| Citation: | Bradshaw, L. K. (1999). Principals as boundary spanners: Working collaboratively to solve problems. NASSP Bulletin, 83(611), 38-47. EJ604873. |
Annotation:
According to this article, boundary spanners work in the area where organizational boundaries and departments overlap. They are described as internal and external communication stars, and those who are both. Five types of boundary spanning are identified: filtering, transacting, buffering, representing, and protecting. The nature of the boundary spanner's role is more important for successful boundary spanning than the organization's structures. Scanning, fluidity, and imaginativeness are characteristics associated with boundary spanners. The author suggests that principals in community and full-service schools have to be boundary spanners. They must have positive attitudes toward collaboration and strong boundary spanning skills to carry out the complex role effectively. They must be flexible and believe that collaboration can address the complex needs of children, demonstrate an ability to obtain and distribute information strategically, see problems in new ways, craft solutions, be confident when questions challenge how schools have traditionally done their work, and develop and support the skills of others. Challenges stem from boundary spanning when there is a lack of clarity in the way the roles are defined. To help principals manage the stress of boundary spanning, the author recommends that principals maintain strong internal linkages, build strong external linkages, acceptÑand even celebrateÑthe uncertainty of their boundary-spanning role, and recognize differences in organizational structures for what they are.
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