School leaders are unavoidably touched by educators placed higher in the formal systemic hierarchy. This article reports the attempt of a newly-appointed Education Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to fashion a culture of leadership suited to self-managed schools and shifting educational priorities. First, the context into which the CEO was appointed is described as is the rationale anchoring the new set of guiding values. Second, the values themselves and the actions taken by the CEO to stimulate their adoption throughout the system are discussed. Finally, some initial administrator reactions to the change attempt and a number of associated issues are explored. Findings indicate that actions from high-level educators can influence principals’ approaches to leadership, but that such changes may lack durability unless other influential players exhibit commitment. A further finding exposed the paradox of instituting culture change while avoiding a personality driven approach to leadership.
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