Kompetencje przywódcze dyrektora szkoły – wyzwania wobec teorii i praktyki edukacyjnej

In this article the features characteristic of the notion of competence, as well as the reasons for difficulty in defining the notion of school principal’s leadership competences, and a complex and multi-aspect structure of these competences are discussed. Simultaneously, the need for research over school principal’s leadership competences and over education of those occupying managerial positions at school, including their educational needs in the field of educational leadership and development of their leadership competences is considered. This article is based on the theoretical thesis formulated by Pablo Cardona and Pilar Garcia-Lombardia (2008) concerning leadership competences of managerial staff, as well as development of these competences, and assumption that high competences of educational leaders constitute one of the conditions of running a school successfully, in terms of school principals’ performing their own tasks and supporting teachers’ development and learning. The competence approach to the analysis of school principals’ work and responsibility connected with it makes it possible to demonstrate specific expectations concerning school principals’ education, professional development and work at school