Abstrakt

The effect of self-leadership competencies on the perceived ability of school leaders to cope with COVID-19 pandemic crisis challenges in Jeddah schools, Saudi Arabia

James K Siambi

The success and safety of learning in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic depend on the ability of school leaders to cope with the pandemic challenges in schools. This study investigated the effect of self-leadership competencies on the perceived ability of school leaders to cope with COVID-19 pandemic challenges in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this study was to determine if self-leadership had an impact on the mental preparedness of school leaders to lead during the crisis. It also investigated the role of school resources on school leadership capability during a crisis. This study was motivated by the need to get information in readiness for opening schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research used a cross-sectional quantitative survey which was administered to 48 respondents who were all leaders of schools at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The main findings of this study indicated a strong and positive correlation between self-leadership strategies (constructive thought patterns, behavioral strategies, and self-reward) and the leader’s perception of their readiness to lead schools effectively. The practical implication of this study's findings is that schools and governments should invest in self-leadership development programs to enable leaders to be prepared to lead in uncertain times. The contribution of the study includes new data and insights to the body of knowledge concerned with positive organizational leadership and crisis leadership in education.