Conversations: A means of learning, growth and change

Abstract

The research reported in this article formed part of a university/industry collaborative grant in which the role of leaders in managing cultural change across an industry site was investigated. The focus of the article concerns the leadership of a district director in a rural setting in Queensland. The study was shaped by the interests of the district director who sought feedback on her leadership style and influence on principals in the district. A team of researchers from the School of Professional Studies in the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology conducted semi-structured interviews with a sample of six principals with whom she had worked over a period of one year to gauge their perceptions of her influence on their thinking and acting. A key finding of the research was that well-led conversations can be an effective professional development strategy for learning, growth and change in educational leaders.