SOME THEORIES ON LEADERSHIP

Some Prominent Theories

Transformational and Transactional Leadership -Transactional leadership is defined as trading one thing for another.

3 forms of transactional leadership 1. Management-by-exception-passive - Involves setting standards but waiting for major problems to occur before exerting leadership behavior. - Followers of this leadership style typically believe that their jobs is to maintain the status quo.

2. Management-by-exception-active - Leaders pay attention to issues that arise, set standards, and carefully monitor behavior.

3. Constructive transactional leadership - Is the most effective and active of the transactional leadership styles. - Sets goals, clarifies outcomes, exchanges rewards and recognition, and gives employees praise when it is deserved. - The followers are invited into the management process and generally react by focusing on and achieving expected performance goals.

Transformational Leadership
- Is more focused on change. - Produce results beyond expectations - According to Burns(1978), transformational leaders form a relationship of mutual stimulation and elevation that converts followers into leaders and may convert leaders into moral agents.

4 Is of transformational leadership

1. Individual consideration - Is characterized by giving Personal attention to members who seem neglected 2. Intellectual stimulation Is characterized by enabling followers to think of old problems in new ways.

3. Inspirational motivation -Is characterized by communicating high performance expectations through the projection of a powerful, confident, dynamic presence that invigorates followers. 4. Idealized influence - Is characterized by modeling behavior through exemplary personal achievements, character and behavior.

Transformational Leadership in Education

- School leader must attend to the needs of and provide personal attention to individual staff members, particularly those who seem left out.(individual consideration) - The effective school administrator must help staff members think of old problems in new ways.(intellectual stimulation) - School administrator must communicate high expectations for teachers and students alike.(inspirational motivation) - Through personal accomplishments and demonstrated character, the effective principal must provide a model for the behavior of teachers.(idealized influence)

Total Quality Management basic factors that more specifically define the action of an effective leader 1. Change Agency - Ability to stimulate change in an organization. - Ability to analyze the organizations need for change, isolate and eliminate structures and routines that work against change, create a shared vision and sense of urgency, implant plans and structures that enable change, and foster open communication. 2. Teamwork - The effective leader is not only involved in establishing teams, but also sees to their viability by providing necessary resources and support.

3. Continuous Improvement - A leader must invite continuous improvement into the organization and keep it alive by keeping the goals of the organization up front in the minds of employees and judging the effectiveness of the organization in terms of these goals 4. Trust Building - Involves creating a climate in which employer and employees perceive the organization as a win-win environment. - The process of establishing respect and instilling faith into followers based on leader integrity, honesty, and openness. 5. Eradication of Short-term goals. - Management by Objectives 6. Servant Leadership - Effective leadership emerges from a desire to help others.

Critical skills of servant leadership 1. Understanding the personal needs of those within the organization 2. Healing wounds caused by conflict within the organization 3. Being a steward of the resources of the organization 4. Developing skills of those within the organization 5. Being effective listener

7. Situational Leadership - The leader adapts her leadership behavior to followers maturity, based on their willingness and ability to perform a task

*Four Leadership styles match high and low willingness and ability to perform a task. 1. When followers are unable and unwilling to perform a given task, the leader directs the followers action without much concern for personal relationships. This style is referred to as high task-low relationship focus, or the telling style. 2. When the followers are unable but willing to perform the task, the leader interacts with followers in a friendly manner but still provides concrete direction and guidance. This style is referred to as high taskhigh relationship focus, or the participating style.

3. When followers are able but unwilling to perform the task, the leader does not have to provide much direction or guidance but must persuade followers to engage in the task. This style is referred to as low tasklow relationship focus, or the selling style. 4. When followers are able and willing to perform the task, the leader leaves the execution of the task to the followers with little or no interference, basically trusting followers to accomplish the task on their own. This style is referred to as low task-high relationship focus, or the delegating style.

8. Instructional Leadership

* Four dimensions or roles of an instructional leader

1. Resource provider -As a resource provider, the principal ensures that the teachers have materials, facilities, and budget necessary to adequately perform their duties. 2. Instructional resource - As instructional resource, the principal actively supports day-to-day instructional activities and programs by modeling desired behaviors, participating in service training, and consistently giving priority to instructional concerns.

3. Communicator -As communicator , the principal has clear goals for the schools and articulates those goals to faculty and staff. 4. Visible presence - As visible presence, the principal engages in frequent classroom observations and is highly accessible to faculty and staff

Characteristics of instructional leadership

1. Encouraging and facilitating the study of teaching and learning; 2. Facilitating collaborative efforts among teachers; 3. establishing coaching relationships among teachers; 4. Using instructional research to make decisions; 5. Using the principles of adult learning when dealing with teachers.

THE 21 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL LEADER

Responsibility
1. Affirmation

The Extent to which the principal

Recognizes and celebrates accomplishments and acknowledges failures Is willing to challenge and actively challenges the status quo Recognizes and rewards individual accomplishments Establishes strong lines of communication with and among teachers and students Fosters shared beliefs and a sense of community and cooperation Protects teachers from issues and influences that would detract from their teaching time and focus

2. Change Agent 3. Contingent Rewards 4. Communication 5. Culture 6. Discipline

Responsibility
7. Flexibility

The Extent to which the principal

Adapts his or her leadership behavior to the needs of the current situation and is comfortable with dissent Establishes clear goals and keeps those goals in the forefront of the schools attention Communicates and operates from strong ideals and beliefs about schooling Involves teachers in the design and implementation of important decisions and policies Ensures faculty and staff are aware of the most current theories and practices and makes the discussion of these regular aspect of the schools culture

8. Focus

9. Ideals/Beliefs 10. Input

11. Intellectual Stimulation

Responsibility
12. Involvement in curriculum, instruction and assessment 13. Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment 14. Monitoring @ Evaluating

The Extent to which the principal

Is directly involved in the design and implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices Is knowledgeable about current curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices Monitors the effectiveness of school practices and their impact on student learning Inspires and leads new and challenging innovations Establishes a set of standard operating procedures and routines Is an advocate and spokesperson for the school to all stakeholders

15. Optimizer 16. Order 17. Outreach

Responsibility
18. Relationships 19. Resources

The Extent to which the principal

Demonstrates an awareness of the personal aspects of teachers and staff Provides teachers with materials and professional development necessary for the successful execution of their jobs Is aware of the details and undercurrents in the running of the school and uses this information to address current and potential problems Has quality contact and interactions with teachers and students

20. Situational Awareness

21. Visibility