Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the leadership strategies superintendents use to develop positive morale in their principals. This study determines the extent to which the superintendent's leadership strategies align with Kouzes and Posner's (2012) 5 practices of exemplary leadership. This research-based leadership framework was used as the theoretical framework for this study. Methodology. The design of the study was qualitative, and the dynamic narrative approach research method was applied. The method combines technology, storytelling in a written narrative, and collaboration. To identify the best leadership practices used by superintendents to develop positive principal morale, superintendent participants responded to 5 semistructured interview questions. The participants were all superintendents of public school districts in Southern California. Validity was established through an expert panel of researchers, and data analysis included interreviewer reliability. Findings. The study identified 11 best practices for developing Kouzes and Posner's 5 practices of exemplary leadership. Leading by example, listening for input, cultivate a culture of innovation, foster collaboration, and personal recognition emerged as the top practices for this study. Conclusions. The results of this research add to the literature ways superintendents support principals. This study adds to this by being specific on the leadership strategies used by superintendents to develop positive morale in their principals. Implications. The findings of this study will add to the field of education and leadership, especially in a K-12 setting. This study will support current and future superintendents so they will be able to add to their already existing list of best practices to support their principals and develop positive morale so the principal will be an extraordinary leader and make a lasting and positive impact on all students and their learning. Recommendations. Explore whether the 11 best practices identified have a different impact on elementary principals than high school principals, focus on superintendents in urban school districts, explore the best practices of chief executive officers of private schools and determine if the strategies are different than those of public school superintendents, and use a different research method to capture the perspective of what support a principal needs from a superintendent to develop positive principal morale.