Connections to Literature and Research

Contradictions with Literature/Research

The perceptions shared by participants during this study also differed from the literature in a few ways:

• Prior Training: Contrary to the literature, which suggests that administrators from public, charter, and faith-based school settings typically possess strong knowledge of management, leadership theory, school law, and curriculum (Harrison, 2012; Streshly & Gray, 2008; Vaisben, 2018), many participants in this study reported being promoted from teaching roles to administrative positions without prior training in these areas.

• Receiving and Acting on Feedback: Literature often states that coachees dismiss feedback that doesn’t align with their self-perception (Huff et al., 2013). However, participants in this study believed that their coaches had their best interests at heart. As a result, they valued and acted on feedback that contributed to their professional growth, even when it did not align with their initial self-view.

• Coaching vs. Mentoring: Some participants’ expectations of the coach-coachee relationship did not align with the coaching model described in the literature. Rather than engaging in a coaching process where the coach helps the coachee discover their own solutions, these participants expected the coach to provide direct advice and solutions. This approach is more consistent with mentoring (Anthony, 2017; Hastings & Kane, 2018; Psencik, 2019; Yirci et al., 2016).