How do male and female Headteachers evaluate their authenticity as school leaders?

Abstract

This article utilises the model of authentic leadership by Bill George et al. to explore the extent to which gender influences teacher leader authenticity in the school workplace. Four male and four female Secondary Heads of School were asked to complete George et al.’s authentic leadership self-assessment tool and provide a written commentary reflecting on and contextualising their performance in five key areas identified by George et al.: Purpose – Passion; Values – Behaviour; Heart – Compassion; Relationships – Connectedness and Self-discipline – Consistency. The responses of the four male teacher leaders were compared with those of the four female teacher leaders and the results show that the male teacher leaders rated themselves more positively than female counterparts in all areas except Relationships – Connectedness. In all five categories the written reflections suggest that male and female leaders have gendered approaches to the notion of authenticity and conceive of school leadership in markedly different ways.