The Wind Behind Leadership: A Phenomenological Study of Secondary School Department Heads

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of secondary school department heads in a large public secondary school in Bacolod City. It aimed to understand the experiences, relationships, motivations, and challenges that influenced and sustained their leadership. Eight department heads were purposively selected as participants. Data was gathered through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis. Six themes emerged from the participants' narratives: Leadership Found Them Before They Sought It; Leading in the Middle—Between People and Expectations; Leadership with a Heart—Care as a Way of Leading; Walking the Talk—Leadership Earns Influence Through Example; Keeping the Wind—Purpose, Faith, and the Growth of Others; and Shaped by the Storm—Leadership as Becoming. The findings showed that leadership was not always a planned career path. For many participants, it began when others recognized their potential and encouraged them to lead. Their leadership was shaped by the difficult position of working between teachers and school administrators, while care, empathy, and personal example helped them gain trust and influence. Purpose, faith, and seeing others grow sustained their commitment. Challenges also became important sources of reflection and growth. The study concluded that the “wind behind leadership” was not a single force but the interaction of trust, relationships, responsibility, purpose, and lived experience. Based on the findings, the WIND Program, a mentoring, leadership development, and knowledge-transfer initiative, was proposed to support leadership continuity and prepare emerging middle leaders amid changing educational structures.