The Essential Meaning of Self-Actualization via Principalship: A Phenomenological Study

According to Abraham Harold Maslow, self-actualization can be defined as using one’s own potential in full. He described it as a higher sort of human need, which must be satisfied to reach healthiness and achieve the full range of desirable personality traits. The aim of this phenomenological study...

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Main Author: Gökhan Özaslan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Anı Publishing 2018-07-01
Series:Eğitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi
Subjects:
Online Access:http://enadonline.com/index.php/enad/article/view/1354
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author Gökhan Özaslan
author_facet Gökhan Özaslan
author_sort Gökhan Özaslan
collection DOAJ
description According to Abraham Harold Maslow, self-actualization can be defined as using one’s own potential in full. He described it as a higher sort of human need, which must be satisfied to reach healthiness and achieve the full range of desirable personality traits. The aim of this phenomenological study is to reveal the shared meaning of self-actualization in the context of school principalship as derived from the articulated beliefs of a number of public and private school principals. Twelve principals from both public and private schools were interviewed about the meaning of self-actualization as described by literature on the topic. The findings from semi-structured interviews of the participants revealed a consensus that there are five prominent skills which constitute a principal’s fully-realized potential: communication, organization, motivation, empathy, and self-improvement. As a consequence of realizing their individual potential, the participants expressed feelings of happiness, peace, and enjoyment in their work, as well as an increase in their self-confidence and self-motivation. However, the participants expressed feelings of a short-term loss of morale and increased unhappiness whenever they failed to realize their individual potential due to impediments encountered in the field. Possible implications for research and practice are also offered.
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spelling doaj.art-fb1f3fd82c7c49c3a9e8e863c6303f6f2023-04-22T15:41:01ZengAnı PublishingEğitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi2148-26242018-07-0162The Essential Meaning of Self-Actualization via Principalship: A Phenomenological StudyGökhan Özaslan According to Abraham Harold Maslow, self-actualization can be defined as using one’s own potential in full. He described it as a higher sort of human need, which must be satisfied to reach healthiness and achieve the full range of desirable personality traits. The aim of this phenomenological study is to reveal the shared meaning of self-actualization in the context of school principalship as derived from the articulated beliefs of a number of public and private school principals. Twelve principals from both public and private schools were interviewed about the meaning of self-actualization as described by literature on the topic. The findings from semi-structured interviews of the participants revealed a consensus that there are five prominent skills which constitute a principal’s fully-realized potential: communication, organization, motivation, empathy, and self-improvement. As a consequence of realizing their individual potential, the participants expressed feelings of happiness, peace, and enjoyment in their work, as well as an increase in their self-confidence and self-motivation. However, the participants expressed feelings of a short-term loss of morale and increased unhappiness whenever they failed to realize their individual potential due to impediments encountered in the field. Possible implications for research and practice are also offered. http://enadonline.com/index.php/enad/article/view/1354Self-actualizationMaslow, principalsschool administrationphenomenology
spellingShingle Gökhan Özaslan
The Essential Meaning of Self-Actualization via Principalship: A Phenomenological Study
Eğitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi
Self-actualization
Maslow, principals
school administration
phenomenology
title The Essential Meaning of Self-Actualization via Principalship: A Phenomenological Study
title_full The Essential Meaning of Self-Actualization via Principalship: A Phenomenological Study
title_fullStr The Essential Meaning of Self-Actualization via Principalship: A Phenomenological Study
title_full_unstemmed The Essential Meaning of Self-Actualization via Principalship: A Phenomenological Study
title_short The Essential Meaning of Self-Actualization via Principalship: A Phenomenological Study
title_sort essential meaning of self actualization via principalship a phenomenological study
topic Self-actualization
Maslow, principals
school administration
phenomenology
url http://enadonline.com/index.php/enad/article/view/1354
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