Managing up, down, and outwards: principals as boundary spanners during the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Using data from a national study on principals’ responses to the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we describe crisis leadership as boundary spanning – managing up, down, and outwards to lead the response. School leaders had to manage outside expectations to ensure their schools responded to the crisis in ways that allowed for organisational and individual health and well-being. We provide descriptive examples of how principals bridged and buffered to ensure the continuity of instruction and the socio-emotional well-being of teachers, students, and families. We argue that by framing crisis leadership as boundary spanning, we can prepare for future crises by emphasising structures and systems that support leaders in sharing information, communicating, collaborating, advocating, and relationship-building. District leaders should involve principals in decision-making, provide supports that foster boundary-spanning activities, and consider the needs of principals when determining directives.