ABSTRACT
Chapter 6 presented insights into the political frame of leadership in a collaborative culture. Chapter 7 addresses the fourth frame of the Bolman and Deal (1991) thesis, namely the symbolic frame. Each of the four framesstructural, human resource, political and symbolic-brings particular and peculiar understandings to the study of leadership in an organization. The specific contribution of the symbolic frame is the attention it gives to the shared understandings that run beneath the surface of organizational life, often submerged and overlooked. In a sense they are out of sight and this makes them particularly elusive and hard to capture, or indeed, even articulate. Leaders who can read between the lines of the symbolic frame are in an enviable position. For, from that enlightened position they can nurture and promote the beliefs and values embedded in school life, and take action to portray them through symbols, rituals and ceremonies. Schools are full of symbolic happenings and events. Leaders who can recognize their significance then have the potential to exploit their capacity to bring success to their school.
