Leading for the future: Drivers, measure, and outcomes of principal system leadership

The work of school principals has become more complex and challenging than ever due to unprecedented uncertainties, rapid changes, and overwhelming digitalization in schools today (Fullan et al., 2024; Pettersson et al., 2024). This phenomenon calls for a new leadership paradigm involving system leadership for not only addressing the challenges, but also fostering school transformation and sustainability in the new era (Hopkins & Harris, 2023; Gurr et al., 2022). When examining the local context, system leadership is certainly in need as principals in Hong Kong are required to navigate universal and unique challenges stemming from political, social, and digital transformation (PI, 2023). However, the literature on system leadership reveals significant gaps, including conception fragmentation, lack of instrument development, and methodological imbalance (Cheah, 2023; PI & Xu, under review).

Funding Source: RGC - General Research Fund (GRF)