Care as Everyday Staff Leadership

Abstract

The analysis of data collected from a shadowing study conducted in Norway on pedagogical leaders indicated the importance of formal and informal interactions between leaders and their colleagues when working side by side. This article examines aspects of the pedagogical leaders’ everyday work that are vital to purposeful leadership and building and facilitating a caring community within early childhood education (ECE) centres. The data explore leadership care, including how pedagogical leaders emphasise the importance of care and consideration in their leadership work. Rather than focus on great leadership acts and accomplishments connected to their formal position, leadership care provided by pedagogical leaders gives care a distinctive value beyond their trivial and everyday importance.

Keywords

• Care
• everyday leadership
• leadership care
• practice perspectives
• shadowing