School Administrators' Self-Assessment in Cultivating a Soft Skills-Oriented School Climate: A Q Methodology Study 

School Administrators' Self-Assessment in Cultivating a Soft Skills-Oriented School Climate: A Q Methodology Study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article School Administrators' Self-Assessment in Cultivating a Soft Skills-Oriented School Climate: A Q Methodology Study Hanife ESEN AYGUN, Sefika Melike CAGATAY, Serife Gonca ZEREN, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7814822/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Soft skills have the potential to influence school stakeholders cognitively, emotionally, and behaviourally. Identifying school administrators’ soft skills will help develop insights into addressing soft skill-related challenges within schools. This study aimed to determine the extent to which school administrators integrate soft skills into school practices. The research was designed using Q methodology. The data were collected during the 2024–2025 academic year from 40 school administrators in Canakkale, Türkiye. The Q-sample used in the study consisted of 25 statements. Findings revealed that school administrators were grouped under two main factors: ethical leadership and empathetic leadership. However, the least stressed aspects related to soft skills in schools were associated with an autocratic leadership style. In conclusion, the findings suggest that school administrators in Türkiye generally strive to adopt contemporary leadership models that prioritise soft skills in shaping the school climate; however, the structural constraints of the centralized appointment system occasionally led them to display autocratic leadership tendencies. Soft skills School administrators School climate Self-assessment Q methodology Figures Figure 1 Introduction School administrators play a vital role in shaping the school climate and cultivating a learning environment. One of the important steps in creating an effective school climate is the soft skills demonstrated by school administrators. These skills are related not only to school management issues but also to teacher motivation, students’ social-emotional development, and the overall success of the school. In this context, school administrators need to consider both cognitive and emotional skills to achieve their institutional goals [ 1 , 2 ]. Such managerial behaviour that considers the individual holistically contributes to outcomes supported by teachers and leads to high-quality performance [ 3 ]. This information points to the school administrator’s capacity to shape the school’s climate. In a positive school climate, teachers devote themselves to learning and teaching and raise students who care for each other, trust one another, and are willing to work together [ 4 ]. In this context, it is understood that the behaviours of students, teachers, and administrators are intertwined and that the behaviours demonstrated by school administrators are an important factor in shaping the school climate. However, since school administrators do not directly participate in lessons, they are informed about what happens in the classroom only to the extent shared by teachers, students, and sometimes parents. This situation limits school administrators' perspectives on events to indirect observations. To overcome this limitation, school administrators could first develop their own soft skills [ 5 ]. In this way, a school climate open to communication and collaboration, fair and trust-based, guided by empathy, and oriented toward problem-solving will be established. In cultivating such a school climate, soft skills-oriented approaches come to the forefront. Although existing studies have discussed the importance of school administrators’ soft skills, such as empathy, problem solving, communication and conflict resolution, evidence on how administrators perceive these skills and how they evaluate themselves is quite limited, especially in centralized systems like Türkiye. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine school administrators’ self-assessment in creating a soft skills-oriented school climate using Q methodology. This methodological approach enables a thorough understanding of subjective viewpoints, which leadership research frequently overlooks. To clear this gap and comprehend how school administrators integrate soft skills, the current study conducts Q methodology. Conceptual Framework The concept of soft skills has come to be used as an eclectic and overarching term that encompasses various skill frameworks developed across different domains over time. In this context, soft skills are used in a similar sense to concepts such as future skills, 21st century skills, social-emotional skills, transversal skills, life skills, and generic competences. However, soft skills go beyond these frameworks by integrating their shared characteristics and offering a more comprehensive understanding of essential human competencies. Soft skills are the competencies that regulate human relations and help individuals regulate their emotions and behaviours [ 6 ]. Soft skills are recognized as key determinants of satisfaction and motivation within self-regulation and motivation theories; from the perspective of self-determination theory, the development of soft skills reflects the fulfilment of basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence [ 7 ]. Although soft skills in schools are still being discussed—as they are frequently addressed in the business world to balance the relationship between employees and employers—it is seen that in the field of education, soft skills are defined under three sub-dimensions in educational context: interpersonal skills, emotional control, and cognitive skills [ 8 ]. Interpersonal skills refer to abilities such as conflict resolution, cooperation, communication, and empathy [ 9 ]. Emotional control is the ability of an individual to regulate their emotional state [ 10 ]. Cognitive skills refer to mental abilities such as thinking, abstracting, interpreting, and decision-making [ 11 ]. These three dimensions, within the scope of soft skills, are known as components of healthy behaviour [ 12 ]. School Administrators’ Soft Skills Soft skills are fundamental components that assist school administrators in establishing their own leadership style, thereby fostering a positive and trust-based school environment. In the new world order, it is observed that the understanding of communication has taken a different form compared to the past. The changing profiles of students and teachers, along with challenging life events, have made it necessary for school administrators to reconsider their management approach to be effective leaders. Effective leaders have the potential to positively influence stakeholders within the organization [ 13 ]. In this context, school administrators are expected to possess soft skills which will enable them to manage their emotions and thoughts and thereby establish effective relationships with other school stakeholders [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]. These soft skills that school administrators will possess will enable them to communicate effectively with teachers, students, and parents, to build a fair and trust-based school climate, and to contribute to the improvement of student achievement [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Moreover, it is known that school administrators with soft skills can transform the school into a soft skills-oriented environment by integrating models such as ethical [ 20 ], empathetic [ 21 ], transformative [ 22 ], instructional [ 23 ], and servant leadership [ 24 ] through communication, cooperation, and emotional control. In this regard, it is necessary to examine to what extent school administrators incorporate soft skills into their administrative practices. We considered it essential to understand the current administrative context in depth when examining school administrators’ self-assessments regarding their role in fostering a school climate that is soft skills-oriented. Turkish Context Recently, the emphasis on developing soft skills among school administrators has greatly increased [ 25 ]. However, school management practices are shaped by a centralized educational system where school administrators are appointed through standardized assessments and performance evaluations in Türkiye [ 23 ]. This centralized structure may lead school administrators to prioritize bureaucratic, administrative, and academic performance-related tasks while placing less emphasis on soft skills that do not directly reflect on performance indicators [ 26 , 27 ]. Despite structural regulations on school management, the extent to which school administrators possess and effectively conduct soft skills remains uncertain. Considering the educational needs of the 21st century, it is crucial to investigate how Turkish school administrators perceive and evaluate their own soft skills within the context of their professional roles. Although this study addresses the situation of school administrators in the Turkish education system regarding soft skills, it also contains common elements applicable to countries with exam-oriented evaluation and central appointment practices like those in Türkiye. The Current Study Although the soft skills that school administrators should possess have been listed, it is known that the use of inappropriate methods for assessing and evaluating these skills affects the accuracy of the measurement results [ 28 ]. This is because measuring soft skills is more difficult than measuring hard skills [ 29 ]. In countries with a centralized governance approach, such as Türkiye, the absence of a clearly defined framework for soft skills makes their assessment even more challenging. The difficulty in measuring soft skills stems from the fact that these competencies emerge interactively within a specific context, and there is no test available that objectively evaluates an individual’s behaviour. Based on this information, we referred to school administrators’ self-assessments in the study and chose the Q methodology as it serves as a tool that supports the self-assessment process and brings objectivity to data collection. School administrators’ self-assessments are important in terms of understanding how well they know themselves and how they evaluate their own work. However, without specific mechanisms to support them, self-assessment results may have some limitations. Q methodology minimizes these limitations by equating the observer with the observed and offering the opportunity to measure only the individual's own subjectivity [ 30 ]. Accordingly, we aimed to investigate school administrators' self-assessments regarding their soft skills, contributing to the discourse on educational leadership by providing insights into the practical implications of leadership competence in a Turkish context. This study is expected to contribute to the development of a new model for a soft skills-oriented leadership approach by providing data on how school administrators in countries with centralized governance perceive their own roles. In addition, the findings obtained through school administrators’ self-assessments regarding soft skills are expected to contribute to the discovery of their strengths and areas for improvement, the understanding of the root causes of problem behaviours related to soft skills in schools, and the development of effective solutions. We mean that the results will contribute to making the school climate more s oft skills-oriented in countries with central appointment practices, as well as to understanding the prominent and background practices of school administrators. Accordingly, the research questions are follows: a) What are the main perspectives school administrators regarding the cultivation of a soft skills-oriented school climate in Türkiye? b) What are the similarities and differences among the main perspectives of school administrators regarding the cultivation of a soft skills-oriented school climate? Methodology Research Design In the study, Q Methodology, which is considered an effective tool for objectively revealing the self-assessments of school administrators regarding their soft skills and examining self-oriented processes, has been used. Thus, the subjectivity of school administrators’ practices related to soft skills has been examined. In research focusing on subjectivity, qualitative research methods that typically do not allow generalization or the R method, which limits the in-depth interpretation of data, are commonly used [ 31 ]. Q methodology aims to reveal the differences in participants' ways of thinking and their perceptions [ 32 ]. In the process, participants are typically asked to rank a set of statements in a way that generally aligns with a semi-normal distribution and conforms to their personal feelings and judgments [ 33 ]. Q Methodology is fundamentally based on individuals ranking statements presented to them along a negative and positive scale on a continuum that reflects their own views. The generated Q rankings are not considered right or wrong but are self-referential [ 34 ]. With these characteristics, Q methodology can be considered an appropriate method for examining subjectivity. Within the framework of Q Methodology, subjectivity can be approached as revealing an individual’s perspective on a personally or socially significant issue [ 35 ]. Moreover, Q Methodology provides a systematic and flexible approach for collecting and analysing data related to subjectivity [ 36 ]. With these characteristics, Q methodology can be considered a useful tool to handle effective results in self-assessment processes. Thus, the similarities and differences in individuals' perspectives are revealed [ 31 ]. Based on these, we decided to design this research using the Q methodology to gain a deeper understanding of school administrators' self-assessment of developing soft skills within schools. Concourse Development and Q Sample The research began by creating a concourse development, referred to as the first stage of Q methodology [ 37 ]. Q methodology involves participants ranking a series of statements according to their degree of agreement. The statements to be ranked can be obtained from surveys and scales or from various sources such as articles, columns, and interviews [ 38 ]. In this study, the aim was to provide a unique set of statements for literature. The statements were developed based on the three sub-dimensions of soft skills—interpersonal skills, emotional control, and cognitive skills—but were randomly ordered to prevent clustering on specific factors by participants [ 39 ].Watts and Stenner [ 38 ] suggest that to make the ranking process less exhausting, the number of statements could be limited, if necessary, thus allowing for the expansion of the semantic content and scope of the statements. Moreover, negative and positive statements can be included together in a Q set however, this is not a requirement [ 38 ]. In this context, due to the inherently positive nature of soft skills, the concourse domain was composed entirely of positive statements. In this direction, the focus was on allowing participants to complete the ranking with minimal effort and time, and a pool of items was created by scanning the literature. A set of 24 statements was created from this item pool. Subsequently, the draft of the statement set was reviewed by 5 field experts from the areas of Psychological Counselling and Guidance (1), Educational Management (3), and Educational Measurement and Evaluation (1). Based on their feedback and suggestions, 10 statements were revised, 14 statements were retained as is, and one new statement was added to the set, resulting in the final version of the statement set. Thus, the dataset consisted of 25 items. In Q studies, researchers may adopt one of two response approaches: free distribution or forced distribution. While free distribution allows flexibility, it carries the risk of overlooking some critical viewpoints of the participants [ 35 ]. In contrast, forced distribution encourages participants to carefully reflect on their feelings and thoughts [ 40 ]. Therefore, to ensure that no key perspectives were missed regarding school administrators' views on cultivating a soft skills-oriented school climate, a forced distribution ranging from + 4 to -4 was adopted. Participants indicated their statements on the Q grid presented in Fig. 1 . A pilot application was then conducted with a group of three school administrators from different educational levels. Participants in the pre-application were asked to evaluate the items in terms of meaning and clarity, and they were also instructed to place them in the rankings. Based on the information obtained from the pilot application, it was concluded that the measurement tool was suitable for the target audience. The pre-application data was not included in the main data. After completing a Q ranking, it is recommended that participants elaborate on their perspectives through an interview [ 40 ]. For this purpose, two open-ended questions were added to the Q ranking to allow participants to explain why they placed statements on the positive and negative extremes. This modified Q sample was then ready for conduction. Process The ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Committee of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University (Date: 24.04.2024/ Issue: 06/34). In addition, written informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to the data collection process. The research data was collected during the fall semester of the 2024–2025 academic year. The study included school administrators working in public schools at various educational levels in Canakkale/Türkiye, who participated voluntarily. The purpose and scope of the research were explained to the school administrators, and it was emphasized that participation in the research was based on voluntary consent. School administrators who agreed to participate were presented with the Q statements and Q grid and were asked to complete the data set. The participating school administrators were instructed to read the statements, determine their level of agreement, and place the numbers of the statements in the relevant sections of the grid. They were then asked to explain the reasons for placing the statements at the positive and negative extremes (+ 4 and − 4) by providing justifications for their placements. As stated by Ho [ 41 ], Q methodology is less well-known compared to Likert-type studies and requires more effort, which means that participants often need more time and guidance. In line with Ho’s [ 41 ] observation, the participants in this study also experienced challenge in accurately transferring the statements from the Q sample into the Q sort distribution. However, the fact that the data were collected face-to-face by the research team provided participants with the necessary guidance to overcome these challenges. P Sample In the study, we used criterion sampling. In this regard, the condition of "being employed as a school administrator or vice administrator in educational institutions" was accepted as the criterion. Since participants in Q methodology possess variable characteristics, a large sample size is not necessary [ 42 ]. In this context, 61 school administrators from different educational levels, who met the established criterion and agreed to participate voluntarily, completed the data set. Of these school administrators, 10 were excluded from the data set because they had written at least one statement multiple times in their Q grid, and 11 school administrators discontinued the study. After removing the school administrators who had incomplete or incorrect coding from the data set, the P sample consisted of 40 participants (Table 1 ). Table 1 Demographic Characteristics of the Participants Variable Category Frequency Percentage Gender Female 17 42.5% Male 23 57.5% Educational Status Bachelor's degree 22 55% Master’s degree 17 42.5% PhD graduate 1 2.5% Professional Seniority Year 1–10 years 9 22.5% 11–20 years 19 47.5% 21–29 years 9 22.5% 30 years+ 2 5% Not Specified 1 2.5% Administrative Experience 1–10 years 30 75% 11–20 years 7 17.5% 21–29 years 3 7.5% School Type Preschool 3 7.5% Primary School 11 27.5% Secondary School 11 27.5% High School 13 32.5% Not Specified 2 5% Statistical Analysis The data were analysed using the Ken-Q Analysis Desktop Edition (KADE). Factors were evaluated by considering many criteria such as the Humphrey rule, eigenvalue, scree test, etc. These criteria should be considered not as mandatory rules to be followed but as indicators that guide the researcher in the process [ 38 ]. Webler et al. [ 43 ] express the need to construct the factorial structure using as few factors as possible with the criterion of parsimony. Therefore, the criteria determined for the research were evaluated together and interpreted in line with the parsimony criteria, and a two-factor solution was adopted. The identified factorial structure should be able to explain the variability in the correlation matrix at the highest possible rate. The percentage of total variability explained by a factor in the correlation matrix is calculated using the formula 100 x (EV [Eigenvalue of the relevant factor] / n [Number of Q Sorts in the study]) [ 40 ]. Under normal conditions, a rate of 35–40% or above is considered sufficient [ 38 ]. The factors forming the factorial structure in this context explain 23% and 13% of the total variance, respectively. Accordingly, the two-factor structure identified in the study explains approximately 36% of the total variance. After determining the factorial structure, the rotation phase was initiated. It can be stated that varimax rotation and judgemental rotation stand out for the rotation process [ 35 ]. Based on the literature, we understood that varimax rotation and judgemental rotation have advantages over each other from different perspectives [ 38 ]. Therefore, for this study, we used varimax rotation and judgemental rotation together. First, we applied varimax rotation and then finalized the factor loadings through judgemental rotation. Results As a result of the varimax rotation, we observed that the views of participants coded SA34 and SA3 were close to the significance threshold with loading values of 0.4999 and 0.5132, respectively, for Factor 1 and Factor 2. We performed a 3-degree positive rotation; we ensured that SA34 exceeded the significance threshold for Factor 1 and SA3 for Factor 2. As a result of the rotation, we manually examined the participant views that met the significance threshold. Then, we used the formula of McKeown and Thomas [ 35 ] (1/√number of expressions) x 2.58 to determine the level of significance in the study. Accordingly, values of .51 and above were considered significant (Table 2 ). Table 2 Distribution of Participants by Factors Participant Factor 1 Factor 2 SA 1 0,6541X 0,3733 SA2 0,5746X 0,4676 SA 3 -0,0441 0,5162X SA 4 0,0702 0,6992X SA 5 -0,2168 0,2805 SA 6 0,6341X 0,3672 SA 7 0,172 0,1954 SA 8 0,1252 0,6227X SA 9 0,1769 0,3518 SA 10 0,4939 0,1801 SA 11 -0,4664 0,099 SA 12 -0,0771 0,1779 SA 13 0,8688X -0,0287 SA 14 -0,0419 0,673X SA 15 0,903X -0,1518 SA 16 0,4996 0,3216 SA 17 0,7419X 0,0149 SA 18 -0,0298 0,3187 SA 19 0,3494 -0,1466 SA 20 -0,0317 0,5756X SA 21 0,5282X -0,1178 SA 22 -0,1103 0,7433X SA 23 0,1163 0,3024 SA 24 0,7146X -0,0258 SA 25 0,8291X -0,1386 SA 26 0,3214 0,5691X SA 27 0,1895 0,2881 SA 28 0,3421 0,6198X SA 29 0,0603 0,6188X SA 30 0,3558 0,3462 SA 31 0,2518 0,4817 SA 32 0,0415 0,3718 SA 33 0,4072 0,0178 SA 34 0,5194X 0,3594 SA 35 0,0209 0,5768X SA 36 0,6639X 0,0612 SA 37 -0,134 0,259 SA 38 0,0439 0,3812 SA 39 0,4429 0,5845X SA 40 0,4011 0,7463X Significant p < .01 School administrators coded as SA. As seen in Table 2 , Factor 1 covers 11 participants and Factor 2 covers 12 participants, p < .01. As a result of the factorization process, to better understand the factors, differences and similarities between them need to be analysed [ 32 ]. The inter-factor correlation values for the identified factors are presented in Table 3. Tablo 3. Inter-factor Correlation Values Factors 1 2 1 1 0.2017 2 0.2017 1 Significant p < .01 An examination of the data in Table 3 reveals a low-level positive correlation (r = .2017) between Factor 1 and Factor 2. Based on this finding, it can be inferred that the typologies represented by the factors related to participants’ self-assessments of soft skills are distinct from one another. Statements that are placed similarly across all factors are defined as consensus statements, while statements that are placed significantly differently are defined as distinguishing statements. While consensus statements allow for an in-depth examination of the nature of the factor, distinguishing statements provide insight into how the factors differ from one another [ 44 ]. In this context, the statements and their positions according to the factors are presented in Table 4 . Table 4 Statements and Factor Positions Q Statement Factor 1 Factor 2 1* I make an effort to ensure that no one in my school is subjected to bullying. 4 3 2* I serve as a role model for school stakeholders through my behaviours that align with soft skills. 3 -1 3* I take advantage of professional development opportunities related to soft skills. 1 -3 4* I make effective interventions during crises at my school. 3 1 5* I provide opportunities to enhance collaboration among teachers at my school. 2 1 6* I adopt a participatory management approach that takes into account the opinions of stakeholders in my school. 2 1 7* I monitor the academic, social, emotional, and vocational development of students at my school. 1 -1 8* I express my emotions in the school environment without hesitation. 1 -4 9+ I uphold honesty as a shared value in my school. 2 2 10+ I establish open communication with stakeholders at my school. 0 0 11+ I support the academic development of teachers at my school. 0 -1 12+ I approach all stakeholders in my school with an empathetic perspective. 0 0 13* I create opportunities to improve relationships among school staff. 0 -2 14* I implement a fair management approach in my school. 1 4 15* I follow our students’ achievements in extracurricular activities. -1 -2 16+ I support stakeholders in my school in expressing their emotions. -1 0 17* I make an effort to solve the problems of stakeholders at my school. -2 2 18* I encourage respect for individual differences (physical, economic, cognitive, social, etc.) at my school. -1 2 19* I encourage students at my school to participate in activities and projects that will improve their academic skills. 0 -2 20* I do not make hasty decisions when experiencing intense emotions such as anger and stress. -3 -1 21* I concretely (verbally or in writing) acknowledge the efforts of teachers at my school. -2 3 22* I take concrete steps to resolve conflicts at my school. -1 0 23* I plan the future goals of our school together with school stakeholders. -3 0 24* I approach the suggestions of stakeholders at my school without prejudice. -4 1 25+ I monitor the behaviours of teachers at my school in terms of their alignment with soft skills. -2 -3 * + Significant p .01 Factors that emerged in the study represent two different perspectives on creating a soft skills-oriented school climate. In line with the information obtained from the literature, these perspectives were named Empathic Leadership (Factor 1) and Ethical Leadership (Factor 2). Factor 1: Empathic Leadership We observed that school administrators whose views are considered significant for Factor 1 (f = 11) mainly exhibit empathic leadership characteristics but also tend to adopt autocratic leadership in some practices. Combating bullying is one of the main practices that characterizes the views represented in Factor 1 (Statement 1, + 4 , +3 distinguishing). It can be said that the school administrators in Factor 1 are aware of the negative effects of bullying on the school climate. Examples of explanations provided by the school administrators whose views are grouped under Factor 1 regarding the subject are as follows. Individuals who are subjected to bullying experience a decrease in their sense of school belonging (SA2) I do not like it when anyone is subjected to bullying. I try to understand what they are going through and empathize with them (SA15) The emphasis placed by the school administrators in Factor 1 on upholding honesty as a value in the school environment (Statement 9, + 2 , +2 consensus), making effective interventions during crises (Statement 4, + 3 , +1 distinguishing), and providing opportunities to enhance collaboration among teachers (Statement 5, + 2 , +1 distinguishing) can be seen as an indicator of the empathic practices of the school administrator, who generally dominates the factor, in creating a soft skills-oriented school climate. On the other hand, when the least prioritized issues in the factorial structure by the participants are examined, it can be stated that the school administrators in Factor 1 give the least attention to practices that tend to shift toward autocratic management, yet without completely departing from the principles of empathic leadership. The fact that making an effort to solve the problems of school stakeholders (Statement 17, -2 , + 2 distinguishing), monitoring teachers’ behaviours in terms of their alignment with soft skills (Statement 25, -2, -3 consensus), and concretely acknowledging the efforts of teachers (Statement 21, -2 , + 3 distinguishing) are among the least valued practices indicates the presence of an autocratic perspective felt across the factor. The fact that approaching the suggestions of school stakeholders without prejudice (Statement 24, -4 , + 1) is the least valued practice among school administrators whose views are grouped in Factor 1 may be seen as a reflection of this authoritarian climate. Factor 2: Ethical Leadership For school administrators whose views are considered significant for Factor 2 (f = 12), an understanding of ethical leadership is predominant, although it is understood that they occasionally exhibit autocratic leadership. The ethical sensitivity that dominates the factor is reflected through the importance given to justice (Statement 14, + 1, +4 , distinguishing). School administrators whose views are considered significant for the factor emphasize the determining role of justice within management processes. Examples of statements related to the subject are presented below: When there is no fair administration, there is neither a vision nor the reputation of the school administrators in the institution. No work can fully achieve its goal (SA4) Justice is essential for ensuring unity and solidarity in society, creating an environment of trust and peace, and maintaining a harmonious atmosphere (SA28) The importance given by the school administrators examined under Factor 2 to concretely acknowledging the efforts of teachers (21: +3) gains meaning within the structure of ethical leadership, which focuses more on the outcomes of human behaviour rather than understanding it. The preferences of the school administrators who adopt an ethical leadership approach—ensuring that no one is subjected to bullying (Statement 1, + 4, +3 , distinguishing), upholding honesty as a shared value (Statement 9, + 2, +2 , consensus), encouraging respect for individual differences (Statement 18, -1, + 2, distinguishing), and making efforts to solve stakeholders’ problems (Statement 17, -2, + 2 , distinguishing)—reveal not only their commitment to ethical principles but also suggest that they expect their followers to act in accordance with these principles. The school administrators in Factor 2 gave the least importance to the practice of expressing emotions in the school environment without hesitation (Statement 8, + 1, -4 , distinguishing), followed by creating opportunities to improve staff relationships at school (Statement 13, 0, -2 , distinguishing)—despite its importance from an ethical leadership perspective—and monitoring teachers’ behaviours in terms of their alignment with soft skills (Statement 25, -2, -3 , consensus), which are among the least valued practices. Examining the statements of the school administrators grouped under Factor 2 reveals a prevailing belief that expressing emotions may undermine administrative processes. The fact that these statements are among the least valued practices in terms of soft skills suggests that the partially perceived presence of an autocratic approach throughout the factor may be reflected in these preferences. Discussion We have emphasized the importance of school administrators' self-assessment in fostering a positive school climate that is soft skills-oriented. The Q-methodology analysis revealed two distinctly different viewpoints among school administrators in cultivating a soft skills-oriented school climate. This is because the viewpoints revealed that administrators predominantly assess themselves as empathetic and ethical leaders. On the other hand, the results indicate that they have rarely exhibited autocratic leadership as well. Overall, the factors share some commonalities regarding soft skills, yet they differ from one another. Accordingly, the most significant issue related to soft skills for school administrators categorized in Factor 1 is bullying. A school administrator who takes steps to prevent bullying essentially embraces the empathic leadership model. For school administrators, adopting an empathic perspective is essential to deeply understanding the social culture that students develop within the school environment. This perspective aids administrators in shaping the school’s vision [ 45 ]. In organizational culture, this leadership style positively influences performance and satisfaction and impacts the school climate within educational settings [ 46 ]. As a leadership approach rooted in transformational principles, empathic leadership emphasizes the well-being and conditions of followers [ 47 ]. This preference of school administrators in Factor 1 aligns with efforts to create a school climate soft skills-oriented. When viewed as a soft skill, empathy holds importance across various dimensions, including interpersonal relationships, emotional regulation, and cognitive skills [ 48 ]. In this context, the empathic perspective of school administrators is crucial for cultivating a school climate which is soft skills oriented, thereby promoting the development of soft skills within the school. Contrary to the aspects most valued by the school administrators in Factor 1, it is seen that approaching the suggestions of school stakeholders without prejudice is the least valued practice for Factor 1. This situation can be interpreted as an indication that the practices least considered by school administrators tend to shift toward autocratic management, though without entirely departing from the principles of empathetic leadership. A school administrator who adopts an autocratic leadership model exhibits authoritarian behaviours in the school [ 49 ]. In this context, empathetic and autocratic leadership models stand in contrast to one another. Empathetic leaders can be described as individuals who sincerely understand the needs of their employees and make them feel supported without expecting anything in return or basing their support on employee performance. It is considered that the leader's prejudiced behaviour will hinder or harm the establishment of positive relationships with employees. The opinions of school administrators placed in Factor 2 reveal that the concept of fair management, which is their most emphasized aspect in creating a soft skills-oriented school climate, is related to the Ethical Leadership. Ethical decision-making is a complex and ongoing process that school leaders must manage daily [ 50 ]. Setting achievement goals for students, creating a classroom environment for these students, fostering social justice leadership skills among teachers and school leaders, and managing the relationship between the school and its environment strengthen a fair education system [ 51 ]. This understanding reveals a strong relationship between ethical leadership and fair management practices in terms of soft skills. The fact that the most emphasized practice by school administrators placed in Factor 2 is fair management can be discussed in this context. Ethical leaders are known to approach school stakeholders in an inclusive manner, without any prejudice, and without excluding people based on differences or beliefs [ 52 ]. For such leaders, demonstrating respect for individual differences or encouraging it can be regarded as normal. The emphasis on promoting respect for individual differences in the school can be seen in this regard. The least emphasized soft skills practices among school administrators in Factor 2 is allowing emotions to be freely expressed within the school environment. This view can be seen as a reflection of the authoritarian tendencies of the school administrators. Authoritarian leadership is defined as a leadership style in which firm attitudes are effective [ 53 ]. Such an approach may harm the quality of communication, which plays an important role in ethical leadership, and it may lead to missed professional development opportunities. Effective school administrators must continuously engage in personal development to possess current management skills [ 54 ]. It is considered that the less emphasis placed on professional development opportunities related to soft skills by the school administrators in Factor 2 may have contributed to their display of this managerial behaviour. In line with these results, it is understood that the school administrators grouped under Factor 2 primarily strive to create a school environment soft skills-oriented by demonstrating the Ethical Leadership, but also sometimes show authoritarian leadership characteristics. The most important issue to be considered by school administrators is to apply different leadership styles in a consistent and complementary manner. The empathetic and ethical tendencies of school administrators are vital for the development of soft skills and the enrichment of the school climate within the framework of ethical and empathetic values. This is because the leadership styles of school administrators play a significant role in school culture. On the other hand, the authoritarian tendencies of school administrators may have variable impacts on the school climate. It is known that authoritarian leadership is highly effective in situations where there is a strong need for a leader's presence, quick decision-making, and in exceptional circumstances [ 53 ]. However, prolonged authoritarian approaches can lead to undesirable outcomes such as distrust, loss of motivation, and decreased creativity among students, teachers, and parents. This can result in situations that negatively affect the development of soft skills in the school climate. In this context, it is necessary to think contextually about the reasons behind the choices school administrators make, whether they are positive or negative, before evaluating what they assign the least importance to in terms of soft skills. Soft skills are currently considered one of the most important components of organizational success [ 29 ]. Although the educational system in Türkiye is shaped by strong hierarchical structures and central norms, school administrators can make a difference in these limited environments by effectively managing school processes and encouraging their teachers to engage in both professional development [ 55 ]. Context is critically important in assessing school administrators [ 56 ]. In this regard, it can be said that the factorial structure reached within the scope of this study enables school administrators to adopt both contemporary leadership models and to develop contextual alignment while fulfilling the requirements of the centralized system in creating a soft skills-oriented school climate. Conclusion Research findings indicate that school administrators who adopt ethical and empathetic leadership approaches may also display authoritarian leadership behaviours in establishing a soft skills-oriented school climate—although this may seem theoretically inconsistent. This situation, however, depends on the context in which the administrator operates and how the leadership style is implemented. Leadership is typically a dynamic process rather than a fixed model and often varies depending on the situation. A school administrator may adopt an authoritarian leadership style in a limited and controlled manner, when necessary, without deviating from empathetic tendencies and ethical values. We concluded that this result is related to the centralized appointment system in Türkiye, where school administrators are assigned by the central authority. Administrators are expected to comply with regulations and supervision obligations imposed by the centralized system and to ensure the continuity of centralized policies. Consequently, school administrators are required to build trust-based relationships with students, teachers, and parents based on ethical and empathetic principles, while simultaneously maintaining a directive and decision-making stance aligned with the expectations of central authority. In other words, administrators’ authoritarian behaviours are often shaped more by the structural context than by their personal leadership preferences. Therefore, the occasional authoritarian attitudes of school administrators, despite their ethical or empathetic inclinations, can be considered a contextually understandable phenomenon within the Turkish education system. This study contributes to the soft skills-oriented leadership literature by highlighting how contextual constraints in centralized systems necessitate leadership that blends ethical, empathic, and authoritarian tendencies. Limitations and Implications It is important to consider several limitations related to the design and measures of this study. The first limitation concerns the sample. Although the sample size was relatively large, this study was conducted in the western part of Türkiye. Socio-cultural characteristics significantly influence soft skills. In this context, we recommended that future research include a sample representing the entire country. Secondly, the study included school administrators working at various educational levels, ranging from early childhood education to high school. However, due to differences in students’ developmental characteristics, the soft skills-related challenges encountered in early childhood may differ from those likely to arise at the high school level. This variation may influence the soft skills that school leaders need to possess. Therefore, future research is recommended to focus on more homogeneous groups. Declarations Authors' Contribution All authors participated in the conception and design of the study. Hanife ESEN AYGUN, Sefika Melike CAGATAY, and Kaan OKDAS were responsible for data collection. Data analysis was conducted by Hanife ESEN AYGUN and Kaan OKDAS. The manuscript was drafted by Hanife ESEN AYGUN, Sefika Melike CAGATAY, Serife Gonca ZEREN, and Kaan OKDAS. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript. Funding: This study was supported by Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) under the Grant Number 124K633 The authors thank to TUBITAK for their supports. Ethics approval and consent to participate This manuscript is not under review elsewhere, and the results have not been published previously or accepted for publication. The study protocol conformed to the ethical guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. This study was reviewed and approved by Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Committee of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University (Date: 24.04.2024 / Issue: 06/34). Written informed consent was obtained from each participant. Consent for publication Not applicable Declaration of conflicting interest The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest. Data availability Yes References Berhanu KZ. The relationship between principals’ pedagogical leadership practices and teachers’ job performance: the role of sociodemographic characteristics. 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administrators play a vital role in shaping the school climate and cultivating a learning environment. One of the important steps in creating an effective school climate is the soft skills demonstrated by school administrators. These skills are related not only to school management issues but also to teacher motivation, students\u0026rsquo; social-emotional development, and the overall success of the school. In this context, school administrators need to consider both cognitive and emotional skills to achieve their institutional goals [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Such managerial behaviour that considers the individual holistically contributes to outcomes supported by teachers and leads to high-quality performance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. This information points to the school administrator\u0026rsquo;s capacity to shape the school\u0026rsquo;s climate. In a positive school climate, teachers devote themselves to learning and teaching and raise students who care for each other, trust one another, and are willing to work together [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. In this context, it is understood that the behaviours of students, teachers, and administrators are intertwined and that the behaviours demonstrated by school administrators are an important factor in shaping the school climate. However, since school administrators do not directly participate in lessons, they are informed about what happens in the classroom only to the extent shared by teachers, students, and sometimes parents. This situation limits school administrators' perspectives on events to indirect observations. To overcome this limitation, school administrators could first develop their own soft skills [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. In this way, a school climate open to communication and collaboration, fair and trust-based, guided by empathy, and oriented toward problem-solving will be established. In cultivating such a school climate, soft skills-oriented approaches come to the forefront. Although existing studies have discussed the importance of school administrators\u0026rsquo; soft skills, such as empathy, problem solving, communication and conflict resolution, evidence on how administrators perceive these skills and how they evaluate themselves is quite limited, especially in centralized systems like T\u0026uuml;rkiye. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine school administrators\u0026rsquo; self-assessment in creating a soft skills-oriented school climate using Q methodology. This methodological approach enables a thorough understanding of subjective viewpoints, which leadership research frequently overlooks. To clear this gap and comprehend how school administrators integrate soft skills, the current study conducts Q methodology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eConceptual Framework\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe concept of soft skills has come to be used as an eclectic and overarching term that encompasses various skill frameworks developed across different domains over time. In this context, soft skills are used in a similar sense to concepts such as future skills, 21st century skills, social-emotional skills, transversal skills, life skills, and generic competences. However, soft skills go beyond these frameworks by integrating their shared characteristics and offering a more comprehensive understanding of essential human competencies. Soft skills are the competencies that regulate human relations and help individuals regulate their emotions and behaviours [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSoft skills are recognized as key determinants of satisfaction and motivation within self-regulation and motivation theories; from the perspective of self-determination theory, the development of soft skills reflects the fulfilment of basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. Although soft skills in schools are still being discussed\u0026mdash;as they are frequently addressed in the business world to balance the relationship between employees and employers\u0026mdash;it is seen that in the field of education, soft skills are defined under three sub-dimensions in educational context: interpersonal skills, emotional control, and cognitive skills [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Interpersonal skills refer to abilities such as conflict resolution, cooperation, communication, and empathy [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. Emotional control is the ability of an individual to regulate their emotional state [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. Cognitive skills refer to mental abilities such as thinking, abstracting, interpreting, and decision-making [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. These three dimensions, within the scope of soft skills, are known as components of healthy behaviour [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSchool Administrators\u0026rsquo; Soft Skills\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSoft skills are fundamental components that assist school administrators in establishing their own leadership style, thereby fostering a positive and trust-based school environment. In the new world order, it is observed that the understanding of communication has taken a different form compared to the past. The changing profiles of students and teachers, along with challenging life events, have made it necessary for school administrators to reconsider their management approach to be effective leaders. Effective leaders have the potential to positively influence stakeholders within the organization [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. In this context, school administrators are expected to possess soft skills which will enable them to manage their emotions and thoughts and thereby establish effective relationships with other school stakeholders [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. These soft skills that school administrators will possess will enable them to communicate effectively with teachers, students, and parents, to build a fair and trust-based school climate, and to contribute to the improvement of student achievement [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]. Moreover, it is known that school administrators with soft skills can transform the school into a soft skills-oriented environment by integrating models such as ethical [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e], empathetic [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e], transformative [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e], instructional [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e], and servant leadership [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e] through communication, cooperation, and emotional control. In this regard, it is necessary to examine to what extent school administrators incorporate soft skills into their administrative practices. We considered it essential to understand the current administrative context in depth when examining school administrators\u0026rsquo; self-assessments regarding their role in fostering a school climate that is soft skills-oriented.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTurkish Context\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecently, the emphasis on developing soft skills among school administrators has greatly increased [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]. However, school management practices are shaped by a centralized educational system where school administrators are appointed through standardized assessments and performance evaluations in T\u0026uuml;rkiye [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. This centralized structure may lead school administrators to prioritize bureaucratic, administrative, and academic performance-related tasks while placing less emphasis on soft skills that do not directly reflect on performance indicators [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. Despite structural regulations on school management, the extent to which school administrators possess and effectively conduct soft skills remains uncertain. Considering the educational needs of the 21st century, it is crucial to investigate how Turkish school administrators perceive and evaluate their own soft skills within the context of their professional roles. Although this study addresses the situation of school administrators in the Turkish education system regarding soft skills, it also contains common elements applicable to countries with exam-oriented evaluation and central appointment practices like those in T\u0026uuml;rkiye.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Current Study\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the soft skills that school administrators should possess have been listed, it is known that the use of inappropriate methods for assessing and evaluating these skills affects the accuracy of the measurement results [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e]. This is because measuring soft skills is more difficult than measuring hard skills [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. In countries with a centralized governance approach, such as T\u0026uuml;rkiye, the absence of a clearly defined framework for soft skills makes their assessment even more challenging. The difficulty in measuring soft skills stems from the fact that these competencies emerge interactively within a specific context, and there is no test available that objectively evaluates an individual\u0026rsquo;s behaviour. Based on this information, we referred to school administrators\u0026rsquo; self-assessments in the study and chose the Q methodology as it serves as a tool that supports the self-assessment process and brings objectivity to data collection. School administrators\u0026rsquo; self-assessments are important in terms of understanding how well they know themselves and how they evaluate their own work. However, without specific mechanisms to support them, self-assessment results may have some limitations. Q methodology minimizes these limitations by equating the observer with the observed and offering the opportunity to measure only the individual's own subjectivity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e]. Accordingly, we aimed to investigate school administrators' self-assessments regarding their soft skills, contributing to the discourse on educational leadership by providing insights into the practical implications of leadership competence in a Turkish context. This study is expected to contribute to the development of a new model for a soft skills-oriented leadership approach by providing data on how school administrators in countries with centralized governance perceive their own roles. In addition, the findings obtained through school administrators\u0026rsquo; self-assessments regarding soft skills are expected to contribute to the discovery of their strengths and areas for improvement, the understanding of the root causes of problem behaviours related to soft skills in schools, and the development of effective solutions. We mean that the results will contribute to making the school climate more \u003cb\u003es\u003c/b\u003eoft skills-oriented in countries with central appointment practices, as well as to understanding the prominent and background practices of school administrators. Accordingly, the research questions are follows: a) What are the main perspectives school administrators regarding the cultivation of a soft skills-oriented school climate in T\u0026uuml;rkiye? b) What are the similarities and differences among the main perspectives of school administrators regarding the cultivation of a soft skills-oriented school climate?\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methodology","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResearch Design\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the study, Q Methodology, which is considered an effective tool for objectively revealing the self-assessments of school administrators regarding their soft skills and examining self-oriented processes, has been used. Thus, the subjectivity of school administrators\u0026rsquo; practices related to soft skills has been examined. In research focusing on subjectivity, qualitative research methods that typically do not allow generalization or the R method, which limits the in-depth interpretation of data, are commonly used [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]. Q methodology aims to reveal the differences in participants' ways of thinking and their perceptions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]. In the process, participants are typically asked to rank a set of statements in a way that generally aligns with a semi-normal distribution and conforms to their personal feelings and judgments [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. Q Methodology is fundamentally based on individuals ranking statements presented to them along a negative and positive scale on a continuum that reflects their own views. The generated Q rankings are not considered right or wrong but are self-referential [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. With these characteristics, Q methodology can be considered an appropriate method for examining subjectivity. Within the framework of Q Methodology, subjectivity can be approached as revealing an individual\u0026rsquo;s perspective on a personally or socially significant issue [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. Moreover, Q Methodology provides a systematic and flexible approach for collecting and analysing data related to subjectivity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e]. With these characteristics, Q methodology can be considered a useful tool to handle effective results in self-assessment processes. Thus, the similarities and differences in individuals' perspectives are revealed [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]. Based on these, we decided to design this research using the Q methodology to gain a deeper understanding of school administrators' self-assessment of developing soft skills within schools.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConcourse Development and Q Sample\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe research began by creating a concourse development, referred to as the first stage of Q methodology [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. Q methodology involves participants ranking a series of statements according to their degree of agreement. The statements to be ranked can be obtained from surveys and scales or from various sources such as articles, columns, and interviews [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]. In this study, the aim was to provide a unique set of statements for literature. The statements were developed based on the three sub-dimensions of soft skills\u0026mdash;interpersonal skills, emotional control, and cognitive skills\u0026mdash;but were randomly ordered to prevent clustering on specific factors by participants [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e].Watts and Stenner [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e] suggest that to make the ranking process less exhausting, the number of statements could be limited, if necessary, thus allowing for the expansion of the semantic content and scope of the statements. Moreover, negative and positive statements can be included together in a Q set however, this is not a requirement [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]. In this context, due to the inherently positive nature of soft skills, the concourse domain was composed entirely of positive statements. In this direction, the focus was on allowing participants to complete the ranking with minimal effort and time, and a pool of items was created by scanning the literature. A set of 24 statements was created from this item pool. Subsequently, the draft of the statement set was reviewed by 5 field experts from the areas of Psychological Counselling and Guidance (1), Educational Management (3), and Educational Measurement and Evaluation (1). Based on their feedback and suggestions, 10 statements were revised, 14 statements were retained as is, and one new statement was added to the set, resulting in the final version of the statement set. Thus, the dataset consisted of 25 items. In Q studies, researchers may adopt one of two response approaches: free distribution or forced distribution. While free distribution allows flexibility, it carries the risk of overlooking some critical viewpoints of the participants [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. In contrast, forced distribution encourages participants to carefully reflect on their feelings and thoughts [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, to ensure that no key perspectives were missed regarding school administrators' views on cultivating a soft skills-oriented school climate, a forced distribution ranging from +\u0026thinsp;4 to -4 was adopted. Participants indicated their statements on the Q grid presented in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA pilot application was then conducted with a group of three school administrators from different educational levels. Participants in the pre-application were asked to evaluate the items in terms of meaning and clarity, and they were also instructed to place them in the rankings. Based on the information obtained from the pilot application, it was concluded that the measurement tool was suitable for the target audience. The pre-application data was not included in the main data. After completing a Q ranking, it is recommended that participants elaborate on their perspectives through an interview [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. For this purpose, two open-ended questions were added to the Q ranking to allow participants to explain why they placed statements on the positive and negative extremes. This modified Q sample was then ready for conduction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eProcess\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e The ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Committee of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University (Date: 24.04.2024/ Issue: 06/34). In addition, written informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to the data collection process. The research data was collected during the fall semester of the 2024\u0026ndash;2025 academic year. The study included school administrators working in public schools at various educational levels in Canakkale/T\u0026uuml;rkiye, who participated voluntarily. The purpose and scope of the research were explained to the school administrators, and it was emphasized that participation in the research was based on voluntary consent. School administrators who agreed to participate were presented with the Q statements and Q grid and were asked to complete the data set. The participating school administrators were instructed to read the statements, determine their level of agreement, and place the numbers of the statements in the relevant sections of the grid. They were then asked to explain the reasons for placing the statements at the positive and negative extremes (+\u0026thinsp;4 and \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;4) by providing justifications for their placements. As stated by Ho [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e], Q methodology is less well-known compared to Likert-type studies and requires more effort, which means that participants often need more time and guidance. In line with Ho\u0026rsquo;s [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e] observation, the participants in this study also experienced challenge in accurately transferring the statements from the Q sample into the Q sort distribution. However, the fact that the data were collected face-to-face by the research team provided participants with the necessary guidance to overcome these challenges.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eP Sample\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the study, we used criterion sampling. In this regard, the condition of \"being employed as a school administrator or vice administrator in educational institutions\" was accepted as the criterion. Since participants in Q methodology possess variable characteristics, a large sample size is not necessary [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e]. In this context, 61 school administrators from different educational levels, who met the established criterion and agreed to participate voluntarily, completed the data set. Of these school administrators, 10 were excluded from the data set because they had written at least one statement multiple times in their Q grid, and 11 school administrators discontinued the study. After removing the school administrators who had incomplete or incorrect coding from the data set, the P sample consisted of 40 participants (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDemographic Characteristics of the Participants\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePercentage\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGender\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e57.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducational Status\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor's degree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMaster\u0026rsquo;s degree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhD graduate\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eProfessional Seniority Year\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u0026ndash;10 years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u0026ndash;20 years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21\u0026ndash;29 years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30 years+\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot Specified\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdministrative Experience\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u0026ndash;10 years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e75%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u0026ndash;20 years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21\u0026ndash;29 years\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSchool Type\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePreschool\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSecondary School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh School\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot Specified\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eStatistical Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe data were analysed using the Ken-Q Analysis Desktop Edition (KADE). Factors were evaluated by considering many criteria such as the Humphrey rule, eigenvalue, scree test, etc. These criteria should be considered not as mandatory rules to be followed but as indicators that guide the researcher in the process [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]. Webler et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e] express the need to construct the factorial structure using as few factors as possible with the criterion of parsimony. Therefore, the criteria determined for the research were evaluated together and interpreted in line with the parsimony criteria, and a two-factor solution was adopted.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe identified factorial structure should be able to explain the variability in the correlation matrix at the highest possible rate. The percentage of total variability explained by a factor in the correlation matrix is calculated using the formula 100 x (EV [Eigenvalue of the relevant factor] / n [Number of Q Sorts in the study]) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. Under normal conditions, a rate of 35\u0026ndash;40% or above is considered sufficient [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]. The factors forming the factorial structure in this context explain 23% and 13% of the total variance, respectively. Accordingly, the two-factor structure identified in the study explains approximately 36% of the total variance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter determining the factorial structure, the rotation phase was initiated. It can be stated that varimax rotation and judgemental rotation stand out for the rotation process [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. Based on the literature, we understood that varimax rotation and judgemental rotation have advantages over each other from different perspectives [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, for this study, we used varimax rotation and judgemental rotation together. First, we applied varimax rotation and then finalized the factor loadings through judgemental rotation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eAs a result of the varimax rotation, we observed that the views of participants coded SA34 and SA3 were close to the significance threshold with loading values of 0.4999 and 0.5132, respectively, for Factor 1 and Factor 2. We performed a 3-degree positive rotation; we ensured that SA34 exceeded the significance threshold for Factor 1 and SA3 for Factor 2. As a result of the rotation, we manually examined the participant views that met the significance threshold. Then, we used the formula of McKeown and Thomas [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e] (1/\u0026radic;number of expressions) x 2.58 to determine the level of significance in the study. Accordingly, values of .51 and above were considered significant (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDistribution of Participants by Factors\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipant\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFactor 1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFactor 2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,6541X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3733\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,5746X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,4676\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,0441\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,5162X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,0702\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,6992X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,2168\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,2805\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,6341X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3672\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,172\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,1954\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,1252\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,6227X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,1769\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3518\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,4939\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,1801\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,4664\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,099\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,0771\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,1779\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 13\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,8688X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,0287\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,0419\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,673X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,903X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,1518\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 16\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,4996\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3216\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,7419X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,0149\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,0298\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3187\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 19\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3494\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,1466\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,0317\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,5756X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 21\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,5282X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,1178\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,1103\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,7433X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,1163\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3024\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,7146X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,0258\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,8291X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,1386\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3214\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,5691X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,1895\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,2881\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 28\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3421\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,6198X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 29\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,0603\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,6188X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3558\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3462\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,2518\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,4817\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,0415\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3718\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,4072\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,0178\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,5194X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3594\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,0209\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,5768X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,6639X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,0612\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0,134\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,259\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,0439\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,3812\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 39\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,4429\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,5845X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSA 40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,4011\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0,7463X\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSignificant p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.01\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSchool administrators coded as SA.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs seen in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, Factor 1 covers 11 participants and Factor 2 covers 12 participants, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.01. As a result of the factorization process, to better understand the factors, differences and similarities between them need to be analysed [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]. The inter-factor correlation values for the identified factors are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;3.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTablo 3.\u003c/b\u003e \u003cem\u003eInter-factor Correlation Values\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Taba\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFactors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.2017\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.2017\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"3\"\u003eSignificant p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.01\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn examination of the data in Table\u0026nbsp;3 reveals a low-level positive correlation (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.2017) between Factor 1 and Factor 2. Based on this finding, it can be inferred that the typologies represented by the factors related to participants\u0026rsquo; self-assessments of soft skills are distinct from one another.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatements that are placed similarly across all factors are defined as consensus statements, while statements that are placed significantly differently are defined as distinguishing statements. While consensus statements allow for an in-depth examination of the nature of the factor, distinguishing statements provide insight into how the factors differ from one another [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e]. In this context, the statements and their positions according to the factors are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eStatements and Factor Positions\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQ Statement\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFactor 1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFactor 2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI make an effort to ensure that no one in my school is subjected to bullying.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI serve as a role model for school stakeholders through my behaviours that align with soft skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI take advantage of professional development opportunities related to soft skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI make effective interventions during crises at my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI provide opportunities to enhance collaboration among teachers at my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI adopt a participatory management approach that takes into account the opinions of stakeholders in my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI monitor the academic, social, emotional, and vocational development of students at my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e8*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI express my emotions in the school environment without hesitation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e9+\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI uphold honesty as a shared value in my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10+\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI establish open communication with stakeholders at my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e11+\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI support the academic development of teachers at my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e12+\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI approach all stakeholders in my school with an empathetic perspective.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e13*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI create opportunities to improve relationships among school staff.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e14*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI implement a fair management approach in my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e15*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI follow our students\u0026rsquo; achievements in extracurricular activities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e16+\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI support stakeholders in my school in expressing their emotions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e17*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI make an effort to solve the problems of stakeholders at my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e18*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI encourage respect for individual differences (physical, economic, cognitive, social, etc.) at my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e19*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI encourage students at my school to participate in activities and projects that will improve their academic skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e20*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI do not make hasty decisions when experiencing intense emotions such as anger and stress.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e21*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI concretely (verbally or in writing) acknowledge the efforts of teachers at my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e22*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI take concrete steps to resolve conflicts at my school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e23*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI plan the future goals of our school together with school stakeholders.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e24*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI approach the suggestions of stakeholders at my school without prejudice.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e25+\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI monitor the behaviours of teachers at my school in terms of their alignment with soft skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e+\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSignificant p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.01\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNon-Significant at p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;.01\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFactors that emerged in the study represent two different perspectives on creating a soft skills-oriented school climate. In line with the information obtained from the literature, these perspectives were named Empathic Leadership (Factor 1) and Ethical Leadership (Factor 2).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFactor 1: Empathic Leadership\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe observed that school administrators whose views are considered significant for Factor 1 (f\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;11) mainly exhibit empathic leadership characteristics but also tend to adopt autocratic leadership in some practices. Combating bullying is one of the main practices that characterizes the views represented in Factor 1 (Statement 1, \u003cb\u003e+\u0026thinsp;4\u003c/b\u003e, +3 distinguishing). It can be said that the school administrators in Factor 1 are aware of the negative effects of bullying on the school climate. Examples of explanations provided by the school administrators whose views are grouped under Factor 1 regarding the subject are as follows.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIndividuals who are subjected to bullying experience a decrease in their sense of school belonging (SA2)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI do not like it when anyone is subjected to bullying. I try to understand what they are going through and empathize with them (SA15)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe emphasis placed by the school administrators in Factor 1 on upholding honesty as a value in the school environment (Statement 9, \u003cb\u003e+\u0026thinsp;2\u003c/b\u003e, +2 consensus), making effective interventions during crises (Statement 4, \u003cb\u003e+\u0026thinsp;3\u003c/b\u003e, +1 distinguishing), and providing opportunities to enhance collaboration among teachers (Statement 5, \u003cb\u003e+\u0026thinsp;2\u003c/b\u003e, +1 distinguishing) can be seen as an indicator of the empathic practices of the school administrator, who generally dominates the factor, in creating a soft skills-oriented school climate. On the other hand, when the least prioritized issues in the factorial structure by the participants are examined, it can be stated that the school administrators in Factor 1 give the least attention to practices that tend to shift toward autocratic management, yet without completely departing from the principles of empathic leadership. The fact that making an effort to solve the problems of school stakeholders (Statement 17, \u003cb\u003e-2\u003c/b\u003e, +\u0026thinsp;2 distinguishing), monitoring teachers\u0026rsquo; behaviours in terms of their alignment with soft skills (Statement 25, -2, -3 consensus), and concretely acknowledging the efforts of teachers (Statement 21, \u003cb\u003e-2\u003c/b\u003e, +\u0026thinsp;3 distinguishing) are among the least valued practices indicates the presence of an autocratic perspective felt across the factor. The fact that approaching the suggestions of school stakeholders without prejudice (Statement 24, \u003cb\u003e-4\u003c/b\u003e, +\u0026thinsp;1) is the least valued practice among school administrators whose views are grouped in Factor 1 may be seen as a reflection of this authoritarian climate.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFactor 2: Ethical Leadership\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor school administrators whose views are considered significant for Factor 2 (f\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;12), an understanding of ethical leadership is predominant, although it is understood that they occasionally exhibit autocratic leadership. The ethical sensitivity that dominates the factor is reflected through the importance given to justice (Statement 14, +\u0026thinsp;1, \u003cb\u003e+4\u003c/b\u003e, distinguishing). School administrators whose views are considered significant for the factor emphasize the determining role of justice within management processes. Examples of statements related to the subject are presented below:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhen there is no fair administration, there is neither a vision nor the reputation of the school\u003c/em\u003e administrators \u003cem\u003ein the institution. No work can fully achieve its goal (SA4)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJustice is essential for ensuring unity and solidarity in society, creating an environment of trust and peace, and maintaining a harmonious atmosphere (SA28)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe importance given by the school administrators examined under Factor 2 to concretely acknowledging the efforts of teachers (21: +3) gains meaning within the structure of ethical leadership, which focuses more on the outcomes of human behaviour rather than understanding it. The preferences of the school administrators who adopt an ethical leadership approach\u0026mdash;ensuring that no one is subjected to bullying (Statement 1, +\u0026thinsp;4, \u003cb\u003e+3\u003c/b\u003e, distinguishing), upholding honesty as a shared value (Statement 9, +\u0026thinsp;2, \u003cb\u003e+2\u003c/b\u003e, consensus), encouraging respect for individual differences (Statement 18, -1, +\u0026thinsp;2, distinguishing), and making efforts to solve stakeholders\u0026rsquo; problems (Statement 17, -2, \u003cb\u003e+\u0026thinsp;2\u003c/b\u003e, distinguishing)\u0026mdash;reveal not only their commitment to ethical principles but also suggest that they expect their followers to act in accordance with these principles. The school administrators in Factor 2 gave the least importance to the practice of expressing emotions in the school environment without hesitation (Statement 8, +\u0026thinsp;1, \u003cb\u003e-4\u003c/b\u003e, distinguishing), followed by creating opportunities to improve staff relationships at school (Statement 13, 0, \u003cb\u003e-2\u003c/b\u003e, distinguishing)\u0026mdash;despite its importance from an ethical leadership perspective\u0026mdash;and monitoring teachers\u0026rsquo; behaviours in terms of their alignment with soft skills (Statement 25, -2, \u003cb\u003e-3\u003c/b\u003e, consensus), which are among the least valued practices. Examining the statements of the school administrators grouped under Factor 2 reveals a prevailing belief that expressing emotions may undermine administrative processes. The fact that these statements are among the least valued practices in terms of soft skills suggests that the partially perceived presence of an autocratic approach throughout the factor may be reflected in these preferences.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eWe have emphasized the importance of school administrators' self-assessment in fostering a positive school climate that is soft skills-oriented. The Q-methodology analysis revealed two distinctly different viewpoints among school administrators in cultivating a soft skills-oriented school climate. This is because the viewpoints revealed that administrators predominantly assess themselves as empathetic and ethical leaders. On the other hand, the results indicate that they have rarely exhibited autocratic leadership as well. Overall, the factors share some commonalities regarding soft skills, yet they differ from one another.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccordingly, the most significant issue related to soft skills for school administrators categorized in Factor 1 is bullying. A school administrator who takes steps to prevent bullying essentially embraces the empathic leadership model. For school administrators, adopting an empathic perspective is essential to deeply understanding the social culture that students develop within the school environment. This perspective aids administrators in shaping the school\u0026rsquo;s vision [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e]. In organizational culture, this leadership style positively influences performance and satisfaction and impacts the school climate within educational settings [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]. As a leadership approach rooted in transformational principles, empathic leadership emphasizes the well-being and conditions of followers [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e]. This preference of school administrators in Factor 1 aligns with efforts to create a school climate soft skills-oriented. When viewed as a soft skill, empathy holds importance across various dimensions, including interpersonal relationships, emotional regulation, and cognitive skills [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e]. In this context, the empathic perspective of school administrators is crucial for cultivating a school climate which is soft skills oriented, thereby promoting the development of soft skills within the school. Contrary to the aspects most valued by the school administrators in Factor 1, it is seen that approaching the suggestions of school stakeholders without prejudice is the least valued practice for Factor 1. This situation can be interpreted as an indication that the practices least considered by school administrators tend to shift toward autocratic management, though without entirely departing from the principles of empathetic leadership. A school administrator who adopts an autocratic leadership model exhibits authoritarian behaviours in the school [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e]. In this context, empathetic and autocratic leadership models stand in contrast to one another. Empathetic leaders can be described as individuals who sincerely understand the needs of their employees and make them feel supported without expecting anything in return or basing their support on employee performance. It is considered that the leader's prejudiced behaviour will hinder or harm the establishment of positive relationships with employees.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe opinions of school administrators placed in Factor 2 reveal that the concept of fair management, which is their most emphasized aspect in creating a soft skills-oriented school climate, is related to the Ethical Leadership. Ethical decision-making is a complex and ongoing process that school leaders must manage daily [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e]. Setting achievement goals for students, creating a classroom environment for these students, fostering social justice leadership skills among teachers and school leaders, and managing the relationship between the school and its environment strengthen a fair education system [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e]. This understanding reveals a strong relationship between ethical leadership and fair management practices in terms of soft skills. The fact that the most emphasized practice by school administrators placed in Factor 2 is fair management can be discussed in this context. Ethical leaders are known to approach school stakeholders in an inclusive manner, without any prejudice, and without excluding people based on differences or beliefs [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e]. For such leaders, demonstrating respect for individual differences or encouraging it can be regarded as normal. The emphasis on promoting respect for individual differences in the school can be seen in this regard.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe least emphasized soft skills practices among school administrators in Factor 2 is allowing emotions to be freely expressed within the school environment. This view can be seen as a reflection of the authoritarian tendencies of the school administrators. Authoritarian leadership is defined as a leadership style in which firm attitudes are effective [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e]. Such an approach may harm the quality of communication, which plays an important role in ethical leadership, and it may lead to missed professional development opportunities. Effective school administrators must continuously engage in personal development to possess current management skills [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e]. It is considered that the less emphasis placed on professional development opportunities related to soft skills by the school administrators in Factor 2 may have contributed to their display of this managerial behaviour. In line with these results, it is understood that the school administrators grouped under Factor 2 primarily strive to create a school environment soft skills-oriented by demonstrating the Ethical Leadership, but also sometimes show authoritarian leadership characteristics.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe most important issue to be considered by school administrators is to apply different leadership styles in a consistent and complementary manner. The empathetic and ethical tendencies of school administrators are vital for the development of soft skills and the enrichment of the school climate within the framework of ethical and empathetic values. This is because the leadership styles of school administrators play a significant role in school culture. On the other hand, the authoritarian tendencies of school administrators may have variable impacts on the school climate. It is known that authoritarian leadership is highly effective in situations where there is a strong need for a leader's presence, quick decision-making, and in exceptional circumstances [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e]. However, prolonged authoritarian approaches can lead to undesirable outcomes such as distrust, loss of motivation, and decreased creativity among students, teachers, and parents. This can result in situations that negatively affect the development of soft skills in the school climate. In this context, it is necessary to think contextually about the reasons behind the choices school administrators make, whether they are positive or negative, before evaluating what they assign the least importance to in terms of soft skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSoft skills are currently considered one of the most important components of organizational success [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. Although the educational system in T\u0026uuml;rkiye is shaped by strong hierarchical structures and central norms, school administrators can make a difference in these limited environments by effectively managing school processes and encouraging their teachers to engage in both professional development [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]. Context is critically important in assessing school administrators [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e]. In this regard, it can be said that the factorial structure reached within the scope of this study enables school administrators to adopt both contemporary leadership models and to develop contextual alignment while fulfilling the requirements of the centralized system in creating a soft skills-oriented school climate.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eResearch findings indicate that school administrators who adopt ethical and empathetic leadership approaches may also display authoritarian leadership behaviours in establishing a soft skills-oriented school climate\u0026mdash;although this may seem theoretically inconsistent. This situation, however, depends on the context in which the administrator operates and how the leadership style is implemented. Leadership is typically a dynamic process rather than a fixed model and often varies depending on the situation. A school administrator may adopt an authoritarian leadership style in a limited and controlled manner, when necessary, without deviating from empathetic tendencies and ethical values.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe concluded that this result is related to the centralized appointment system in T\u0026uuml;rkiye, where school administrators are assigned by the central authority. Administrators are expected to comply with regulations and supervision obligations imposed by the centralized system and to ensure the continuity of centralized policies. Consequently, school administrators are required to build trust-based relationships with students, teachers, and parents based on ethical and empathetic principles, while simultaneously maintaining a directive and decision-making stance aligned with the expectations of central authority. In other words, administrators\u0026rsquo; authoritarian behaviours are often shaped more by the structural context than by their personal leadership preferences. Therefore, the occasional authoritarian attitudes of school administrators, despite their ethical or empathetic inclinations, can be considered a contextually understandable phenomenon within the Turkish education system. This study contributes to the soft skills-oriented leadership literature by highlighting how contextual constraints in centralized systems necessitate leadership that blends ethical, empathic, and authoritarian tendencies.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eLimitations and Implications\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is important to consider several limitations related to the design and measures of this study. The first limitation concerns the sample. Although the sample size was relatively large, this study was conducted in the western part of T\u0026uuml;rkiye. Socio-cultural characteristics significantly influence soft skills. In this context, we recommended that future research include a sample representing the entire country. Secondly, the study included school administrators working at various educational levels, ranging from early childhood education to high school. However, due to differences in students\u0026rsquo; developmental characteristics, the soft skills-related challenges encountered in early childhood may differ from those likely to arise at the high school level. This variation may influence the soft skills that school leaders need to possess. Therefore, future research is recommended to focus on more homogeneous groups.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors' Contribution\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll authors participated in the conception and design of the study. Hanife ESEN AYGUN, Sefika Melike CAGATAY, and Kaan OKDAS were responsible for data collection. Data analysis was conducted by Hanife ESEN AYGUN and Kaan OKDAS. The manuscript was drafted by Hanife ESEN AYGUN, Sefika Melike CAGATAY, Serife Gonca ZEREN, and Kaan OKDAS. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was supported by Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) under the Grant Number 124K633 The authors thank to TUBITAK for their supports.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis manuscript is not under review elsewhere, and the results have not been published previously or accepted for publication. The study protocol conformed to the ethical guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. This study was reviewed and approved by Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Committee of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University (Date: 24.04.2024 / Issue: 06/34). Written informed consent was obtained from each participant. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeclaration of conflicting interest\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBerhanu KZ. The relationship between principals\u0026rsquo; pedagogical leadership practices and teachers\u0026rsquo; job performance: the role of sociodemographic characteristics. 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Educational Manage Adm Leadersh. 2018;46(1):5\u0026ndash;24. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1177/1741143216670652\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1177/1741143216670652\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-psychology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"psyo","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Psychology](http://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"BMC Psychology","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Soft skills, School administrators, School climate, Self-assessment, Q methodology","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7814822/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7814822/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eSoft skills have the potential to influence school stakeholders cognitively, emotionally, and behaviourally. Identifying school administrators\u0026rsquo; soft skills will help develop insights into addressing soft skill-related challenges within schools. This study aimed to determine the extent to which school administrators integrate soft skills into school practices. The research was designed using Q methodology. The data were collected during the 2024\u0026ndash;2025 academic year from 40 school administrators in Canakkale, T\u0026uuml;rkiye. The Q-sample used in the study consisted of 25 statements. Findings revealed that school administrators were grouped under two main factors: ethical leadership and empathetic leadership. However, the least stressed aspects related to soft skills in schools were associated with an autocratic leadership style. In conclusion, the findings suggest that school administrators in T\u0026uuml;rkiye generally strive to adopt contemporary leadership models that prioritise soft skills in shaping the school climate; however, the structural constraints of the centralized appointment system occasionally led them to display autocratic leadership tendencies.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"School Administrators' Self-Assessment in Cultivating a Soft Skills-Oriented School Climate: A Q Methodology Study ","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-12 14:00:18","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7814822/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-03T19:18:09+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"158614557024574654706183990409086814763","date":"2026-01-29T20:06:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"178197401851685646404058830791330304927","date":"2026-01-26T19:02:30+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"263964541717499387046156818965280104229","date":"2026-01-26T17:53:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"28971966425869764808399974318270151826","date":"2025-11-04T06:59:55+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-31T17:11:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-10-26T09:47:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-24T18:07:49+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-10-22T13:30:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Psychology","date":"2025-10-22T09:45:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-psychology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"psyo","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Psychology](http://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"BMC Psychology","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f9138115-1514-4ec6-bd6f-3513a44ae9e6","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 12th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-11-12T14:00:18+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-12 14:00:18","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7814822","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7814822","identity":"rs-7814822","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}