The cognitive processes used by educational leaders when solving problems

School leaders make decisions and are required to solve diverse problems. The purpose of this study was to observe the cognitive processes used by educational leaders as they solve problems.; The goal was to produce an extensive description of the problems faced by educational leaders and the strategies used to solve these problems.; To achieve an intentionally nonrandom, purposive sampling (Borland, 1990) of educational leaders, I have developed three separate case studies. These educational leaders were: a psychologist, an assistant principal, and a curriculum coordinator. All three were examined in light of their leadership role as problem solvers.; The leaders observed seemed to possess specific personality and leadership abilities which set them apart from their followers or less than effective counterparts. The qualities and abilities included: (a) a high level of personal drive, energy, and ambition; (b) persistence; (c) an advanced level of knowledge in their subject area; (d) developed sense of humor; (e) satisfaction with career choice; (f) ability to deal with ambiguous situations that did not have immediate closure; (g) self-confident attitude; and (h) strong communication and organizational skill.; The strategies employed by educational leaders are a major reason for the success of group problem solving efforts. Strategies that distinguish leaders who are successful in the area of group problem solving include: (a) commitment to staff involvement; (b) a sharing of accurate information; (c) empowerment of input of members of the school community who were willing to propose and resolve issues.; By effectively using schema, educational leaders seem to be able to draw from their memory the necessary information for problem-solving. Their cognitive mapping tends to follow a pattern which includes: (a) establishing that there was a problem and defining it; (b) breaking the problem down; (c) strategies for solving the problem; (d) alternate solutions to the problem; (e) delegation of responsibilities; (f) assessment and monitoring.; It is valid to state that educational leaders solve problems based on: (a) the personality of the leader and his or administrative frame of reference; (b) the contextual nature of the problem situation; and (c) the inter-personal dynamics of the group involved.