Leading from the middle: vice-principals in Singapore as boundary spanners

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine leading from the middle, which is consistent with calls to distribute leadership, while expanding the direction of influence, from the normal top-down to include a bottom-up or lateral direction. The paper proposes that the position of the vice-principal enables the role incumbent to lead from the middle as a boundary spanner. The research question was what leadership from the middle looks like for vice-principals.Design/methodology/approachThe study consisted of interviews of 28 vice-principals and 10 principals. A mixed case and theme-oriented strategy was adapted, with member checking with each vice-principal.FindingsThe findings indicate that in leading from the middle, vice-principals play boundary spanning roles of connecting, translating and brokering: (1) connecting between organisational levels, (2) translating between vision/direction and actualisation, (3) connecting between middle managers and (4) brokering and translating between the ministry and the school.Originality/valueLeading from the middle is a nascent concept which is worth exploring, given the complexity of educational systems with multiple ecological levels, and the need for leadership to create coherence between the levels.

Vice-principals as leaders: Role ambiguity and role conflicts faced by vice-principals in Singapore

“…In leading from the middle, vice-principals sometimes felt like they were stuck in the middle, conflicted between their role of supporting the principal, which means acting as desired by the principal, and their role of leading through working with their key personnel (Ho et al, 2020):For me, personally, staff engagement is an area that I really value…So I would have my own opinion in terms of what a school leader needs to do, in terms of raising the level of staff engagement. So among the various principals that I have worked with, I have very strong opinions in terms of what I feel needs to be done towards raising staff engagement.…”

“…In a recent article, Shin et al (2020) observe that role ambiguity is likely to be felt by managers who play a boundary role and have to deal with multiple role senders. Certainly, the position of the vice-principal, located between the principal and the staff, has traditionally been a delicate one involving boundary spanning (Ho et al, 2020). The literature has consistently highlighted problems faced by vice-principals, which will be elaborated on in the next section.…”

“…Vice-principals were asked what they understood to be their roles vis-à-vis principals, what factors enabled or constrained their enactment of leadership, and how they dealt with constraints. Findings for the study's research question on the leadership roles of Singapore vice-principals have been reported in two articles (Ho, Kang, & Shaari, 2020;Ho, Shaari, & Kang, 2021). One article illustrates how Singapore vice-principals work with their principals to co-set directions, motivate staff, lead instruction and promote a desired culture (Ho, Shaari, & Kang, 2020), while the other explains how vice-principals lead from the middle as boundary spanners (Ho, Kang, & Shaari, 2020).…”

“…Findings for the study's research question on the leadership roles of Singapore vice-principals have been reported in two articles (Ho, Kang, & Shaari, 2020;Ho, Shaari, & Kang, 2021). One article illustrates how Singapore vice-principals work with their principals to co-set directions, motivate staff, lead instruction and promote a desired culture (Ho, Shaari, & Kang, 2020), while the other explains how vice-principals lead from the middle as boundary spanners (Ho, Kang, & Shaari, 2020). In summary, while Singapore vice-principals enact leadership roles and contribute to the functioning of schools, they face challenges as their boundary spanning roles involve them in connecting actors across hierarchical levels and translating policies to daily practices.…”

“…How participants dealt with these constraints also partially answered the research question on enabling factors. Ho et al (2020) demonstrate that vice-principals are key actors worth studying because of their close access to principals, and thus the possibility of a productive working relationship, with both parties providing leadership (Gronn, 1999;Ng and Ho, 2012), or a dysfunctional relationship with the vice-principal's leadership being constrained (Baker et al, 2018). It is important for policy makers and school leaders to understand what constrains vice-principals from exercising leadership and how they can deal with such constraints, given that they are the other partner in the senior leadership couple and a key member of the senior management team (Bush and Glover, 2012;Wallace, 2002).…”