Leading by Serving: How Wisconsin K–12 Administrators Navigated the COVID-19 Pandemic

This mixed-methods study examines how Wisconsin public school administrators enacted servant leadership while navigating the unprecedented disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. A statewide survey was sent to 1, 909 K-12 administrators, with 135 completed responses. The study utilized the 28-item Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ) and open-ended questions to explore how these leaders balanced instructional continuity, student health, and staff well-being. Quantitative analyses revealed that administrators, on average, strongly exhibited servant leadership, particularly in the domains of ‘helping followers grow and succeed’, ‘emotional healing,’ and ‘putting followers first’. However, ‘behaving ethically ‘and ‘creating value for the community’ were only moderately present. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data showed that core values of relational and ethical leadership drove administrators to adopt ‘serving first’ behaviors, such as being present, listening actively, and providing resources. Findings suggest that a servant leadership framework was instrumental for administrators in fostering a sense of shared purpose and emotional healing, which were critical for navigating the crisis. These insights have implications for preparing future educational leaders to manage similar large-scale disruptions.