Abstract:

This article explores the relationship between principals’ creative leadership practices and collaborative school culture through teacher’s perceptions. It also investigates whether principals’ creative leadership practices predict collaborative culture of the schools. Epstein Creativity Competencies Inventory for Managers (ECCI-m) with 8 dimensions were used to measure principals’ creative leadership practices and School Culture Survey (SCS) with 6 dimensions were used to measure collaborative school culture. A total of 156 secondary school teachers from two districts in Selangor State, Malaysia were selected through random sampling to participate in this survey. The overall statistical findings indicated that teachers tend to perceive their principals’ creative leadership practices and collaborative culture of their schools positively. There is a positive and moderate relationship between principals’ creative leadership practices and collaborative school culture. The results indicated that only two dimensions of principals’ creative leadership practices have a significant influence towards collaborative school culture. Model core competencies of creative expression dimension was the most significant factor that influence collaborative school culture followed by providing resources. It is clearly shown that it is important for schools to embark on a path towards collaborative practices by reinforcing principals’ creative leadership practices. Implications and recommendations are discussed based on principal’s role in practicing creative leadership to establish a collaborative school culture.

Keywords:

21st century leadership, creative leadership, collaborative school culture, secondary schools.