| A search of secondary school leadership literature was conducted to isolate descriptions of secondary principal behaviors and related conditions which block the implementation of change in secondary schools. Content analysis of theme statements taken from forty-three articles describing secondary school principal leadership behaviors indicated that the lack of positive affective behaviors such as personality, style traits, and skills and abilities which allow an individual to influence others to change is the major factor blocking change.; Fourteen secondary school experts categorized 393 theme statements taken from secondary school leadership literature. Their task was to place each theme statement into one of four categories: Knowledge; Affective Behaviors; Related Conditions, and Other. Secondary school experts give 66.3% of their category assignments to the Affective Behaviors category; 25.7% to the Knowledge category; 4.7% to the Related Conditions category; and 3.3% to the Other category.; The lack of positive affective behaviors on the part of the secondary principal blocks change as described, in part, by Kurt Lewin's Field Theory. If there is to be change, there must be an atmosphere conducive to change. The lack of positive affective behaviors on the part of the secondary principal blocks change because it prevents the establishment of a change atmosphere in which there is open communication, cooperation, and mutual support, an atmosphere necessary to the establishment of Lewin's "unfreezing," "moving," and "refreezing" phenomena. The study is limited to descriptions of secondary principal behaviors found in secondary school leadership literature. Before any conclusions can be drawn about affective behaviors and the effectiveness of actual secondary school principals as change agents, studies of the relationship of actual secondary school principals, their affective behaviors and their success as change agents will have to be undertaken. |
