Collaborative or distributed? Exploring the context-dependent variations in leadership after-school programs

Abstract

Introduction: Switzerland is complex and heterogenous. Since ASP have developed over the past decades without neither national guidelines nor a clear purpose, the services and programs differ considerably. Furthermore, the delineation of leadership styles, the roles and responsibilities of leaders in ASP remain ambiguous. Methods: This empirical study describes the relationship between the organizational context of ASPs and different leadership styles. A newly developed framework of context-dependent leadership in ASP serves as a tool to interpret the commonalities between the experiences of five different ASP leaders. Results: The findings show that the broader municipal context shapes the way ASP leaders navigate their inter- and intra-organizational leadership role. The results indicate that ASP leaders must be flexible in their leadership styles according to the context and responsibilities. Discussion: The results point to important nuances of collaborative and distributed leadership styles which characterize leadership in ASP and call for ASP specific leadership development strategies that account for context-dependent variations.