Great school leaders don’t just manage — they inspire. Whether they’re working with teachers to align curricula across different grade levels or reshaping school policies to address gaps in their students’ performance, effective school leaders can make all the difference.
Recent research published in the journal Educational Management Administration & Leadership found that, while instructional leadership — directly helping teachers improve their classroom practices — remains key to a school’s success, leaders influence their schools in many areas and employ many styles of leadership.
So what do leadership styles in education look like, and which styles can make the biggest impact? Not every leader operates the same way, and that’s a good thing. And different situations call for different approaches. Earning an advanced degree in education can help educators discover the leadership style that best suits their strengths and circumstances.
Leaders in education do more than manage the day-to-day operations of their schools. They shape the learning culture that ensures their students and teachers can flourish. While administrative tasks are part of their job, the real heart of educational leaders’ work lies in creating a vision for their schools and building a path to achieve that vision.
Core components of educational leadership include:
Effective educational leaders help their schools look forward. By establishing clear, measurable goals grounded in the needs of their students and teachers, leaders ensure that their schools move in the right direction. Whether the goal is to raise literacy rates or improve graduation rates, having a shared vision allows the entire school community to work toward the same objectives.
Effective educational leaders empower their teachers to continuously grow and improve their instructional practices. This involves more than just organizing professional development workshops. It requires leaders to actively engage with teachers to understand their challenges and then offer specific solutions that can address those challenges.
For example, a principal may visit classrooms and then hold meetings with the teachers to share feedback on what’s working and what isn’t. Then the principal can collaborate with the teachers to help them set goals for improvement and pair the teachers with mentors who can provide model lesson plans, or suggest new strategies tailored to their specific needs.
Leaders also support teachers by aligning their professional development opportunities with the school’s and the district’s goals. For instance, if a school is focused on improving its students’ math scores, the principal may bring in math specialists to lead targeted training sessions or provide new curriculum resources.
Creating a safe and inclusive learning environment is central to educational leadership. Students learn best in places where they feel supported both academically and emotionally. Leaders in education can foster these types of supportive environments in various ways, from implementing policies that ensure English language learners’ needs are met to providing resources for students with disabilities.
Additionally, positive learning environments require maintaining high expectations for both students and teachers, balancing support with accountability.
For example, a principal may establish a school-wide policy that sets clear behavioral expectations for students, with consistent follow-through on consequences. At the same time, the principal may implement counseling and peer mediation programs to help students meet the behavioral expectations in place.
Without strong leadership, schools can struggle to reach their full potential. Effective leaders bring out the best in both students and staff. When leaders create a supportive environment, teachers feel more confident in trying innovative teaching methods and students become more engaged in their learning.
Research consistently shows that leadership in education is second only to classroom instruction when it comes to the school-related factors that impact students’ learning. This was highlighted in a 2004 landmark study commissioned by the Wallace Foundation. Updated research from the foundation in 2021 reaffirmed this, and suggested that the importance of educational leadership may be even greater than previously thought.
But why does leadership hold such weight in the educational process?
For starters, strong leadership acts as the foundation for all other elements of a school’s environment. Principals and other school leaders set a vision that guides their schools toward improvement. Without this vision, schools often lack the direction needed to make meaningful progress in areas such as student achievement, teacher development and overall school culture.
The impact of leadership becomes even more evident when schools face challenges. The Wallace Foundation’s research found that schools in the most difficult circumstances — whether they are dealing with underperformance, resource limitations or diverse student populations — benefit the most from strong leadership. In fact, the research found almost no examples of struggling schools being turned around without the intervention of effective leaders.
Beyond influencing their students’ achievement, good leaders impact nearly every aspect of school life. Effective leaders nurture environments where teachers feel supported and engaged, which directly improves the quality of their teaching. Effective leaders facilitate collaboration and ensure that resources are used to meet the needs of both teachers and students.
The ripple effects of strong leadership create cohesive, productive school communities.
Just as every student learns differently, every leader in education brings their own strengths and approach to the job. Consider some common leadership styles seen in educational settings and what makes each one unique.
Schools are complex organizations that need leaders who consider the unique perspectives of their teachers, parents and students. A collaborative approach can help leaders harness these diverse viewpoints to improve their school’s teaching, learning and culture.
Key attributes of collaborative leadership in education include:
Collaborative leadership is especially relevant in situations requiring teamwork, shared expertise or wide-scale buy-in. This includes:
Transformational leadership focuses on change and innovation. This approach involves creating a shared vision and sense of purpose, which are used as tools of motivation to help staff and students reach higher levels of performance.
Key attributes of transformational leadership in education include:
Transformational leadership is especially relevant when schools are going through situations involving large-scale change, including:
Challenges and needs can shift rapidly in school environments, due to changes in staff, new curriculum demands or any number of unexpected events. Situational leaders recognize that no single leadership style fits every scenario.
Individuals who use the situational leadership style in education adjust their approach based on the current unique circumstances and the varying developmental levels of their team members, so they can provide the right support at the right time.
Key attributes of situational leadership in education include:
Situational leadership is especially relevant in environments where flexibility and adaptability are key to success. This includes:
Teachers and staff must continue to develop their skills to meet the evolving needs of their students. Coaching leaders support this process by focusing on their teams’ personal growth and long-term development. Rather than directing, coaching leaders work alongside their team members to help them build on their strengths and find their own solutions to their challenges.
Key attributes of coaching leadership in education include:
Coaching leadership is especially relevant in situations that require a focus on long-term growth and professional development. These situations may include:
No matter their style, leaders in education strive to create positive learning environments where students feel safe, supported and motivated to learn. Leaders play a crucial role in setting their school’s tone. This goes beyond just enforcing the rules — it involves creating a culture that values respect, curiosity and inclusivity.
School leaders can build that kind of space in different ways including:
Leaders play a critical role in shaping a school culture where every student feels respected and valued. By actively promoting diversity and inclusion at the school-wide level through policies that reflect a commitment to equity and making sure the curriculum includes diverse perspectives, leaders set the standard for how classrooms operate.
When leaders prioritize inclusion, it signals to students and teachers alike that every voice matters, making learning more meaningful for everyone.
School culture flows from the top. When leaders model positive behaviors — whether that means listening to feedback, handling conflicts with grace or showing up with enthusiasm — the standard is set for teachers and students to follow.
A principal who consistently praises effort over achievement, for instance, helps create a culture where trying new things and taking risks in learning is celebrated.
Great learning environments start with ensuring teachers have the support they need. By prioritizing ongoing professional development that’s directly tied to the challenges teachers face, leaders help teachers build better school environments.
For example, offering teachers workshops on classroom management or helping them stay up to date on new technology tools can provide them with the valuable resources they need to effectively engage their students. Additionally, focusing on strengthening teachers’ understanding of pedagogy in education, such as how different teaching strategies impact students’ learning, can lead to them offer more effective instruction and create more positive learning environments.
Positive learning environments are dynamic, not static. Leaders who encourage innovation — whether through new teaching methods, the creative use of technology or flexible classroom setups — help keep both their teachers and students engaged. Giving teachers the freedom to try new things and then reflect on what works and what doesn’t work creates a culture where growth and experimentation are valued.
Earning a Master of Education (MEd) degree can provide educational leaders with several key benefits. Specific advantages include:
An MEd program is designed to help educators feel more confident in their ability to lead and support students. It teaches practical strategies to make lessons more relevant and engaging, ensuring all students feel included and motivated to learn.
By specializing in an area such as elementary education, special education or secondary education, educators can focus on the area where they want to make the most impact, whether that’s working with young children, students with disabilities or teens in high school.
An MEd program blends research-based knowledge with practical teaching strategies, enabling educators to apply new ideas in the classroom that can help boost their students’ learning. The skills they gain can be put to use right away, whether that means developing fresh ways to explain a lesson or employing effective methods for assessing their students’ progress.
Leaders who complete an MEd gain practical skills for managing classrooms and integrating technology. Educators learn how to organize classrooms in ways that help students stay focused and behave appropriately. This may involve learning to use digital tools to monitor and address students’ behavior or exploring interactive platforms that gamify learning and make lessons more dynamic.
Strong leaders create the conditions that allow their students, teachers and staff to thrive. However, successful leadership styles in education can vary considerably. Each different approach offers unique benefits that can help shape a positive learning environment.
Augusta University Online offers a Master of Education program that prepares educators to be inspiring and effective leaders. The program allows individuals to tailor their learning experience by choosing from six concentrations:
Ready to make a difference in education? Explore Augusta’s MEd program today, and discover how your leadership can transform the lives of students and educators alike.
Recommended Readings
How to Become a Special Education Director
Self-Care Tips for Teachers
7 Types of Education Degrees You Can Pursue to Advance Your Career
Sources:
Educational Management Administration & Leadership, “A Systematic Review of Research on the Relationship Between School Leadership and Student Achievement: An Updated Framework and Future Direction”
Indeed, “Leadership Styles in Education: 5 Effective Ways to Lead”
International Journal of Development and Public Policy, “Leadership Styles and School Effectiveness”
LinkedIn, “How Can You Use Situational Leadership in Education?”
OCM Solution, “Best Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Transformational Leadership in Schools”
School Leadership & Management, “The Importance of School Leadership? What We Know”
ThoughtExchange, “5 Effective Leadership Styles in Education — How to Make Them Work for You”
Wallace Foundation, “How Leadership Influences Student Learning”
Wallace Foundation, “How Principals Affect Students and Schools: A Systematic Synthesis of Two Decades of Research”
