Causal Conditions Associated with Educational Leaders’ Soft Skills through an Artificial Intelligence Approach in Schools of Mazandaran Province

Abstract

This study aimed to identify and explain the causal conditions influencing the development and application of educational leaders’ soft skills through an artificial intelligence approach in schools of Mazandaran Province. This qualitative study was conducted within an interpretive paradigm. The participants comprised 13 experienced educational administrators, educational technology specialists, and experts in educational leadership in Mazandaran Province, who were selected through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed according to Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory approach. The analytical process involved open, axial, and selective coding, through which initial concepts were extracted, classified according to their conceptual similarities, and integrated around a central category. The credibility of the findings was enhanced through continuous comparison of the data, repeated examination of the codes, and expert review. Because of the qualitative nature of the study, no statistical inferential tests were performed, and the study’s inferences were derived from the systematic analysis of interview data. The analysis generated 146 open codes and three major axial categories. The first category, “leaders’ individual skills and emotional intelligence,” encompassed self-awareness, empathy, active listening, effective communication, flexibility, trust building, constructive conflict management, and participative leadership. The second category, “experiential capital and continuous learning,” included experience in managing complex situations, crisis management, leadership of diverse and multigenerational teams, continuous training, receptiveness to feedback, learning from mistakes, and practical skill development. The third category, “organizational support and facilitating technological infrastructure,” comprised a supportive organizational culture, team trust, developmental resources, managerial support, and access to artificial intelligence tools and data-driven systems. During selective coding, these categories were integrated under the central concept of the causal conditions contributing to educational leaders’ success in applying soft skills. The development of educational leaders’ soft skills in the artificial intelligence era results from the systemic interaction of human competencies, experiential and continuous learning, and a supportive technology-enabled organizational environment. Accordingly, leadership development programs should integrate soft-skills training, emotional intelligence, experiential learning, and artificial intelligence literacy.