A qualitative study of high school principals during the COVID-19 pandemic and the perceived impact of authentic, communicative and relational leadership

ABSTRACT

In March 2020, the governor of Pennsylvania mandated school closure for two weeks and on April 9, 2020, the mandate was extended through the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The pandemic caused uncertainties and immediate crisis for educational entities. Learning during school closure was transformed with students relying on technology to connect with teachers and peers for instruction and social interactions (Harris & Jones, 2020). Authentic leaders are prepared to lead through challenges and times of crisis as a result of self-awareness, confidence and resilience (George, 2009). During crisis events, leaders must establish a foundation for transparent, clear and straightforward communication (George, 2009). Stakeholders expect leaders to be relational and provide open, trusted and committed relationships to establish collaboration (George, 2003). Given the overwhelming burden placed on school principals to lead through abrupt crisis, a qualitative, phenomenological study was conducted to investigate the lived experiences of high school principals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The perceived impact of authentic, communicative and relational leadership on high school principals in Western Pennsylvania was the focus of the study. Data gathered from semi-structured interviews revealed 15 themes. The significant key findings included prioritizing the needs of teachers before all other stakeholder groups and addressing the learning needs of students, utilizing multiple modes of communication and celebrating successes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)