Superintendent Leadership Influence Strategies to Promote the Policy Process with the Board of Education

This mixed methods study aimed to explore public school board members' perceptions of the district superintendents' use of Yukl's (2013) 11 proactive influence tactics during the policy process. The research also explored how the tactics were used, the effectiveness of the tactics, and the outcomes of the tactics used. In Yukl's model (2013), specific behaviors, or influence tactics, are employed by agents in an attempt to gain targets' commitment to carry out a request or task. In this study, the agents were the superintendents and the targets were the board members. Through significant research, Yukl (2013) and colleagues (Yukl, Chavez & Seifert, 2005; Yukl, Guinan, & Sottolano, 1995; Yukl & Falbe, 1990; Yukl, Falbe, & Youn, 1993; Yukl & Tracey, 1992) identified 11 influence tactics that agents or leaders use. They are: (a) rational persuasion, (b) apprising, (c) inspirational appeals, (d) consultation, (e) collaboration, (f) ingratiation, (g) personal appeal, (h) exchange, (i) coalition, (j) legitimating, and (k) pressure.;A two-method approach was used to answer the research questions; 34 board members completed an Internet-based version of the IBQ (Yukl, 2008). Then, in-person interviews were conducted with six board members. This yielded 38 findings about board members' perceptions of the superintendents' use of influence strategies to promote the policy process with the board of education.;Nearly all of the study participants recognized the superintendents' use of rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, and legitimating, either regularly or intermittently during the policy process. Overall, approximately three fourths of the participating board members (N = 34) reported their superintendents used the influence tactics consultation and collaboration during the policy process either regularly or intermittently. Notably, 71% (n =24) of the respondents (N = 34) reported that few or none of the influence attempts by the superintendent resulted in board members' complete commitment during the policy process.