Toward a Consent-Based, Embodied Model of Educational Leadership

Author: Rachel Erazo

Publication Date: April 5th, 2026

Institution: Sanford School of Education, National University

Course: ED-6600 v2: MEd-EDL Capstone (6878446152)

ABSTRACT: Leadership within educational organizations is framed through four dominant theoretical models: transactional, transformational, servant, and situational leadership. Each offers a distinct lens for understanding how leaders influence behavior, structure environments, and engage with those they lead. Contemporary leadership frameworks often fail to account for systemic replication. While transactional leadership emphasizes efficiency and structure, and servant leadership emphasizes care and service, both models operate within systems that can unintentionally undermine autonomy. In contrast, transformational leadership offers a pathway toward intrinsic motivation and identity development (Stein, 2025). However, even transformational leadership must be reframed through a consent-based, embodied lens to address the complexities of educational environments fully. This paper argues that a consent-based, embodied approach to transformational leadership provides a more sustainable and ethical framework for addressing burnout, disengagement, and systemic power imbalances in education.