Enacting and sustaining resilience in school leadership: lessons from New Jersey principals during overlapping crises

Purpose This study examines how New Jersey school principals fostered resilience while navigating multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, community violence and systemic inequities. Utilizing resilience theory, it explores the strategies principals employed to maintain stability, build trust and adapt their leadership in these challenging contexts. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was used, featuring semi-structured interviews with eleven public school principals from varied New Jersey districts. Participants were selected from a national study to capture diverse crisis leadership experiences. Thematic analysis guided by resilience theory identified key themes around communication, adaptability, stakeholder engagement and the balance between stability and flexibility. Findings The study revealed that resilient leadership relies on consistent communication and trust-building within school communities. Principals adapted their leadership styles and employed creative problem-solving, while navigating barriers such as conflicting guidance and resource inequities. Organizational resilience was found to be a collective process strengthened by strong stakeholder relationships and context-sensitive strategies. Originality/value This research contributes to the understanding of resilience as a dynamic, context-driven process during overlapping crises, rather than isolated events. By focusing on the experiences of New Jersey principals, it offers practical insights for policy and leadership development, highlighting the importance of flexible, equity-oriented crisis management in education.