Principal Leadership Coaching: An Examination of Principal-Coach Interactions

Principal leadership coaching is considered a valuable tool to support the development of school principals, as evidenced by its increased use in districts throughout the United States. However, the effectiveness of a leadership coaching program is highly dependent on the development of a trusting relationship between principals and their coaches which occurs, in part, through principal-coach interactions. This study examined the interactions between principals and coaches participating in a principal leadership coaching pilot conducted by a university in the Rocky Mountain region. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected to understand the characteristics of principal-coach interactions, changes in principals' leadership practice that resulted from coaching, and participants' perceptions of the effectiveness of coaching program. Results were further analyzed to identify similarities and differences in the perceptions of principals and the perceptions of coaches. The study provided recommendations for the university's principal coaching program and for developers of similar principal coaching programs to consider related to structures and processes to enhance the principal-coach interactions, and the development of productive principal-coach relationships. Additionally, the recommendations may inform individuals and organizations such as school districts and institutions of higher education in developing and providing ongoing support through coaching for principals.