Self-other agreement as an alternative perspective of school leadership analysis: an exploratory study

This study explores the relationship between self-awareness of school leaders and variables related to school culture and change. We used the self-other rating agreement model of Atwater and Yammarino (1997) as an indication of school leader self-awareness. Based on the difference between their own leadership rating and the teachers' rating, school leaders were grouped in 4 categories: over-estimators, under-estimators, in-agreement/good leaders, and in-agreement/poor leaders. In 3 independent studies on school policy, we analyzed the relation between the self-other rating categories and school culture and change variables. Data revealed that mainly under-estimators were associated with higher levels of school culture and change. No differences were found between under-estimators and in-agreement leaders. The analysis of school leaders' self-awareness - defined as agreement between self and other leadership ratings - is an important perspective. As for practical implications, especially over-estimators should become more aware of how their teachers perceive them.