RELATIONAL AND STRATEGIC DIMENSIONS OF SELF-LEADERSHIP AMONG PRINCIPALS AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS
| Authors | Contact |
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Peter Babajide Oloba Department of Languages, Cultural Studies and Applied Linguistics Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa |
olobapeter4u@gmail.com |
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Sumayah Ebrahim Department of Education Management and Leadership Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa |
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Emmanuel Tendai Pfupa Department of Education Management and Leadership Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa |
Abstract
This study explored the relational and strategic dimensions of self-leadership among principals and heads of departments in public high schools in Bindura District, Zimbabwe, within increasingly demanding educational contexts marked by limited resources, policy shifts, administrative burdens, and declining teacher morale. While previous leadership studies have largely concentrated on managerial and instructional functions, limited attention has been paid to how school leaders enact self-leadership through relational engagement and strategic responsiveness in everyday school practice. Grounded in Manz’s Self-Leadership Theory and Bass’s Transformational Leadership Theory, the study adopted an interpretivist qualitative case study approach to examine how school leaders practise and experience self-leadership in challenging school environments. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews with twelve purposively selected participants, comprising four principals and eight heads of departments from four public high schools. Thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework, was employed to analyse the data. The findings revealed that relational and strategic self-leadership was enacted through effective communication, empathy, visionary thinking, adaptability, goal orientation, and role modelling. These practices enabled school leaders to foster trust, articulate institutional goals, navigate contextual challenges, and positively shape school culture. However, the study also identified challenges associated with emotional labour, performance expectations, and continuous adaptation within resource-constrained settings. The study contributes to educational leadership scholarship by broadening understandings of self-leadership beyond self-regulation to include relational influence and strategic adaptability. The study recommends leadership development programmes that strengthen communication, empathy, and adaptive leadership competencies in school leadership preparation and practice.
Keywords
Adaptability; Communication; Empathy; Role Modelling; School Leadership; Self-Leadership; Visionary Leadership
