Abstract
In this study, we inquired about patterns of leadership distribution, as well as which leadership functions were performed by whom, the characteristics of nonadministrative leaders, and the factors promoting and inhibiting the distribution of leadership functions. We consider our account of distributed leadership in this district to be a probable example of “best practice” at the present time—not perfect, but likely more mature than average by a significant degree. The most noteworthy detail to emerge from our study was the critical part played by formal school and district leaders in helping to foster apparently productive forms of distributed leadership.
Notes
1Questions on the survey included, for example:
1. | Who provides some form of leadership for this initiative? | ||||
2. | Why have you nominated X as a leader? | ||||
3. | What does each of the people you nominated as a leader do that counts in your mind, as leadership? | ||||
4. | How have they come to do these things? Do you know who decided they would? | ||||
5. | Can you give some examples of things that have happened as a result of their leadership? |