Leadership qualities found in administrators performing simultaneous duties identified by teacher experiences

The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore the experiences of teachers in small rural school districts with an administrator that served as superintendent and principal simultaneously and reflect on what they identified as leadership qualities and characteristics. The participants were all teachers who worked in School Districts A, B, or C for a minimum of one full school year. The sample consisted of fifteen respondents who answered interview questions online anonymously via Survey Monkey. The following research questions guided this study: What do teachers identify, based on their professional experiences, as leadership qualities in an administrator who serves as superintendent and principal simultaneously? What leadership style is defined by the administrative qualities of an administrator who serves as superintendent and principal simultaneously, as identified by teachers' professional experiences? What do teachers identify as ways the "simultaneous" administrator creates a school climate conducive for collaboration between teachers and the community? What do teachers identify as ways the "simultaneous" administrator's vision for the school is incorporated in daily practices and how does this promote student achievement? What do teachers identify as events or practices in which the "simultaneous" administrator has gone beyond the scope of a typical administrator's duties, to promote student achievement? The researcher found that administrators with simultaneous duties practiced distributive leadership styles. The administrators were generally successful and viewed in a positive manner by teachers. The results of this study implied that distributive leadership was good for administrators with limited personnel who had simultaneous duties. In teacher experiences, successful administrators who had simultaneous duties can and were successful when they conveyed they visions, delegated duties, and empowered their staff.