level collaboration, and
let them know about upcoming openings.
Both Whitney and Ashley have intentionally provided opportunities for individuals on their
campuses whom they recognize as leaders. These opportunities on their own do not mean much
but, when combined, they are how one makes the jump into school or district administration.
Dr. Johns described being very deliberate in his identification of potential future leaders.
“I pick the most likely person that will sign on with the process. It’s a game of sharks and
minnow, you have to go after the right people that are most likely to make the biggest gains
first.” When asked what about people Dr. Johns looks for when tapping future leaders, he
answered, “a sense of coachability. In athletics, athletes are judged by how coachable they are—
they can be talented but if they’re not coachable than they get stuck in one place and aren’t able
to move on to that next level.” Dr. Johns seeks those who can be tapped and shaped into the
leadership roles that are needed at Seacoast Unified School District. “I also look for a genuine
commitment to what is in the best interest of the students. They put self-interest on the back of
the list regardless of how convenient or how easy some other option might be.”
While Dr. Johns looks for coachability, Dr. Shepherd taps people based on a triangulation
of data:
If I observe someone and think you have the presence and I think that you are really
solid, then I talk to your principal and if your principal confirms what I think I know
about you, then I go to one other source and ask what they know about you. If I’m
receiving a consistent message, I know that you’re the type of person I will invest in.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 56
This informal method of tapping is reflective of current literature on the practice, reviewed in
Chapter 2. Fink (2011) discusses the “grow your own” philosophy, in which schools and
districts over time have taken steps to sustain leadership quality from one leader to the
next in order to ensure excellence in their schools and districts. Through tapping, Seacoast
is moving beyond filling up pipelines, to what Fink (2011) refers to as creating reservoirs
of leadership capacity through distributed forms of leadership.
Informal Mentoring
This study revealed informal mentoring as a promising practice for developing leadership
capacity within the organization. The mentoring process provides aspiring principals
opportunities to gain experience in the day-to-day activities of school administration. Informal
mentoring has been around before mentoring programs were established and refers to the natural
relationships that form between aspiring and current administrators (Barnett, 2013). The goal of
informal mentoring is to build capacity in future leaders through tenets of natural relationship.
Dr. Johns uses informal mentoring to aid those who are already interested in leadership. “I
provide on-the-spot mentoring for staff members who are interested in making leadership
contributions in their career.” This “on-the-spot mentoring” is a form of informal mentoring; it is
developed out of a relationship formed naturally between the mentor and mentee. Dr. Johns
described one of his teachers on special assignment: “She was already interested in admin at a
middle school level, I have just provided her with informal support and give her advice when
asked.” Dr. Johns described the informal support that he provides as “responding to her
questions, giving advice when asked, and putting her in touch with the right people as needed.”
This type of informal mentoring and experiential learning is what Parylo et al. (2012) considered
to be most valued among school principals. Dr. Johns described a series of discussions with his
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 57
team in which he combines with their experiences to deepen their connections to district
leadership.
At the district expo in the spring, I give each member a department to work with, in our
planning meetings I always begin with a leadership lesson before we discuss the work
going on in the expo. This way, my team remembers the focus of their work, and not just
the tasks themselves.
At the Leadership Institute (observed June 25, 2015), informal mentoring was an
important topic of conversation. Dr. Shepherd shared with the entire District Leadership, “It is
critical that we make time for conversations so that people will see what the job involves.” As
groups broke to review their assignment from February, they were charged with discussing how
to go to the next level of their leadership and move individuals from their team beyond
production and tap into their potential. The interview with Dr. Johns echoed this sentiment: “I
want my team to see themselves as more than just the work they do, but to become leaders
driving the direction of our department.” Similarly, Whitney stated, “I meet with potential
leaders to discuss their goals, and in these meetings I work to access their potential to help them
grow.” When asked how she accesses their potential, Whitney replied, “I just ask them to do
things that they haven’t done before, to try and not be afraid of failure, to set higher goals and
pursue them.”
During the Leadership Institute, I observed several district leaders sharing their thoughts
on building leadership capacity in others. One principal said, “I’m working on just building the
relationship. He knows the job, but I need to move forward with building capacity in him to lead
others.” The relationship is central to informal mentoring. Another principal reflected on the
assignment, “I see my role in mentoring to showcase what they can do and to build their
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 58
confidence to take on more responsibility; I’m really encouraging her to move forward and find
the right fit.” Other district leaders followed a common theme of informal mentoring done
through relationships as a way of inspiring and propelling others into greater leadership roles.
One principal shared,
I meet with my lead teacher for coffee after school every Friday, and she and I discuss
what has been happening all week, we check in and I use this time to encourage her and
give her feedback on what she’s been working on. She asks me a lot of questions during
this time, always interested in what the job I do entails.
Ashley shared that informal mentoring is a large component of who she is as a principal
and a mentor to her staff. “I give sound advice and serve as a soundboard when teachers or
TOSAs ask what do you think about this or that? I try to connect the right people to the right
experiences.” Ashley described pairing a teacher who is interested in technology with the right
people in the District Tech Department or making sure that the teacher who is interested in
curriculum is piloting the new textbook or instructional program. In doing this, Ashley is
providing the coaching and direction that these teachers need to build their own leadership
capacity. Similarly, Whitney has invited key teacher-leaders to participate in curriculum teams.
“By giving teacher-leaders opportunities to build their resume and experiences by joining
curriculum teams, it gives me a chance to have focused discussions with them about how to get
to the next level of school administration.”
Informal mentoring extends to all aspects of the job and, by its very nature, is fluid in the
way it addresses the needs of mentor and mentee and shapes the culture of an organization.
When mentors model continuous growth, aspiring leaders observe the ongoing habit of learning
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 59
demonstrated by the leader, creating a culture in which everyone is expected to learn (Barnett,
2013). Ashley shared that a central component to her mentoring is modeling:
My teachers need to see that I am committed to growth, to being mentored, to improving
myself, and that this is an expectation I have for them as well. With the teachers that I
“mentor,” one of my biggest points of advice is to be a lifelong learner, eager to improve
in all areas.
Ashley’s conviction to lifelong learning and her ability to model that commitments, is a critical
part of her informal mentoring.
Whitney described a need to remain committed to the process of mentoring as a way to
build a cohesive staff. “For my school, I want everyone to be in a mentoring relationship in one
way or another. I want PLC groups to model teachers mentoring teachers, and I want staff
meetings to be my opportunity to mentor others.” Whitney’s mentoring structure is informal; it
focuses on what is needed, when it is needed. She shared,
There are definitely two people here who need to be in a bigger picture role, they need to
reach a bigger audience. I see my role as pushing these leaders to join the writing team,
or to take on a greater role in grade level collaboration, and helping answer their
questions as they pursue those opportunities.
This was reiterated during the Leadership Institute when Dr. Shepherd summarized the
group’s main points. “It is about empowering others, having an open shared leadership, having
them trust us as leaders, if they don’t trust us they won’t take what we’re offering, we need to
build relationships between them.” This is indicative of the mindset of Seacoast leadership. Dr.
Shepherd also stated,
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 60
If we don’t coach people, guide and mentor them, and show them that this is an area of
growth for them, then we are not really helping people. Mentoring is not about exploiting
their weakness, but identifying them so that they are not exposed when they do get that
leadership position.
This section discussed the informal mentoring relationships that are in place in Seacoast
Unified and the ways those are manifested at the district and site levels. Every person’s approach
to informal mentoring is different, which is characteristic of informal mentoring, but all
participants agreed that the informal nature of their relationships with mentees was beneficial to
them.
District-Led Initiatives
One theme that emerged from the work done in Seacoast Unified is that initiatives put
into place from the district office have contributed to successful development of leadership
capacity. These initiatives include informal mentoring and identification/tapping, which were
discussed in the previous sections; this section reviews the study’s finding that the nature of
these initiatives as “district led” played an important role in their implementation. In Seacoast,
Dr. Shepherd has instructed each district leader to select two people whom they currently
supervise and provide them with mentoring for the current school year. “Everybody has to pick
two people and consciously, purposefully, and intentionally build their capacity. When I meet
with leadership, I ask which two people they are mentoring and I use that as a list of people to
watch.” While this is a district directive, the process is not formalized; it does not follow a
specific program, timeline, or standards for mentoring. Mentoring is done through relationships
in Seacoast Unified. Through other participant interviews, the fact that mentoring is a district-led
initiative continued to surface. While informal mentoring occurs in many districts, Seacoast is
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 61
unique in that there is a district directive to provide mentoring to aspiring leaders. Dr. Johns
shared that Dr. Shepherd’s initiative led him to view his department differently. “The charge
from the superintendent led me to start discussions with my staff about personal and professional
goals and where they wanted to go next.” This discussion with his staff would not have happened
were it not for the direction of Dr. Shepherd and the school district. These discussions led Dr.
Johns to select two people from his staff in whom to invest:
While I assure my team that I’m 100% committed to every single one of them in their
professional development and the areas that will leverage your abilities in your work, I
can only mentor and take you where you want to go.
I witnessed this district-led initiative firsthand during the Leadership Institute. Dr.
Shepherd had all leaders form groups to discuss whom they had chosen to mentor informally. Dr.
Shepherd stated to the District Leadership, “Focus on finding peoples’ strengths, putting them in
the right seats on the bus, develop capacity, empower them with those strengths, and allow them
to use those strengths schoolwide.” This type of vision coming from the superintendent has a
profound effect on the district leaders’ work in building leadership capacity. A central shared
value of Seacoast Unified School District is, “We believe that highly qualified employees who
reflect high moral and ethical character and consistently model a passion for education must be
recruited, trained, and retained.” Dr. Johns shared, “There is an expectation within Seacoast
Unified that district leadership play a role in training future leaders. This is my personal belief as
well, and the district feels the same way.”
These types of conversations are happening in various departments and at various school
sites as a result of Dr. Shepherd’s initiative. Ashley shared, “The teacher that I chose to mentor
has huge potential, takes care of business, tries new things, but I don’t think she knew it about
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 62
herself until I took the initiative to tell her I saw potential.” Ashley formed a mentoring
relationship with this future leader because of the district-generated initiative from Dr. Shepherd.
“Following my identification of this teacher, she went on to be hired as one of our district TTLs
(Teacher Technology Lead). She’s attended CUE and is leading professional development with
other teachers.” This exemplifies the intent of the district initiative for identifying and cultivating
future leadership and strengthening the district from the inside.
At the Leadership Institute, Dr. Shepherd stated, “I want you to know that everything we
do on a daily basis translates to really, really good things for kids.” This vision set the tone for
the Leadership Institute and the initiatives that Dr. Shepherd would be implementing with the
team. It has been found that the important shift in viewing leadership development as an
investment rather than a cost has resulted in district developed succession plans that build
an organization’s leadership capacity by developing a pool of candidates for future roles
(Fink, 2011)
Peter followed his superintendent’s direction and shared that “the district supports
principals in the form of principal PLCs where each group of four to five principals is led by a
director or district administrator.” When I discussed coaches with Dr. Shepherd he reiterated,
“Principals are given coaches based on what direction we need them to focus in their work.” The
culture of district-initiated capacity building is evident among current leadership, as well as in
future leaders. Dr. Shepherd explained, “Groups of three principals meet with a director to
discuss common issues and common challenges; the director is an advocate for the principals, as
well as a resource they can call on when they need additional insight.” The district support that
Seacoast Unified provides to current district leaders enables them to extend that support and
mentoring to those whom they have chosen to mentor.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 63
In the interview with Ashley, the district-led initiative for leadership development
became evident. “Prior to Shepherd, there were no opportunities to engage in a mentoring
relationship, there were no programs where we would get together and there wasn’t a lot of
articulations at different levels to ensure a continuity of leadership.” Dr. Shepherd’s dynamic
personality and transformational leadership practices were mentioned in every interview. Dr.
Johns shared, “Dr. Shepherd has brought structure and vision to the practice of mentoring that
was done in pockets before he came, but with him has become more widespread.” Whitney
stated, “Dr. Shepherd and the district leadership have an expectation that we will find people to
take the reins in Seacoast once we have left.” As discussed in Chapter 2, best practices suggest
that educational organizations move beyond filling pipelines with certified potential leaders as a
way to increase and sustain the leadership capacity of schools and districts, to investing in the
next generation of leaders who would be ready to assume leadership roles when vacancies arise,
and to look to distributed forms of leadership as reservoirs of leadership potential (Fink, 2011).
Seacoast has a very clear vision about district practices related to leadership
development. Dr. Shepherd stated at the Leadership Institute,
We want to challenge people to continue to be better, to continue to grow, to continue to
develop everywhere they possibly can. No one gets ahead in life without the support of
other people; we all need a network of people we can to talk to for support. It’s very
important for our personal and professional lives. There are too many blind spots if we
try to do it on our own. For these reasons, we must continue to invest in our employees in
order to strengthen Seacoast’s leadership for future generations.
The initiatives put into place in Seacoast have shaped the best practices for building leadership
capacity in the next generation of school leaders.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 64
Discussion and Analysis of Research Question 1
Based on these findings, identification and tapping, informal mentoring, and district-led
initiatives are themes that collectively identify the ways in which Seacoast Unified is building
the next generation of leaders. Through this combination of practices, Seacoast has developed a
culture of mentoring that is driven by district leadership. Current district-led initiatives call for
leaders to select future leaders and mentor them to prepare them for the ascension into leadership
positions. Based on collected data, it was apparent that such district practices have played a
critical role in strengthening district leadership from within.
The observation conducted at the Leadership Summit was particularly useful in
identifying the promising practices that Seacoast uses to address the issues of principal attrition
and turnover. Throughout the Summit, the superintendent was clear about the district leading the
charge on the initiative to recruit, identify, and onboard the next generation of school leadership.
Consistent with the work of Fink (2011) and Bierly & Shy (2013), Seacoast is taking the
necessary steps to address the existing leadership challenges and develop the right leaders to
ensure long-term excellence of their schools and school districts. The themes uncover reveal that
under the district’s guidance, the processes of tapping and informal mentoring have enabled
district personnel to build the leadership capacity of the next generation of school and district
leaders.
Results for Research Question 2: Perceptions
The second research question for this study was designed to obtain the perspectives of
aspiring school and district leaders in Seacoast Unified as they move toward the next levels of
leadership. Seacoast’s approach to leadership recruitment and development is what Fink (2011)
referred to as investments instead of cost. Based on observation and interview data, the following
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 65
two themes emerged: (a) accountability, and (b) who you know, now what you know. The first,
accountability, refers to the fact that Seacoast has a strong framework for ensuring that aspiring
leaders are mentored and given opportunities and that they hold current leaders accountable for
doing so. The second, “who you know, not what you know,” describes the participants’
perceptions that relationships are more valuable than knowledge in their ascent to the next level
of leadership.
Accountability
Seacoast Unified, under the leadership of Dr. Shepherd, has implemented a strong
framework for keeping district leaders accountable to mentoring and building the capacity of
future leaders. At previously discussed, the District Leadership Summit focused solely on how
current leaders can embark on building this capacity in their staffs. The Plan of Action handout,
collected at the Summit, asked participants to specify how they would use their role to
accomplish five leadership actions, each aimed at building the capacity of others. While these
documents were kept confidential, for the participants’ use only, during two interviews the Plan
of Action resurfaced. Whitney shared, “I do keep the worksheets from the Leadership Institutes
in a sort of journal. As part of my evaluation process, I need to be reflective on the commitments
I have made in my action plan.” By including this charge in employee evaluations, Seacoast
Unified is holding district leadership accountable to their commitments.
Dr. Johns shared in an interview that he took on a similar approach with his own staff:
I feel it isn’t necessary for my staff to be accountable to mentoring three individuals; it’s
not feasible in their current positions. But I do ask that they are active in developing one
other person, and I ask them about that and follow up on that.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 66
In this manner, Dr. Johns is echoing the culture of accountability that has been established at the
district level. By holding his own staff accountable to a vision that mirrors the vision for district
leadership, Dr. Johns is advancing the culture of leadership in Seacoast Unified. Dr. Shepherd
stated, “Leadership development requires a cultural change, it does not happen overnight.” Peter
similarly shared, “The vibe has changed here; we are all expected to contribute to personnel
decisions. It’s a shared responsibility that we are hiring the right people for the right positions.”
The data highlighted accountability as a critical aspect to successful leadership building
in Seacoast. Dr. Shepherd stated in his interview,
Everybody has to pick two people that they are consciously, purposefully, and diligently
building capacity in. And when I meet with Leadership, I ask who their two people are
that they are mentoring, and in our first principals meeting in September, I put together a
list of people to keep an eye on. And I’m specific in asking how they are building their
capacity.
In doing so, not only is Dr. Shepherd is holding his team accountable for capacity
building; he is also holding himself accountable for strengthening the district from within.
Participants expressed gratitude in the district’s structure of accountability for mentoring and
leadership development practices. Whitney shared, “I know that Dr. Shepherd is so invested in
growing current leadership, I am confident that when I’m ready to be prepared for the next step,
there are structures in place to help me with that.” Ashley shared during her interview, “Dr.
Shepherd has promoted two of my teachers to TTL (Teacher Technology Lead) positions in the
last year, and he took those recommendations directly from me.” Through accountability, the
culture of leadership development is shaped and promoted at Seacoast.
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The theme of accountability is reiterated through Dr. Shepherd’s professional
development philosophy. At Seacoast, it is critical that principals receive professional
development so they are growing as professionals to continue to foster leadership in others. Dr.
Shepherd said, “Teachers got way more PD [professional development] than principals and
district administrators, and it made principals followers in instruction instead of leaders, as
leaders we need to know about instruction and provide those we are mentoring with insight into
instruction.” Leadership is then held accountable for instructional decisions and instructional
leadership on school campuses. Ashley reiterated, “The new structure of PD has really
empowered principals, but it also holds us to a higher level of accountability because we have
been trained in what the teachers know.” Participants view the accountability component as an
integral part of leadership development at Seacoast.
“I always circle back to PD, or to what I’ve asked people to do,” Dr. Shepherd stated,
“letting them know that what they’re doing matters and that they’re making a difference.”
Central to the culture of leadership is the consistent revisiting and re-evaluating of district
initiatives and holding people accountable to those initiatives.
Who You Know, Not What You Know
Another theme that emerged in response to Research Question 2 was that aspiring district
and site administrators agreed that it was equally or more valuable to know people rather than
know information when considering promotion in Seacoast. Dr. Johns said, “When I moved from
high school principal to director, I know that it was just as much about the relationships I had
formed at the district level, as it was the experience I had gained in the position.” This speaks to
a culture of leadership and mentoring and it provides valuable insight into how aspiring leaders
perceive leadership mobility in Seacoast. Dr. Johns said, “I always tell my staff, don’t burn your
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 68
bridges; you never know who will be in charge of hiring in this district or the next.” Again,
promoting the value of relationships, Dr. Johns perceived relationships as critical to being
promoted.
Whitney shared that, when her former principal mentored her while she was a teacher, at
one point she told her that she would continue to bring her along with her wherever she went.
“She told me that when she was promoted to the D.O. (District Office), she would find room for
me wherever she went.” The relationship that Whitney had forged with her mentor was central to
her mobility.
Paul shared that Seacoast has recently revamped its hiring practices in an effort to make
them more centralized. “We centralized all out of classroom positions and we did it because we
wanted to control the quality of people that were leaving the classroom and would be future
admin.” This practice has influenced the perceptions of those who aspire to the next level of
leadership. Ashley shared,
My TTLs know that if they’re going to be promoted to admin, it takes more than a
recommendation from me; the people at the top have to see your potential and see that
you are a worker who can also be a leader. . . . I’m just going to say that I’ve seen
countless people be promoted that knew less than others, but they had someone in their
pocket.
She declined to clarify. Ashley was referencing something that is not uncommon in many
industries: promotion based on relationships; however, there was a degree of frustration in the
way she discussed these practices at Seacoast.
This theme was also evident in the observation of the Leadership Summit. The way the
administrators arranged themselves at the different tables, there were tables full of very active
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 69
participants, contrasted with tables full of people who participated very little. In observing Dr.
Shepherd’s interaction with different principals, it was clear that he has stronger relationships
with some more than others. These relationships are critical to the promotion and growth of
Seacoast, and it plays a critical role in who continues to move forward.
Discussion and Analysis of Research Question 2
In Seacoast district, it is clear that the general perception of those who are looking to
advance to the next level of leadership is that relationships are critical, bridges are not to be
burned, and what they know is secondary to whom they know. The data showed that participants
perceive that they are accountable to district leadership for mentoring future leaders, resulting in
a strong structure for support. The Leadership Summit observations were particularly helpful in
capturing candid responses from current district leaders about their own mentoring and
aspirations for future leadership positions. The structure of accountability at Seacoast is closely
tied with the district-led initiatives discussed in the findings in the previous section.
The level of accountability in Seacoast is paramount to the successful implementation of
informal mentoring aimed at developing the next generation of leaders. The study revealed high
levels of accountability, district direction, and the superintendent’s influence as critical pieces to
the promising practices employed. Study data shows the top-down leadership style is a central
component to successful leadership development. The fact that principals feel accountable to the
directives of the superintendent plays a critical role in the identification and informal mentoring
of future leaders.
Results for Research Question 3: Facilitating and Inhibiting Factors
The third research question was designed to identify factors that both facilitated and
inhibited leadership development in Seacoast Unified School District. Using data gathered
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 70
through observations, interviews, and document collection, two themes emerged. The first,
superintendent’s vision, describes the difference in leadership development based on the current
superintendent and his or her vision. The second theme was “participant buy-in,” which refers to
how the success of leadership development within a school district is contingent on the
participation and beliefs of current school and district leaders. Both themes describe factors that
can be both facilitating and inhibiting, depending on the circumstances in which they arise.
Superintendent’s Vision
Superintendent’s vision as a facilitating factor. During the Leadership Institute, the
superintendent made his vision very clear:
We want to move up to the fifth level of leadership (Maxwell, 2013)—the highest level
of leadership is to develop leaders, not gain followers. It is not about counting our
followers, rather about building the capacity in others so that we can move people
forward.
This vision casting is the most significant factor found in the study regarding what
facilitates or inhibits leadership development in Seacoast. Dr. Johns stated, “I’ve been around for
a long time, the superintendent’s vision affects how strong the district leadership is.” The vision
of the superintendent sets the tone for the district leadership team as they develop those around
them for future leadership roles. Ashley shared, “The superintendent has pushed us to choose
these two people; not everyone would be mentoring someone else if it weren’t for the
superintendent’s charge to do so.” This factor is significant in facilitating leadership
development. Whitney similarly stated, “I wouldn’t have invested so much in these two teachers
if it wasn’t for the request of the superintendent, and I know he will be following up on it.”
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 71
The Leadership Summit was a clear look at the way the superintendent shares his vision
with his leadership team. Not only did Dr. Shepherd make his expectations clear, he had
supporting documentation and accompanying activities for the district leadership to participate
in. The worksheets, activities, planners, and directives issued at the Summit provided tools and
clarity of vision for the principals and other district leaders. One principal stated, “It’s nice to
have these tools to help keep the work organized.” The superintendent’s vision came across in
the Leadership Summit very clearly, as did the support he would provide for the leaders along
the way.
In the culminating activity at the Leadership Institute, Dr. Shepherd called for all
participants to start a Plan of Action and complete a worksheet in which they detailed how they
would create a leadership culture. One of the areas in which participants were required to plan
was “Teach Leadership,” where current district leaders were required to discuss how they would
train leaders on a regular, frequent, and consistent basis. One administrator stated, “I’ve picked
two people with a lot of potential and with the right guidance; we can move them up.” Another
district administrator shared, “I always saw this teacher as a leader but I wasn’t doing anything
for her before. Now I feel a responsibility to help her capitalize on her strengths.” The vision of
the superintendent facilitated these informal mentoring relationships and propelled the district
leadership forward in building leadership capacity in their colleagues.
Dr. Johns highlighted the importance of mindset. “Dr. Shepherd has a growth mindset, he
fundamentally believes that leadership potential can be grown and developed. I agree with this
mindset, which is why I invest so much in my team.” For Dr. Johns, Seacoast Unified follows
the direction of the superintendent in its belief that people can grow in their leadership capacity.
“Our district leadership meetings talk about time, effort, dedication, and persistence in growing
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 72
those around you. This has a very positive affect on our relationships with those who work under
us.” Ashley stated, “I like our Principal PLC time; it is a rare opportunity to meet with colleagues
and discuss building relationships, building future leaders, and surrounding yourself with the
right people.” This focused time is a direct reflection of Dr. Shepherd’s vision for increased
leadership capacity in Seacoast.
Superintendent’s vision as an inhibiting factor. In contrast, the vision of the
superintendent can also be an inhibiting factor for leadership development. The previous
superintendent did not have the vision for leadership development as her successor. In his
interview Peter shared, “The last superintendent had her strengths, however she didn’t share the
same focus on leadership capacity, so mentoring wasn’t a big deal.” Ashley was asked to
elaborate on how the previous superintendent’s direction had affected leadership capacity. She
stated, “The last superintendent was much more managerial; we were focused strongly on
student achievement. And it worked for her, but we did not work toward developing future
leaders.” Just as the superintendent’s vision can facilitate leadership development, it can also
inhibit that development. While the previous administration had much strength, the focus was
not on the capacity building of the next generation of leaders; therefore, it was not a focus for
Seacoast Unified. Under the current leadership by Dr. Shepherd, several promising practices
have emerged, highlighting Seacoast as a model district for building leadership capacity.
Compared to his predecessors, Dr. Shepherd has an increased focus on leadership
development, which has significantly influenced the direction of the district. Data revealed that
the superintendent’s vision is a central facilitating factor in the development of leaders in
Seacoast. However, the data also revealed that the superintendent’s vision could inhibit
leadership development. The content of the vision and the direction in which the superintendent
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 73
takes the district are critical in development of future leaders at the district level. Data also
revealed that the participants’ beliefs in leadership development were critical in assisting or
preventing expansion of potential leaders.
Participant Buy-In
Participant buy-in as a facilitating factor. On the other side, when participants buy in
to the vision of leadership development in Seacoast, the results are largely positive. For example,
Dr. Johns has implemented the vision of the superintendent, mentoring five future leaders on his
team and being open to more:
To some degree, I had to mitigate the potential hurdle that I could only identify two
leaders. My team needs to know that I’m 100% committed to every single one of them in
their professional development and the areas here that will leverage their abilities in their
work.
This level of buy-in from Dr. Johns strengthens not only his department but also the leadership
of the entire district. Dr. Johns has embodied the vision presented by Dr. Shepherd and is
carrying it out in meaningful ways with the members of his team. Dr. Johns’s buy-in facilitates
the leadership development in Seacoast Unified.
Throughout the Leadership Institute it was clear from those who were invested in Dr.
Shepherd’s vision that they facilitated leadership development at their sites or departments. One
principal said, “I want my school to be successful after I leave, and I view this practice as a way
of making sure that happens.” There are leaders in Seacoast who are so invested in the success of
the organization that leadership building is a natural process for them, and their investment in the
process has allowed the superintendent’s vision to take root.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 74
The data showed that participant buy-in can be infectious. Ashley shared, “My principal
friends and I talk about who we are mentoring and we sort of encourage each other along the
way, and we are setting up this group of teachers for the next level.” Ashley was describing how
her support of the district initiative to mentor is influenced by buy-in by her peers. Similarly,
Whitney described, “It’s nice that we are all doing it together; it makes it easier when our
schedules are so packed.” Leadership development in Seacoast is facilitated through the support
by current district leaders who believe in the superintendent’s vision.
Participant buy-in as an inhibiting factor. While the participants at the Leadership
Institute had largely positive responses to the activities and assignments, some district
administrators were not as invested in the process. During the Institute, as participants were
reviewing their assignment of identifying the two leaders in whom they would invest, one district
leader stated, “I’ve found that it takes a long time, these things don’t happen quickly. I can’t find
time to prioritize that with all the other things I have to do.” Another district leader responded,
“It is a long process, and it’s an easy thing to sidestep when there are so many other deadlines
that seem more pertinent.” The attitude and buy-in of these participants are significant inhibiting
factors in the development of leadership capacity in Seacoast. For these leaders, and others who
share their perspective, leadership development is one additional task for which there is not
enough time. A leader shared with her group,
I picked one leader in February and have spent time investing in her. Since then, she
hasn’t showed that she has what it takes to be an administrator. For me, this has made the
whole process seem like wasted time. I know that the practice is important, but when you
invest in someone and you aren’t able to have the results that you want, it’s difficult to
want to continue in that process with someone new.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 75
While the tone of the interviews and observations can largely be described as positive, it
is important to note these inhibiting factors that detract from the vision by Dr. Shepherd and
Seacoast’s mission for leadership development. For these participants, frustration at a lack of
results plays a significant role in their decision to continue their investment in other potential
leaders. Their lack of buy-in has an effect on their work with other leaders. Dr. Shepherd
recognized this. “I know not everyone shares my vision, and that’s okay, enough people do share
my vision and they will be the ones that continue to strengthen Seacoast.” Similarly, Paul shared
in his interview:
Our elementary VPs are weak and they are clogging the system. We have logjams caused
by people who don’t believe in what we are doing, and it slows promotions. Positions are
clogged with people who weren’t ready to be promoted and aren’t ready to participate in
what we are asking them to do.
Both district leaders recognized that participant buy-in is critical to the leadership development
process and that not everyone is willing or able to carry that charge forward.
Discussion and Analysis of Research Question 3
Throughout this study, the vision of the superintendent continued to surface as an integral
component to the development of leadership in Seacoast Unified. Data revealed that the
superintendent’s vision functions as both a facilitating and inhibiting factor, depending on the
individual superintendent. The significance of the superintendent’s leadership and vision for the
district were reiterated through interviews, observations, and examination of artifacts.
Subsequently, district initiatives for developing future leadership are only as strong as the
participants’ belief in the initiatives. In order for the vision of the superintendent to be carried out
among district leaders, district leaders must buy in to the vision and see its value. The data
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 76
revealed that whether or not participants believe in the vision of the superintendent is significant
in facilitating or inhibiting leadership development in Seacoast. This point came across in the
examination of each of the three research questions. In Seacoast, the superintendent is a pivotal
factor in the whole district’s approach to leadership development. Under Dr. Shepherd’s
leadership, increasing leadership capacity is a top priority. Under a different superintendent,
Seacoast did not have mandated leadership development practices. Consistently, the vision and
work of the superintendent as catalyst for widespread leadership development, is the central
element of this study.
Chapter Summary
This chapter reported the study’s findings according to research question and outlined the
promising practices used by Seacoast Unified to develop leadership capacity, the perceptions of
those aspiring to the next levels of leadership, and the factors that both facilitate and inhibit
development of leadership in Seacoast. The results indicated that Seacoast’s promising practices
include identifying strong leaders, informal mentoring, and district-led initiatives aimed at
developing future leaders. Also, aspiring administrators perceive relationships and accountability
to be integral to building leadership capacity and moving into the next leadership position. The
vision of the Superintendent, combined with participant buy-in, either facilitates or inhibits
leadership development at Seacoast. It is important to consider the implications of these findings,
as well as what the data did not reveal. Chapter 5 provides a detailed examination of these results
and offer suggestions for future research to provide insight into promising practices for building
leadership capacity in a school district.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 77
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY
Districts struggle to train and retain excellent leadership. Due to the high rate of turnover
and attrition, school leadership is rarely stable or sustainable (Leithwood et al., 2004). School
leadership is critical to the success of students, and frequent turnover of school leadership results
in lower student achievement gains (Béteille et al., 2012). In order to address these gaps, school
districts have implemented various strategies to prepare future leaders and strengthen school
leadership from within the organization. As principals retire or move, the vacancies that they
leave present a problem for K–12 districts that seek to maintain strong leadership (Béteille et al.,
2012). Several promising practices for K–12 organizations emerged during the course of this
study: identification and tapping of potential leaders, district-led initiatives aimed at building
leadership capacity, and informal mentoring that is focused on building leadership capacity from
within the organization. Under the vision of district leadership, particularly the superintendent,
these promising practices serve to create a reservoir of highly qualified leaders.
To that end, this study was designed to identify the promising practices of one school
district for recruiting, training, and onboarding the next generation of school leaders. This study
looked at the vision of the superintendent, the informal mentoring relationships formed among
district employees, and the structures and supports in the district that contribute to building
leadership capacity in the next generation of school leaders. Particular attention was paid to
district-led initiatives for informal mentoring between district leaders and aspiring leaders. Three
research questions guided this inquiry:
1. What strategies and promising practices does the Jones District employ to build the
next generation of leaders?
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 78
2. What are the perceptions of aspiring administrators regarding the effectiveness of these
practices?
3. What are the factors that facilitate and inhibit implementation of strategies designed to
build leadership capacity?
Data collection occurred through interviews with Seacoast Unified District leaders,
including principals, directors, the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, and the
Superintendent. Data collection also took place via artifact collection and observations. Multiple
sources of data were accessed to allow for triangulation of data, increasing the validity of the
study’s results. This study revealed information pertaining to practices that result in leadership
development, addressing the shortage of school leaders.
While other studies have addressed promising practices for building leadership capacity
(Barnett, 2013; Clayton et al., 2013; Parylo et al., 2012; Searby, 2014), there is a deficit in
current research on the combination of the superintendent’s vision and district-led initiatives that
result in mentoring and development of future leaders. In this study, the work of the
superintendent and the accountability that he created around mentoring future leaders was shown
to be of great significance in the district’s ability to build leadership capacity for future
leadership. The data collected in this study highlighted the significance of the superintendent, the
superintendent’s vision, and the district-led initiative to foster leadership development among
current employees.
Summary of Findings
Chapter 4 reported the study’s findings and outlined promising practices and strategies,
the perspective of district employees, and the facilitating and inhibiting factors related to
leadership development in Seacoast Unified School District. The results illustrated that, in
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 79
Seacoast, the vision of the superintendent plays a critical role in the implementation of district-
led initiatives for leadership development, chiefly the identification of future leaders and
informal mentoring to prepare them for the next level of leadership, either at the site or district
level.
The study revealed that district employees who aspire to the next level of leadership
perceive relationships to be the most critical factor in being promoted. All participants identified
the significance of knowing the right people to advance one’s career, more than possessing
technical knowledge for advancement. Participants perceived the accountability structure of the
district as critical in developing the next generation of leaders. Data revealed that the participants
perceived that the superintendent’s follow-up and evaluation of their leadership development
practices played a critical role in their personal identification and mentoring of future leaders.
Knowing that their practices were being examined resulted in greater participation in leadership
development.
An examination of facilitating and inhibiting factors revealed two critical themes that
functioned both as facilitators and inhibitors of leadership development. The first, the
superintendent’s vision, was woven throughout as the catalyst for district-led initiatives aimed at
developing the next generation of school and district leadership. District practices aimed at
cultivating leadership and strengthening the district from within were dependent on the
superintendent’s priorities and implementation of practices. This theme was repeated in variety
of ways related to each of the study’s research questions. The impact and role of the
superintendent, particularly a superintendent who is a transformational leader, was found to be
critical in Seacoast’s leadership development practices.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 80
Buy-in by the participants was a critical factor in either the facilitation or inhibition of
leadership development at Seacoast. When current leaders believed in the superintendent’s vision
for developing leadership, identification and mentoring occurred. When district leaders did not
share that priority, there was no observable effort to develop the next generation of school
leaders.
Although this was not an explicit study finding, the data pointed to the superintendent’s
transformational leadership qualities as integral to development of future leaders. In this
superintendent’s approach to leadership development at Seacoast, he works to model the practice
of mentoring while empowering others to lead and creating a vision for his leaders to follow.
These transformational practices have been the catalyst for the promising practices seen
throughout Seacoast Unified for developing the next generation of leaders.
Consistent with the conceptual framework of the study, critical transformational
leadership practices aim to build leadership capacity in the next generation of school leaders.
These practices are impacted by two critical factors: the participants’ buy-in, and most
importantly, the vision of the superintendent. When implemented with fidelity, these promising
practices contribute to creating a pool of highly qualified leaders who advance to leadership
positions and reinvest in the district by joining in the cycle.
Implications for Practice
The findings from this study have implications for the K–12 education field with regard
to building and strengthening leadership from within. The study identified promising practices
for building leadership capacity that will be useful for district leaders who seek to adopt a model
of leadership development. Superintendents and cabinet members may find the results of this
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 81
study to be helpful in refining and implementing their own district practices for leadership
development.
The study data suggest the significance of identification of future leaders as a promising
first step in building their capacity. The study revealed that current leaders in Seacoast use a
variety of criteria for identifying future leaders: their ability to be coached, their energy and
engagement with coworkers, their passion, and several other characteristics. Once identified,
current district leaders informally mentor aspiring leaders in an effort to cultivate and grow their
leadership potential. This process has proven to be successful in creating a reservoir of future
leaders from which to fill site and district administrative positions. The study found that
strengthening the district from within was valued by district personnel, especially district
leadership, as they look toward who will fill upcoming leadership vacancies.
Other school districts may consider these practices as a model for strengthening their own
school leadership programs. The data could inform curriculum for a formalized program for
developing aspiring leaders, or the data could be used as a guidebook for implementing informal
mentoring among district leaders. Having current principals, directors, and cabinet members
identify two potential leaders and develop their leadership capacity is a promising practice that
this study showed to be useful in creating a reservoir of highly qualified leadership candidates.
Other school districts may find that the same practice, or a similar practice, will have the same
effect. While school districts may find these data useful, superintendents may also find the data
useful for their personal practices.
Superintendents may find the study data about superintendent’s vision, accountability
practices, and district-led initiatives to be useful in creating their own direction for their school
district. The data revealed the vision of the superintendent to be a critical element in facilitation
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 82
of leadership development. The superintendent set the tone for district practices related to
mentoring, increasing leadership capacity, and supporting aspiring leaders. The superintendent
prioritized these practices, resulting in widespread leadership development.
For district leaders, this is a valuable model. The accountability component played a
central role in the district leadership team’s implementation of identification and mentoring. Data
revealed that the superintendent held district leaders accountable for their mentoring practices
and referred to these practices as part of yearly evaluations. This resulted in common
implementation of the superintendent’s vision for leadership development. To ensure that these
practices are implemented with fidelity, superintendents should hold leaders accountable to their
implementation through the evaluation process. When current leaders are evaluated on their
ability to build the capacity of others, there is greater implementation of promising practices,
resulting in a larger reservoir of highly qualified leaders that ultimately leads to positive
outcomes for students. Second only to classroom teachers, effective school leadership is critical
to the success of students (Barnett, 2013; Gill, 2012; Leithwood et al., 2004; Searby, 2014).
Additionally, the study has implications for the criteria by which aspiring administrators
are selected. Seacoast does not use any specific criteria when determining who will be mentored
into future leadership positions. A lack of criteria may negatively impact the diversity of the
candidate pool. Districts may want to explore establishing criteria for candidates that create
diversity in characteristics, background, and leadership style. Seacoast’s model is only as strong
as the current leaders who are selecting the next generation of school leaders. In order to prevent
stagnation, district may set guidelines that help establish a variety in their aspiring leader pool.
The study data have implications for current K–12 site administrators. For principals and
assistant principals who are interested in increasing their impact by advancing to the next level of
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 83
district or site leadership, the data revealed the significance of building mentoring relationships.
Participant interviews and observations revealed that a relationship with a mentor or other
district leaders is a critical component in preparation for the demands of leadership positions.
Administrators who hope to take on more leadership responsibilities by advancing in their
careers should pursue relationships with mentor leaders. The study revealed these mentoring
relationships to be essential to leadership development as they help aspiring leaders to garner
recognition as someone who is serious about career advancement. The strength of school sites
and school districts hinges on the strength of the leadership (Leithwood et al., 2004). In order for
aspiring administrators to grow in their capacity to lead, mentoring relationships are essential.
K–12 site and district administrators may use these data to plan for professional
development. Using promising practices to develop professional development aimed at
increasing leadership capacity would be helpful for those who seek to strengthen their
organizations. Meaningful and targeted professional development will contribute to the increased
capacity of aspiring leaders and provide guidance toward transformational leadership practices.
As districts increase individual leadership capacity, the organization as a whole will increase its
strength to meet the needs of all students.
For districts, superintendents, and aspiring leaders, this study has far-reaching
implications for developing leadership capacity. The study not only identifies promising
practices but provides insight into the less concrete elements of leadership development such as
mentoring, vision, and relationships. Any school district that seeks to increase the pool of
qualified candidates for leadership positions should incorporate this study’s findings into their
practices.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 84
Recommendations for Future Study
This study illustrated the promising practices of one K–12 district in developing and
increasing leadership capacity among current and aspiring leaders. The study included the
perspective of the aspiring leader and the factors that both inhibit and facilitate leadership
development in Seacoast Unified. Although attempts were made to obtain comprehensive
responses to the study’s research questions, additional questions emerged during data collection
and analysis. Accordingly, this section presents recommendations for future study.
This study’s data collection occurred at one K–12 school district. Although the data
revealed a sense of promising practices and perspective, the study was delimited to one district.
An examination of practices in other districts would be important because every district is
different in its make-up of current and aspiring leaders and in what it takes to prepare them for
the next level of leadership. For example, Seacoast largely used informal mentoring strategies
and relationships to grow and cultivate future leaders. Another study could examine a district
with formalized mentoring practices to determine whether they were effective, or to provide a
contrast to the practices in Seacoast. Examining the perspectives of participants on formalized
mentoring practices would likely create a contrast with the perspectives gained from this study
and help to identify the strengths and weaknesses of both types of mentoring.
A study of various superintendents’ visions for leadership development could provide
insight into one of this study’s key findings. Since this study revealed that the superintendent
played a critical role in creating practices conducive for leadership development, further
examination of the superintendent’s role in other districts would provide complimentary data
from which to draw more generalized conclusions about its importance. It would be enlightening
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 85
to see how the superintendent’s vision for leadership development affects district practices for
building capacity in aspiring leaders.
A study could examine how the superintendent’s vision for leadership development is
influenced by board policy or stakeholder engagement. The transformational leadership practices
of the superintendent in this study resulted in a culture of leadership development. A
superintendent who is not a transformational leader or who possesses different transformational
leadership characteristics might operate differently. A study examining another superintendent’s
approach would provide rich data in a complementary study.
The final recommendation for future research is to examine the career paths of aspiring
leaders who were mentored in Seacoast Unified. Each district leader identified and mentored two
future leaders and invested in growing their leadership capacity. A future study could examine
these identified leaders, studying their experiences, job opportunities, and preparation for the
next level of site or district leadership. The study could shed extensive light on the effectiveness
of Seacoast’s promising practice, providing a holistic picture of the journey of the aspiring leader
at Seacoast.
Conclusion
This study was designed to identify promising practices employed by Seacoast Unified
for identifying, mentoring, and developing the next generation of leaders. Its findings suggest
that informal mentoring may be used as a strategy for building the leadership capacity of the next
generation of school and district leaders. At the direction of the superintendent, leadership
development has become widespread, pointing to the significance of the superintendent’s vision
and influence. Data revealed that aspiring leaders perceived that the superintendent held district
leaders accountable to the mentoring process, thus ensuring its implementation.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 86
In the face of principal attrition and turnover, district practices aimed at developing a
pool of highly qualified leaders are paramount to the continued success of a school district. The
findings of this study highlight the significance of the superintendent in casting the vision and
creating a mentoring culture to develop the next generation of leaders. Participant interviews,
observations, and artifact collection reiterated the significance of the superintendent. Aspiring
leaders stated that relationships were more critical than knowledge for career advancement. To
this end, informal mentoring has become a staple district practice in Seacoast, seeking to ensure
that, when the time comes to fill job vacancies, there will be a pool of highly qualified leaders.
The study revealed that, under the direction of a transformational leader, a district can implement
widespread initiatives aimed at developing the next generation of school leaders.
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 87
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BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 91
APPENDIX A
OBSERVATION PROTOCOL
Name of Site: ________________________ Date: __________________________
Type of Observation: ________________________
Participants: _________________________________
Purpose/Focus: ________________________________
Time Started ______________ Time Ended ________________ Total Time ______________
Environment
Observation Observer’s Notes
Setting/Location
• What does the environment look like?
• What is the physical set up?
• How are people positioned?
• What does the agenda look like? (Get copy)
• Does the meeting follow the agenda?
• How many people are in the meeting?

Participant(s)
• Attire of participants
• Participant engagement
• Who’s leading the meeting?
• Who sits where?
• Are they talking?
• Are they making eye contact?
• Leader’s practices in interacting with others
• People coming late/leaving early
• Diversity of the room (gender balance, ethnic
balance)

Interactions
Observation Observer’s Notes
Context
• Who’s talking to whom?
• What is their relationship?
• Roles of the participants?
• Topic of interaction/conversation
• Where is it taking place?
• Length of interaction?
• Purpose of interaction?
• Planned or unplanned?
•

• Overall Tone

BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 92
APPENDIX B
PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT LETTER
You have been selected to participate in this study due to your experiences with
leadership capacity building strategies in your school or district. As a participant in this study,
your contribution will assist those interested in implementing or expanding leadership capacity
building strategies in the educational settings in which they work.

The intent of this study is to discover how some schools and districts are building
leadership capacity and creating the next generation of school and district leaders. Some schools
and districts are able to shape the next generation of leaders despite the increasing rates of
retirement and attrition of educational leaders, teachers’ lack of desire and/or motivation to enter
leadership, and the increasing demands of educational leaders.

To that end, the following research questions are posed in an effort to gain insight into
successful leadership capacity building strategies:

1) In what says does X (name of entity) work to build the next generation of school
and district leaders?

2) What are the perceptions of stakeholders regarding the influence of the leadership
capacity building strategies?

3) What are the factors that facilitate and inhibit X’s (name of entity) strategies for
building leadership capacity?

Identifying strategies that schools and districts use to successfully build the next
generation of education leaders may provide a guide for other districts to follow. Exploring the
perceptions of stakeholders regarding the leadership capacity building strategies may improve
the content, execution and reach of such programs. Finally, the identification of facilitators and
inhibitors of the strategies may help others recognize catalysts and pitfalls for their current or
future leadership capacity building efforts.

Your participation in this study should take approximately two hours of your time over a
period of six weeks and will consist of the following activities:

• One or two interviews

• One observation of you in your work setting

Thank you in advance for considering my request for you to participate. Your
involvement is critical to the success of this study.

BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 93
APPENDIX C
MATRIX OF MENTEE INTERVIEW PROTOCOL TO RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Interview
Question
Number
Mentee
Question
Research
Question 1

In what
ways does X
(school,
district,
community
college, etc.)
work to build
the next
generation of
leaders?
Research
Question 2

What are the
perceptions of Y
(stakeholders)
regarding the
influence of
those
strategies/practic
es?
Research Question 3

What are the factors that
both facilitate and inhibit
the development and
implementation of
strategies that are designed
to build leadership
capacity?
N/A
1 Tell me briefly
about your
experience and
role at this site
X
2 What is the
mission/vision
of your school?
X
3 What
influenced you
to take on a
leadership
role?
X X X
4 What informs
your daily
leadership
practices?
X X
5 Your school is
identified as
having
promising
practices in
leadership
succession,
how are those
practices
communicated
to you?
X X X
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 94
6 What does
your
site/organizatio
n succession
plan look like?
A) And how
has that been
communicated
to you? B)
What has been
your response?
X X X
7 How have you
been supported
by the
leadership at
your
site/organizatio
n?
X X X
8 When you
think about a
dynamic or
transformation
al (great)
leader what
qualities/charac
teristics stand
out to you?
X
9 What
leadership
opportunities
have been
offered to you?
A) How did
you benefit
from these
opportunities?
B) How were
these
opportunities
communicated
to you?
X X X
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 95
10 What
district/instituti
on/school
supports are in
place to help
develop future
leaders? What
support have
you received
from your
district/instituti
on/school in
developing
leadership
capacity?
X X X
11 What obstacles
have you faced
in growing as a
leader?
X X
12 What forms of
formal and
informal
mentoring are
available at
your site?
A) Give me an
example?
X X X
13 What else
would you like
to share with us
about your
experience as a
leader?

BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 96
APPENDIX D
MATRIX OF MENTOR INTERVIEW PROTOCOL TO RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Interview
Question
Number
Interview Question Research
Question
1

In what
ways
does X
(school,
district,
communi
ty college,
etc.) work
to build
the next
generatio
n of
leaders?
Research Question
2

What are the
perceptions of Y
(stakeholders)
regarding the
influence of those
strategies/practic
es?
Research Question
3

What are the
factors that both
facilitate and inhibit
the development
and implementation
of strategies that
are designed to
build leadership
capacity?
N/A
1 Tell me briefly about
your experience and
role as a leader at
the school.
X
2 What is the
mission/vision of
your school?
X
3 What was significant
in you becoming an
administrator? A)
Who was influential
in your decision to
becoming an
administrator?
X X
4 What informs your
daily leadership
practices?
X X
5 Your school is
identified as having
promising practices
in leadership
succession, how
would you articulate
those practices?
X
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 97
6 What does a
succession plan look
like to you? A)
And how is that
communicated to the
different
stakeholders? B)
And how do they
respond?
X X X
7 How do you support
potential leaders at
your school?
X
8 When you are
thinking about
identifying a
potential leader,
what are you looking
for (skills, traits,
qualities, etc.)?
X
9 Give me an example
of a leader you
identified. Tell me
about the process
from you
recognizing him or
her, to him or her
becoming a leader
(principal, etc.)
X X
10 What opportunities
that you provide to
potential leaders on
your staff do you
find most useful in
developing their
leadership capacity?
How are those
communicated?
X X X
11 How do you address
those that aren't
ready to be leaders
but show an interest
in leadership?
X X
BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY 98
12 What
district/institution/
school supports are
in place to help
develop future
leaders? What
support have you
received from your
district/institution/s
chool in developing
leadership capacity?
X X
13 What obstacles have
you faced in helping
to develop
leadership capacity
in future leaders?
x
14 What forms of
formal and informal
mentoring is
available at your
site? A) How have
these mentoring
relationships led to
leadership
succession?
X X
15 What are the areas
that need the most
development/attenti
on before moving
them into leadership
roles?
X
16 Give me an example
of how you build
upon the strengths
of future leaders.
X

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This study on leadership development followed the theory of transformational leadership as a theoretical framework for understanding and evaluating the practices that build the capacity in the next generation of K–12 school and district leadership. The purpose was to identify strategies that comprise successful programs, both formal and informal, for aspiring administrators through examination of the perspectives of aspiring leaders and a detailed look at the factors that both inhibit and facilitate district implementation of strategies to build leadership capacity. The study was conducted using a series of semistructured interviews with district and site leaders in a K–12 district in Los Angeles County, California. Data were triangulated between observations, document analysis, and interviews. Findings indicated that the vision of the superintendent is the catalyst for development of promising district practices for building leadership capacity. Through identification, informal mentoring, and district-level accountability, this district has created a reservoir of highly qualified leaders. This study conveys the significance of transformational leadership by the superintendent in implementing promising practices for leadership development.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Weiss-Wright, Ryan (author)

Core Title Promising practices for developing leadership capacity in future school administrators

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 07/22/2016

Defense Date 03/08/2016

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag capacity,leadership capacity,mentoring,next generation of leaders,OAI-PMH Harvest

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Stowe, Kathy (committee chair), Malloy, Courtney (committee member), Ott, Maria (committee member)

Creator Email ryanmichaelwright@gmail.com,weisswri@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-274747

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Identifier etd-WeissWrigh-4589.pdf (filename),usctheses-c40-274747 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-WeissWrigh-4589.pdf

Dmrecord 274747

Document Type Dissertation

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Rights Weiss-Wright, Ryan

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

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