Addressing Challenges in Practicing Authentic Leadership: Insights from Principals of High-Performing Secondary Schools in Guangdong, China
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| Title: | Addressing Challenges in Practicing Authentic Leadership: Insights from Principals of High-Performing Secondary Schools in Guangdong, China |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jiewen Xie (ORCID |
| Source: | Research in Educational Administration & Leadership. 2026 11(1):198-235. |
| Availability: | EARDA Turkish Educational Administration Research & Development Association. Dokuz Eylul University, Buca Faculty of Education, Izmir, Turkey 35150. e-mail: eyedderinfo@gmail.com; Web site: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/real/archive |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 38 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Leadership Styles, Principals, Secondary Schools, Cultural Context, Asian Culture, Confucianism, Moral Values, Decision Making, Feedback (Response), Ethics, Modeling (Psychology), Educational Strategies |
| Geographic Terms: | China |
| ISSN: | 2564-7261 |
| Abstract: | This study examines how authentic leadership is practiced by principals of high-performing secondary schools in Guangdong Province, China. Drawing on four-dimensional authentic leadership theory--self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing, and internalized moral perspective--this study investigates the difficulties and culturally responsive strategies school leaders adopt as they confront these challenges. A qualitative multiple case study was conducted; data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis in four schools. The findings illustrate that authentic leadership in China is rooted in structural constraints and Confucian culture. Principals reported that hierarchical roadblocks, lack of teacher voice, clashing stakeholder expectations, and the conflict between moral principles and administrative constraints hindered their efforts. However, they negotiated these limitations using approaches such as reflective discussion, open decision making, inclusive feedback, and positive ethical modelling. The study suggests that authentic leadership in non-Western contexts is not an absolute trait but a socially situated process that is contingent on one's cultural understanding and ethical skill. These results extend authentic leadership theory to developing greater understanding for an Asian context and have practical implications for leadership development in Confucian-heritage educational settings. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1516562 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This study examines how authentic leadership is practiced by principals of high-performing secondary schools in Guangdong Province, China. Drawing on four-dimensional authentic leadership theory--self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing, and internalized moral perspective--this study investigates the difficulties and culturally responsive strategies school leaders adopt as they confront these challenges. A qualitative multiple case study was conducted; data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis in four schools. The findings illustrate that authentic leadership in China is rooted in structural constraints and Confucian culture. Principals reported that hierarchical roadblocks, lack of teacher voice, clashing stakeholder expectations, and the conflict between moral principles and administrative constraints hindered their efforts. However, they negotiated these limitations using approaches such as reflective discussion, open decision making, inclusive feedback, and positive ethical modelling. The study suggests that authentic leadership in non-Western contexts is not an absolute trait but a socially situated process that is contingent on one's cultural understanding and ethical skill. These results extend authentic leadership theory to developing greater understanding for an Asian context and have practical implications for leadership development in Confucian-heritage educational settings. |
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| ISSN: | 2564-7261 |
