Abstract:
In this paper we merge ideas from psychology, organisation theory and marketing to arrive at a model of role theory applicable to educational leadership and management that we term the Total Role Concept. Through defining work roles as including core, expected, augmented and potential elements, and through re-analysis of three extensive case studies of the work of successful Australian principals involved in the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP), we show how successful leaders leave the relative safety of their concrete and tangible management roles and focus on the more abstract and intangible leadership aspects of their role. The paper shows how school leaders can be innovative and creative by exploring and enacting the outer boundaries and potential of their role.