Exploring frustration: Insights from Israeli elementary school principals’ diverse perspectives

Despite the extensive exploration of emotions in educational leadership, the sense of frustration among school principals remains understudied. Educational leaders encounter a unique form of frustration as they navigate through high responsibility, restricted authority, and a distinct altruistic motivation. The study aims to understand the varied reasons and meanings attributed to feeling of frustration among elementary school principals, addressing two central questions: (1) What do elementary school principals note as the reasons for their feelings of frustration at work? (2) What are the different expressions that elementary school principals attribute to their sense of frustration? Nineteen semistructured face-to-face interviews unveil four key themes: Bearing the responsibility alone, a sense of powerlessness and lack of authority, criticism from stakeholders, and confronting multiple demands. The findings provide valuable insights into the nuanced nature of principals’ perceived sources of frustration in their professional roles.