Life at the Top

A new Monash University study is exploring the emotional demands experienced by Australian principals.

Led by Monash University’s Faculty of Education, the study will provide a chance for principals in public schools to tell their stories about how these demands are impacting the nature of their work.

The survey will provide a glimpse into the nature and complexity of a principalship through a publicly available website which will curate and anonymously showcase some of the principals’ stories. The findings will also identify the changing nature of a principal’s role when it comes to meeting emotional demands.

The new knowledge will be used to augment principal workforce development and to create a framework for policymakers that develops leaders’ emotional skills.

Researchers expect that increased knowledge will reduce principal turnover, improve teacher retention, improve student outcomes and create greater social cohesion.

The project will run for three years and lead researcher, Professor Jane Wilkinson from the Faculty of Education, says the emotional intensity of principals’ work has often been an invisible element of their roles and not easily quantified or measured.

“Research needs to address not only the impact of excessive workload in terms of long hours, crucial though that is, but also the increased emotional intensity of this work. It’s the emotionally draining nature of the work, the ‘hard’ hours where principals are dealing with more and more demanding, emotionally-intense situations as they support troubled staff, students and parents. This ‘invisible’ element of a principal's work plays a significant role in increasing the stressors that impact their health and wellbeing,” said Professor Wilkinson.

Managing one’s emotions and navigating those of others - ‘emotional labour’ - is a crucial aspect of principals’ work, but not a lot is known about it.

Chief Investigator, Professor Lucas Walsh, added that a principal’s job requires a stressful negotiation of demands of students, staff, parents and carers, among other demands.

“Managing these competing demands, and the emotional capacity to switch seamlessly between interactions with diverse members of school communities, can affect health and wellbeing, including chronic stress, burnout and low job satisfaction,” said Professor Walsh.

“I am often reminded of the privilege and price of leadership in the role of a principal. You are working with colleagues to improve the teaching and learning outcomes for the students in your school. However, most of your time is spent dealing with intense critical matters. You are always navigating difficult relationships and very complex matters. All of it takes a toll. There is help available but you are intrinsically responsible and you’re often left exhausted at the end of each year,” said Pitsa Binnion PSM, retired school principal of 15 years.

To learn more about the study, visit: https://www.monash.edu/education/