The ego development stage of school leaders in England and its implication for practice

Abstract

School headteachers/principals (HT/Ps) are responsible for responding to wicked problems in complex organisations. The way they make sense of that complexity and the multifaceted problems that need to be solved is crucial for them and their organisations. In all adults, sense-making is undertaken by the ego. Loevinger’s theory of adult ego development (AED) (Loevinger, 1966: Hy and Loevinger, 1996) describes how the functioning of the ego, and therefore sense-making, can shift through eight qualitatively different stages throughout the adult lifespan. These eight stages describe substantive differences in how adults interact with complexity, how they interpret multifaceted problems, how they interact with others, and how they work with their feelings. However, the way the AED stage of HT/Ps shapes their practice has not previously been the subject of study. Hence the rationale for the research reported in this thesis.

The AED stage of 20 HT/Ps was assessed using the Washington University Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT). HT/Ps in the Self-Aware, Conscientious and Individualist stages were identified. How HT/PS would typically comprehend and respond to critical incidents within their schools was collected from the HT/P and those that work closely with them. The common theme from HT/Ps within the same AED group as to how they comprehended and interacted with organisational complexity and to wicked problems were analysed.

There were substantive differences across the different stages of AED according to how HT/Ps: comprehended the complexity within their organisation; comprehended and responded to wicked problems; the role they gave others; how they processed feelings; and how those around them experienced the HT/P. The sense-making capability associated with later stages of AED appears to be advantageous in a range of ways. Based on these findings, I argue that this thesis and this novel data set offers several original contributions to theory, practice, and research methodology within educational leadership.

Date of Award	23 Apr 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Sam Carr (Supervisor) & Chris James (Supervisor)