Abstract
Educational leaders are increasingly called to meet the demands of K-12 schools by managing diversity, navigating conflict, and leading change. One's core values, neuroscience, and cultural proficiency of educational practices play a very important role in how they lead organizations and interact with others. This conceptual paper explores the intersection of neuroscience, core values, and associated habits that support effective cross-cultural interactions. Drawing upon frequency count data from documents collected during professional learning activities in school organizations in New York, Missouri, and California from 2018 to 2025, empathy, open-mindedness, and communication emerged as the most frequently reported important core values for a culturally competent leader. The paper discusses the role of the parasympathetic nervous system in manifesting positive outcomes of effective cross-cultural interactions. Five habits, aligned with the Essential Elements of Cultural Proficiency, are offered.
Recommended Citation
Welborn, Jaime E.
(2026)
"Leading through Difference: Core Values, Neuroscience, and the Habits of Transformative Leaders,"
The Journal of Values-Based Leadership: Vol. 19
:
Iss.
2
, Article 20.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22543/1948-0733.1644
Available at:
https://scholar.valpo.edu/jvbl/vol19/iss2/20
Included in
Business Commons, Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Educational Leadership Commons
