In this article we report on a qualitative study which explored the life narratives and career trajectories of female school principals, to determine resilience factors in the principalship position. The female principals’ voices and lived experiences were principle focus areas, not barriers or challenges they faced. In-depth insights were provided by narrative analysis as research methodology. Fifteen in-service female principals were selected from one school circuit in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. An interdisciplinary theoretical framework was used to guide the interpretation of the participants’ perspectives, using change theory, the ethics of care, and resilience psychology. Findings of the study reveal, among others, that female principals had to be prepared theoretically, practically, and psychologically for the principalship, and that mentoring and learning leadership skills were profoundly valued. These key factors lead to both career and life resilience, and can be imparted to prospective principals. Keywords: decision-making; female school leadership; female school principals; leadership skills; narrative analysis; resilience

中文翻译：

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韧性之声：女校长、领导技能和决策技巧

在本文中，我们报告了一项定性研究，该研究探讨了女校长的生活叙事和职业轨迹，以确定校长职位的适应力因素。女校长的声音和生活经历是主要关注领域，而不是她们面临的障碍或挑战。叙事分析作为研究方法提供了深入的见解。从南非普马兰加省的一个学校巡回赛中选出了 15 名在职女校长。一个跨学科的理论框架被用来指导参与者的观点的解释，使用变革理论、护理伦理和弹性心理学。研究结果表明，女校长必须在理论、实践和心理上为担任校长做好准备，并且非常重视指导和学习领导技能。这些关键因素导致职业和生活适应能力，并且可以传授给未来的校长。关键词：决策；女校领导；女校长；领导能力; 叙事分析；弹力