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The purpose of this paper is to examine dilemmas encountered by kindergarten head teachers with the further aim of developing their capability to recognise and resolve “leadership dilemmas”.

Action research was used to conduct a three‐phase study involving 16 kindergarten head teachers and six system managers (within the Auckland region). A reconnaissance phase investigated the nature of perceived dilemmas and typical responses. In the second phase, an intervention that provided participants with both the theory and practice skills was implemented. A third phase of research evaluated the extent to which change had occurred.

The reconnaissance phase findings (pre‐learning questionnaire) confirm the incidence of dilemmas in kindergarten settings. The data show that, while leaders could identify issues that signalled the presence of dilemmas, they were unable to articulate leadership dilemmas clearly or confront them successfully. A professional development intervention was evaluated using a post‐learning questionnaire. There is evidence that these leaders were better able to recognise and articulate the leadership dilemmas they encountered in performance management settings. The findings show that participants are able to analyse their responses to these dilemmas by relating these to the theory base and indicating where they believe there is need for further learning. In summary, the intervention did change participants' practice but the study is limited by its inability to gauge internalisation of learning and study its implementation. For this to occur another cycle of action research is required.

The paper is original in that it studies the practices of leaders in relation to resolving dilemmas which arise when leaders manage the performance of staff. If leaders have an understanding of the theory and skills they need to address these tension‐laden problems, they could positively influence the quality of teaching and learning through leadership practices.

Our chapter examines the ways national developments in Australia and New Zealand over the past two decades reflect distinctively antipodean understandings of educational leadership and management. Our interest is twofold. We are concerned about the extent to which these understandings are reflected in strategies designed to enhance the quality of school leadership. We are also concerned about the extent to which these strategies represent progress towards achieving ‘sustainable’ school leadership. We define sustainable leadership in terms of both building leadership capacity within the organisation and embedding lasting organisational change (Fink & Brayman, 2006; Hargreaves & Fink, 2006; Spillane, 2006). The concept used here implies both models of distributed or shared leadership and leadership succession.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model for holistic professional development as an alternative to practices that have been piecemeal and curriculum focused ignoring, in particular, the critical dimension of management development.

A conceptual framework for considering professional development needs is provided in the form of an holistic model. The model, with its meshed infrastructure of appropriate educational leadership, performance management and strategic management suggests that four essential dimensions – curriculum, management, school and personal development – can be adapted as a basis for planning and evaluating a school's professional development programme.

Leaders at both system and school level should be interested in the insights provided and challenged to think differently about current practice and the implications for strategic management when the active management of professional development is made a priority.

The paper fulfils a need to provide educational managers with conceptual tools for planning and evaluating professional development programmes.

The failure of schools between 1990 and 1995, to respond to the imperative to establish systems for staff appraisal resulted in the Ministry of Education in New Zealand prescribing guidelines for schools to follow from 1996 onwards. This paper explores forces which shaped national policy in the framework of the reform movement, describes the policy development process and a national training programme for its introduction and examines challenges presented for principals who are expected to be accountable for policy implementation. National policy (which frames problems and solutions in structural terms) is analysed to show how it can fail to address dilemmas at the heart of staff appraisal activity. Problems inherent in attempting to mesh dual purposes of appraisal are identified, and the requirements of a “dilemma management” approach are explained in relation to the role of the principal.

Leadership in educational settings has been established as a key factor that impacts student learning outcomes, consequently it is important to understand how academic leadership is conceptualised and enacted. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

This qualitative study investigated the nature and demands of academic leadership in the New Zealand polytechnic sector by analysing documentary evidence and investigating the perceptions held of the role by 15 academic leaders in four institutions who were interviewed.

Findings of the study highlight the four roles of organisational leadership, curriculum leadership, academic management and academic currency. Participants confirmed that they struggle with ambiguity and tensions. The importance of teams, collaboration and communication are established and the study concludes that an understanding of role complexity to reduce ambiguity and provision of support to perform the role should be key institutional concerns.

This is one of very few research studies into conceptualising and researching the enactment of academic leadership in a polytechnic setting. The findings could impact the design of future leadership development.

During the 2000‐2004 period, one New Zealand tertiary institution provided a management development programme for experienced secondary school principals. Aims to determine the extent to which the learning had been sustained beyond the formal programme

A postal questionnaire was administered to 80 participants seeking responses to questions concerning the programme and whether the learning had been transferred to their organisations.

Empirical data suggested that while the programme was highly valued and there was a high degree of willingness to sustain the learning, this is only possible if school boards actively support principals to engage in critical reflection by providing time and opportunity. This research project provides evidence of the need for principals to participate in advanced management development in order to stimulate their own leadership learning.

Findings from this research will be of benefit to policy makers, employing authorities and principals.

Outlines how an action research approach can be used for management training and education. The emphasis on developing competence in problem‐solving processes, using action research, is supported by the literature and this is illustrated by several examples of institutional projects and award‐bearing programmes. Details how the authors’ interpretation of action research, in the school management training context, can both challenge and develop educational leaders.

The purpose of this paper is to show that in comparison to performance appraisal, “practice enhancement” is offered as a conceptual tool that can be used to develop strategies for reflecting on, communicating changes in and planning for excellence in teaching practice.

The conceptual notion of practice enhancement is underpinned by assumptions from the discipline of positive psychology and supported by the need for a performance management process targeting teaching practice that considers the contributions made by social learning theory and organisational learning theory. Indicative of a postmodern persuasion, a data “story” from case study research is used to support the applicability of practice enhancement in schools. Actor‐network theory is used to analyse movements in local professional learning preferences and practices in an independent boys' school in Australia.

The paper finds that applicability and conceptual accuracy of managerial notions such as performance appraisal should be critically considered by educational researchers, policymakers, school leaders and teaching practitioners when developing processes for managing the performance of teachers in schools.

Empirical studies evaluating the effectiveness of performance management processes underpinned by the notion of performance enhancement (in schools and other workplace settings) are required.

A conceptual tool for guiding the development of processes and tools for managing teaching excellence is provided.

This paper draws on cross‐disciplinary knowledge and the work of teaching practitioners to provide recommendations for cultivating conditions that enable teaching excellence.