ERIC Number: EJ1481043
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1175-9232
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Navigating Leadership Complexities: Doing the Right Work, the Right Way
Erin Sawyer
Kairaranga, v26 n1 p60-71 2025
This case study explores the complexity of leading adaptive change within a large RTLB (Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour) cluster in Aotearoa. Centred on the dilemma of how to adapt an internal case management tool (eRTLB) to strengthen best practices, the reflection draws on the principles of adaptive leadership and Robinson's (2022) collaborative problem-solving model. It highlights the interplay between context, leadership, and professional learning in navigating systemic variability and fostering coherence across a diverse team. Through deliberate attention to relationships, cultural responsiveness, and shared decision-making, the process sought to balance consistency with practitioner autonomy--honouring both professional judgement and collective responsibility. The case illustrates how strategic and virtuous leadership can support sustainable change by embedding collaborative inquiry, reflective learning, and cultural grounding into everyday practice. In doing so, it reinforces the importance of 'doing the right work the right way'--an approach that acknowledges complexity, leverages collective expertise, and places mokopuna at the centre of improvement efforts.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Leadership, Educational Change, Cooperation, Problem Solving, Models, Cultural Relevance, Interpersonal Relationship, Personal Autonomy
Massey University. Private Bag 11 222; Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. Tel: +64-6-351-3396; Fax: +64-6-351-3472; email: kairaranga@massey.ac.nz; Web site: https://www.kairaranga.ac.nz/index.php/k/issue/view/35
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Zealand
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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