Positive Leadership as the Means to Enhance Thriving in Teamwork in Early Childhood Education

Samuli Ranta ()
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Samuli Ranta: University of Lapland

Chapter 11 in Positive Leadership, 2026, pp 219-243 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Teachers’ leadership plays a critical role in guiding team dynamics, promoting efficiency, and preventing disorganization in early childhood education (ECE). The ability to build strong relationships and reinforce the meaningfulness of work contributes to improved collaboration. However, limited research has explored teachers’ experiences of team leadership in ECE. This study focuses on two research questions: 1) what skills do teachers deem essential for fostering cooperation among team members, and 2) what types of support do they experience as essential for facilitating cooperation in teams? The data were collected through open-ended responses from 250 teachers and analyzed using the phenomenographic method. Key leadership skills identified include dealing with difficult situations, pedagogical skills, managing interaction and collaboration, and managing a positive atmosphere. Teachers experience the need for support in developing teamwork and implementing pedagogy. Finally, a figure is presented summarizing the key findings on abilities to implement positive team leadership in ECE.

Keywords: Teamwork; Team leadership; Positive leadership; Early childhood education; Phenomenography (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-02369-8_11

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-02369-8_11

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