Shaping the leadership configuration of principals and vice-principals: The principal socialising agent

Abstract

This article examines how principals socially construct the leadership configuration of principals and vice-principals in Singapore and what factors influenced the principal's shaping of this configuration. The qualitative study, involving the interview of 10 principals, sought to understand how principals made sense of their vice-principals roles vis-a-vis their own roles, as well as what influenced their perspectives. Coding involved a mix of codes from the literature and grounded from the interviews. Findings revealed that principals perceived themselves as the main and final decision maker, guarding certain responsibilities, and needing to be in the know. They perceived the vice-principal's role to be mainly a supporting role, while simultaneously expecting the latter to challenge the principal's thinking. Principals varied in how they include vice-principals in work perceived as more the principal's responsibility. A high-power distance culture and the principals’ own induction and experiences as vice-principals shaped the principals’ crafting of the leadership configuration. The study highlights the principals’ role as a community in reproducing the type of vice-principals that the system values, raising a concern that bounded empowerment limits the leadership and growth of vice-principals. However, there is some evidence that principals’ agency can counter predominant socialising forces.