The Real Deal: A Qualitative Investigation of Authentic Leadership in Irish Primary School Leaders

Jemma Lynch, Dympna Daly, Niamh Lafferty and Patricia Mannix McNamara
Additional contact information
Jemma Lynch: School of Education, University of Limerick, V94 PX58 Limerick, Ireland
Dympna Daly: School of Education, University of Limerick, V94 PX58 Limerick, Ireland
Niamh Lafferty: School of Education, University of Limerick, V94 PX58 Limerick, Ireland
Patricia Mannix McNamara: School of Education, University of Limerick, V94 PX58 Limerick, Ireland

Societies, 2022, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-20

Abstract: Recognition of the importance of authentic leadership is growing in popularity amonleadership scholars. However, little remains known about how it is valued or received among practicing school leaders. The purpose of this research was to explore the perspectives and experiences of school leaders with reference to authentic leadership in Irish primary school leaders. As this is a scoping study, a qualitative research design was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with school leaders. Core traits of self-awareness, balanced processing, relational transparency and internalized perspectives, that are associated with authentic leadership emerged as important for those interviewed. Barriers and facilitators of authentic leadership were also identified including educational policy, procedures and school culture.

Keywords: authenticity; authentic leadership; educational leadership; leadership; primary schools (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/12/4/106/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/12/4/106/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:12:y:2022:i:4:p:106-:d:861660

Access Statistics for this article

Societies is currently edited by Ms. Farrah Sun

More articles in Societies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().