Secondary Education Principals/Superintendents
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to explore the link between transformational leadership and humor, as perceived by the principals of the Model California Continuation High Schools that were recognized from 2002 to 2007. The second purpose was to determine the degree to which there was an association between the Kouzes Posner leadership practices and four types of humor, as perceived by the participants.
METHODOLOGY The population for this study consisted of the 84 principals of high schools recognized by the California Department of Education as model continuation high schools from 2002 to 2007, and the sample were the 63 principals who completed and returned the survey instruments (75% response rate). Participants completed the Leadership Practices Inventory, the Humor Styles Questionnaire (Martin & Doris, 2003), and provided demographic information. The typical respondent was male (71%), Caucasian (77%), over 50 years of age (74%), with an average of 15 years of administrative experience, with a masters degree (79%), and an average of 5+ years of leadership at that particular school.
KEY FINDINGS Enable was the leadership practice reported, on average, as most frequently engaged in by the principals, followed by Model, Encourage, Inspire and Challenge. Overall there was very little correlation between the five leadership practices and any of the four types of humor (affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, and self-defeating). A low significant correlation was found between Inspire and Enable and self-enhancing humor.