Abstract:

The uncertainty and complexity that school leadership in South African schools is faced with is disorienting. Some of the complexities that cause for concern include response to changes brought by covid 19 pandemic, energy crises with the year 2022/23 experiencing six hours a day rolling blackouts. The coronavirus endemic's rapid changes in education continue to pose extraordinary challenges for school leaders. School leaders are being put to the test in ways they have never been before. They are forced to reconsider the nature and extent of change required to support teachers and students in adopting new practices. The study seeks to explore school leadership’s new ways of thinking and of doing things, the systems they put in place and mindsets needed to flourish in turbulent environments. The study delves into the characteristics that make change leaders effective, as well as the various ways that leaders manage the tasks. Case studies of five school principals in adverse conditions provide context. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, was transcribed and organized into themes. Complexity theory is used as a lens in understanding how schools grow, adapt and evolve. The paper concludes with implications for school change management and sustainability.

Keywords:

Leadership, complexity, uncertainty, crises.