In the way they envision, empower, build communities and exude proactive “a leadership and Posner, 1996:101) the principals are pursuing a spirit” (Kouzes (Starratt, 1993a) with the aim of constructing an ideal ‘magnificent quest’ community or communities of excellence as distinct from its antithesis, mediocrity. This research can confirm and the principals in this study will acknowledge themselves that there are occasions, issues and circumstances where they fall short, sometimes well short. Nevertheless despite some they lacunae perform well on (1993a) five benchmarks or qualities for achieving Starratt’s excellence. Firstly they are to the human and natural context in “responsive which they find (112), hold themselves to a high standard of themselves” “they (ibid), take pride and satisfaction in their (ibid) and allow their work” “they work” work to carry the stamp of their personality. Thirdly they are very strong about relationships and demonstrate a that others deserve our (ibid). “conviction best” Fourthly they care about the quality of public service and public life and work “to create a fairer, more humane (113) and finally they support through a community” significant commitment to real, authentic empowerment pupils, teachers, parents, SNAs and others in their journeys towards excellence. The principals in this study acknowledge like Fink is mandatory, (1994) “change growth is the inevitability of change, a notion not unfamiliar to optional”, Heraclitus 2600 years ago, endures but (Laertius, 300 BCE). “nothing change” These principals while subject to the strictures and constraints of a modern bureaucratic state appear to have created for themselves autonomous space in which they can be imaginative and creative and in that space use a kind of referred to by Coleridge [1817] (2007). P1 touches on this “esemplastic power” that other people see as important but I see as important, I just point, “things don’t do I do them my no Faustian pact with Mephistopheles or with don’t … way” – bureaucracy there - and in the words of Joseph Campbell, scholar of mythology, no to the just a genuine statement of “capitulation devil” (Cousineau, 1990: 108), need and want emanating from within an authentic professional.
In the way they envision, empower, build communities and exude “a proactive leadership spirit” (Kouzes and Posner, 1996:101) the principals are pursuing a ‘magnificent quest’ (Starratt, 1993a) with the aim of constructing an ideal community or communities of excellence as distinct from its antithesis, mediocrity. This research can confirm and the principals in this study will acknowledge themselves that there are occasions, issues and circumstances where they fall short, sometimes well short. Nevertheless despite some lacunae they perform well on Starratt’s (1993a) five benchmarks or qualities for achieving excellence. Firstly they are “responsive to the human and natural context in which they find themselves” (112), “they hold themselves to a high standard of work” (ibid), “they take pride and satisfaction in their work” (ibid) and allow their work to carry the stamp of their personality. Thirdly they are very strong about relationships and demonstrate a “conviction that others deserve our best” (ibid). Fourthly they care about the quality of public service and public life and work “to create a fairer, more humane community” (113) and finally they support through a significant commitment to real, authentic empowerment pupils, teachers, parents, SNAs and others in their journeys towards excellence. The principals in this study acknowledge like Fink (1994) “change is mandatory, growth is optional”, the inevitability of change, a notion not unfamiliar to Heraclitus 2600 years ago, “nothing endures but change” (Laertius, 300 BCE). These principals while subject to the strictures and constraints of a modern bureaucratic state appear to have created for themselves autonomous space in which they can be imaginative and creative and in that space use a kind of “esemplastic power” referred to by Coleridge [1817] (2007). P1 touches on this point, “things that other people see as important but I don’t see as important, I just don’t do … I do them my way” – no Faustian pact with Mephistopheles or with bureaucracy there - and in the words of Joseph Campbell, scholar of mythology, no “capitulation to the devil” (Cousineau, 1990: 108), just a genuine statement of need and want emanating from within an authentic professional.