TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose– The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between four patterns of distributed leadership and a modified version of a variable Hoy et al. have labeled “teachers' academic optimism.” The distributed leadership patterns reflect the extent to which the performance of leadership functions is consciously aligned across the sources of leadership, and the degree to which the approach is either planned or spontaneous.Design/methodology/approach– Data for the study were the responses of 1,640 elementary and secondary teachers in one Ontario school district to two forms of an online survey, xx items in form 1 and yy items in form 2. Two forms were used to reduce the response time required for completion and each form measured both overlapping and separate variables.Findings– The paper finds that high levels of academic optimism were positively and significantly associated with planned approaches to leadership distribution, and conversely, low levels of academic optimism were negatively and significantly associated with unplanned and unaligned approaches to leadership distribution.Originality/value– This study provides as‐yet rare empirical evidence about the relationship between distributed leadership and other important school characteristics. It also adds support to arguments for the value of more coordinated forms of leadership distribution.
VL  - 46
IS  - 2
SN  - 0957-8234
DO  - 10.1108/09578230810863271
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230810863271
AU  - Mascall Blair
AU  - Leithwood Kenneth
AU  - Straus Tiiu
AU  - Sacks Robin
ED  - Alma Harris
PY  - 2008
Y1  - 2008/01/01
TI  - The relationship between distributed leadership and teachers' academic optimism
T2  - Journal of Educational Administration
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 214
EP  - 228
Y2  - 2024/04/25
ER  -