Navigating the Dark Side of Social Capital to Inform and Navigate Workplace Cultures

Social capital has become a metaphor of the currency for advantage through connections with others (Burt, 2008). However, Field (2004) suggests that within social networks some connections are more valuable than others. Therefore, social capital can be considered to be a contextual extension of human capital in its explanation of inequalities between people (Lin, 2011). Despite the benefits espoused through the literature discussing social capital, Field (2004) reminds us of the darker side due to the control and coercive practices which exists as part of the extended membership to social circles and inner groups.
This paper explores the experiences of several middle leaders in English secondary schools, using a combination of social network and participatory methodology to generate authentic narratives, to understand how they navigated the complex networks that surround schools, both internally and externally. The findings indicate the wide variation in the different ways the middle leaders responded to their workplace challenges and pressures and should be of interest to those working within education, whether this be school leaders, teachers, or policy makers, as we understand what influences the motivation and commitment for people to stay and thrive within our schools.