The role of middle leaders in Australian schools as influencers on classroom practice has been the focus of increased attention in recent years. Although there is recognition of the importance of middle leaders, there are gaps in what we understand about their practices and the nuances of practice that occur due to site-based conditions, or…

Resilience training for Further Education (FE) managers has become an increasingly familiar aspect of management development. This paper challenges the accepted orthodoxies underpinning resilience as a 'learnable' skill required to succeed as a manager. In particular, it addresses the concepts of toxic positivity, growth mindset (Dweck) and Grit…

This account of practice is based on a French pharmaceutical company in China that faced the challenge of transforming its business model in an era of dramatic external changes. By introducing the methodology and practice of action learning, it brought value and results to business development, talent reserves, and knowledge management, which…

This study explains the impact of a leadership intervention in collaborative problem-solving on the behaviour of eight middle leaders, on the teachers of those leaders, and on the reading achievement of their target students. A theory and practice of collaborative problem-solving, which integrates deliberative problem-solving with interpersonal…

Purpose: This study addresses a gap in the knowledge on how longitudinal engagement in a school improvement initiative influences change in middle leaders' (MLs') interactions and assesses how school-university partnerships around school improvement can support teachers with formal leadership roles (i.e. MLs') leadership development.…

This collection addresses key issues in the preparation and development of school leaders across eight countries and four world areas (North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Australasia). The work offers evidence-based insights into the current and future leadership preparation and development needed for school success. The future focus extends…

Leadership development is not considered as a core component in higher education policies specifically when we examine the higher education polices of developing countries. To fill this gap, an intervention is designed to evaluate the impact of a leadership development program in academic leaders. The prime objective of this intervention was to…

This paper critically explores the opportunity for leadership development in higher education within an interpretative inquiry paradigm from the perspective of middle-level academics transitioning into leadership/management roles in Australian universities. Middle-level academics are described as being at a mid-point in their careers and…

Middle-level administrators in African universities are often under-utilised in terms of their contribution to the administrative support for learning and teaching. They also have little access to professional development. This paper presents the findings of a study to develop a programme to enable these administrators to enhance their support for…

Gender equity and women's access to senior leadership and management positions in universities are a major challenge not only in South Africa but on the African continent, too. For women to take up senior leadership roles more potently, it is essential that they not only cope with and compete in patriarchal systems but more so, are equipped to…

In Australia, there is a national education agenda for school improvement with an increasing focus on how school leaders can fulfil this agenda. As school principals are arguably faced with increasing demands, the importance of school middle leaders is increasing. This article presents the initial findings from a larger project on middle…

The professional development of middle leaders in higher education is little considered in existing research, though there are general concerns being raised about the suitability of the professional development opportunities currently available. This article develops and explores the use of meta-reflection as a method for professional development,…

The purpose of this conceptual explanatory research is to highlight the importance of training of Middle Managers or Heads of Department (HoDs) in leadership and management in South African public schools. Leadership responsibilities in schools are becoming more complex to the extent that principals can no longer be sole leaders in schools. The…

This paper sets out to examine the role of middle leaders and their quest for effective appraisal and leadership development online--the two towers. Research that focuses on the role of middle leaders, in terms of their appraisal and leadership development, suggests there is a crisis in the "middle." Currently, middle leaders do not have…

The importance of middle leaders in bringing about improvement in schools is well recognized in the UK, as in many other countries, with the ever-present demand for raising standards and achievement. This article outlines some initial findings and discussion points emerging from the first stage of a project exploring how middle leaders in…