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Psychological Safety of School Administrators: A Dual Reality

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Title: Psychological Safety of School Administrators: A Dual Reality
Language: English
Authors: Fei Wang (ORCID 0000-0001-9094-044X)
Source: Journal of School Leadership. 2026 36(3):375-395.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Administrators, Self Advocacy, Self Expression, Administrator Behavior, Leadership Styles, Teacher Administrator Relationship, Board Administrator Relationship, Administrator Attitudes, Fear
Geographic Terms: Canada
DOI: 10.1177/10526846251411632
ISSN: 1052-6846
Abstract: School administrators are often seen as the middle managers who are held accountable not only to their schools and communities but also to their employers. In order to successfully carry out their duties and responsibilities, school administrators must feel psychologically safe to speak up or speak out, ask a difficult question, voice an opinion, express a dissent, talk about a mistake, stand out for a position, or take a risk at work without fear of negative consequences. Psychologically precarious situations can compromise school administrators' ability to think, feel, speak, and act, and ultimately impact their leadership, performance, and commitment to their work. Regrettably, school administrators' psychological safety has been overlooked over the years. This research provides much-needed insights into their psychological safety in navigating this dual reality between schools and districts. The survey research garnered data from public school administrators in British Columbia, Canada, and explored school administrators' perceptions of psychological safety at their schools and districts and its manifestation across different demographics. The multiple logit regression models show that school administrators felt less psychologically safe in their district than at their schools. The research evidence points to the importance of fostering a psychologically safe and healthy work environment in which school administrators feel psychologically safe to say: "The emperor has no clothes".
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502304
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fei+Wang%22">Fei Wang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9094-044X">0000-0001-9094-044X</externalLink>)
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Canada%22">Canada</searchLink>
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  Data: School administrators are often seen as the middle managers who are held accountable not only to their schools and communities but also to their employers. In order to successfully carry out their duties and responsibilities, school administrators must feel psychologically safe to speak up or speak out, ask a difficult question, voice an opinion, express a dissent, talk about a mistake, stand out for a position, or take a risk at work without fear of negative consequences. Psychologically precarious situations can compromise school administrators' ability to think, feel, speak, and act, and ultimately impact their leadership, performance, and commitment to their work. Regrettably, school administrators' psychological safety has been overlooked over the years. This research provides much-needed insights into their psychological safety in navigating this dual reality between schools and districts. The survey research garnered data from public school administrators in British Columbia, Canada, and explored school administrators' perceptions of psychological safety at their schools and districts and its manifestation across different demographics. The multiple logit regression models show that school administrators felt less psychologically safe in their district than at their schools. The research evidence points to the importance of fostering a psychologically safe and healthy work environment in which school administrators feel psychologically safe to say: "The emperor has no clothes".
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrators
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      – SubjectFull: Self Advocacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Expression
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrator Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Leadership Styles
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Administrator Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Board Administrator Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrator Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Fear
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      – SubjectFull: Canada
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      – TitleFull: Psychological Safety of School Administrators: A Dual Reality
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