How do teachers perceive meaningful leadership? Overview of a qualitative exploration

• Main Author: Ahmet Göçen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Journal of Pedagogical Research 2021-01-01
• Series: Journal of Pedagogical Research
• Subjects: meaningful leadership; meaning-based leadership; meaningfulness; teachers
• Online Access: https://www.ijopr.com/download/how-do-teachers-perceive-meaningful-leadership-overview-of-a-qualitative-exploration-9604.pdf

Leaders’ self-realization and their intra-group behaviors at work are influenced by elements such as a sense of meaningful purpose and intrinsic motivation. This study aims to construct a model of meaningful leadership, based on the values, aspirations, and attitudes of a leader and how these qualities help them develop positive organizational cultures. The research, based on constructivist grounded theory design, utilized semi-structured interview technique with 15 teachers, examining their perceptions of meaningfulness and leadership. These interviews revealed ten core dimensions of meaningful leadership: An ultimate purpose in life, sharing meaning, understanding, linking the past, present, and future, wisdom, peacefulness, a sense of ethics, serving others, inner motivation, and fostering unity. These dimensions can be considered essential when identifying meaningful leaders. This proposed model of leadership, with a focus on meaningfulness, can play a pivotal role in an organization by contributing to self-realization of members and ensuring the unity of purpose. In educational organizations, a meaningful leadership approach can leverage leaders’ efforts by providing an intrinsic motivation source for all school members.