Relational vs. Cultural Leadership What Is Needed to Successfully Lead in an IB Authorized School in Japan?

This ethnographic study investigates the leadership dynamics involved in implementing the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) in a Japanese Article 1 school. Drawing on structured field interactions with members of the leadership team, the research explores how relational and cultural leadership capacities intersect to influence school reform. Findings reveal that relational leadership is essential for cultivating trust and voluntary engagement, while cultural leadership is necessary for aligning global pedagogical frameworks with local traditions. The study contributes to a growing body of literature that positions leadership as a culturally contingent and relationally embedded practice in international schooling contexts.