Date of Award

Spring 3-14-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Douglas DeVore, EdD

Second Advisor

George Giokaris, EdD

Third Advisor

Nicolas Damico, EdD

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe how exemplary middle school principals use the five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organization.

Methodology: This phenomenological study described the lived experiences of exemplary middle school principals in Los Angeles and Orange County. The participants were selected through nonprobability purposeful sampling and met the criteria for exemplary middle school principals. As a member of a thematic research team of nine peer researchers and three faculty advisors, we developed a semistructured interview protocol for data collection. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, relevant artifacts were collected, and all data were analyzed to identify themes related to the research questions.

Findings: The findings from the study indicate exemplary middle school principals use what Perlis (2013) identified as the five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to achieve extraordinary results. The data revealed 16 themes and 237 references across the five principles.

Conclusions: Based on the literature and findings of this study it is concluded exemplary middle school principals use the five principles associated with grit to achieve their purpose, the purpose of the organization, and to lead organizational change. Exemplary middle school principals seek the support of high functioning teams to strengthen their courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and aim for excellence. Through personal and professional self-care, exemplary middle school principals can achieve extraordinary results.

Recommendations: It is recommended that hiring districts embed interview questions that identify courage, conscientiousness, use of long-term goals, resilience, and aim for excellence in prospective principals. For aspiring principals, administrator preparation programs should present the transformational leadership model in relation to the principles associated with grit. Principals should partake in professional development to create high functioning teams. Lastly, school districts and professional organizations should encourage self-care practices for middle school principals.

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