New Superintendents: Trust, Networking, and Social Capital

Abstract

This instrumental case study explored how five newly appointed superintendents identified key stakeholders and built trust and social capital with stakeholders in their districts. Stakeholder, trust, and social capital theory were the lenses that guided this study. We utilized a pragmatic research design and thematic data analysis to interpret our findings. Our findings suggested that superintendents identified three primary stakeholder groups (the board of education, the teachers’ union, and the PTA). Practical implications pointed to the need to provide coursework and continued professional development that fosters knowledge about bridging, leading reform efforts, and building social capital with stakeholders.

Foundations of Superintendent Trustworthiness: Perspectives of Elementary School Principals

“…Consistent with Herron's findings, they revealed that openness and competence were the most significant facets of trust for these novices. Ripley et al, (2013) studied five newly hired superintendents with a focus upon how they identified key stakeholders and built trust in their district. The superintendents identified key stakeholders as the district school board, the teachers' union, and the Parent Teacher Association, Administrative colleagues were not identified.…”

The trust levels of Omani public school principals and their distributive leadership as perceived by their teachers

“…By increasing teachers' trust in school principals, a significant improvement in the quality of teaching can be expected [28]. Ripley, Mitchell, and Richman [29] conducted a qualitative study with superintendents to find out what strategies superintendents used in a new district to build trust. Similar to principals, superintendents were able to build trust by exhibiting open, caring and honest behavior, maintaining an open line of communication, continually sharing information with school staff and strengthening existing relationships.…”