HMEF5023

Educational
Leadership
Topic 2:
Effective Leadership Behaviours and Attitudes

Topic 3:
Contingency and Situational Leadership

Dr. Md Rosli Bin Ismail

 Behaviourial Theories

Theory X and Theory Y (Mc Gregor 1960)

Theory X
Why it is called theory X? What are the traits of theory X workers? What happens
if there are many theory X workers in an organisation? Can theory X workers be
trained as leaders?

Theory Y
Why is it called theory Y? What are the traits of theory Y workers? What happens if
there are many theory Y workers in organisation? Can theory Y worker be trained to
be leaders?

Sample of the Exam Question:

Mc Gregor (1960) developed Theory X and Theory Y - theories of work motivation and
management, where each theory represents different beliefs in which leaders view employees.

(a) Discuss FIVE (5) characteristics of Theory X workers. (b) Discuss FIVE (5) characteristics
of Theory Y workers.
 Behaviourial Theories

The Ohio State Leadership Quadrants

C S C S
(L) Consideration (Relationship Behaviours) (H)

The Managerial Grid Leadership Style

C S C S
Country Club
(1-9)
Team (9-9)

(H)
Middle of the
(L) Initiating Structure (Task Behaviour) (H)
Road

Concern for People

(5-5)
Blake (1964) identified 5 leadership styles in organization. Impoverished
1. Laissez-Faire Task (9-1)
2. Country-Club (1-1)
3. Middle-of-the-Road
4. Autocratic
5. Democratic Team Management (L) Concern for Product (H)

(L)
 Country Club Style of Leadership (1,9)
 The leader gives extra care to subordinates.
 The leader does not care much about products.
 The leader gives all out support and defense to subordinate.
 Harmonious relationship with subordinates are the primary concern of the leader.
Democratic Style of Leadership (9.9)
 This is also known as Team Management. The leader is concerned with
production as much as he is concerned with his subordinates.
 A democratic leader believes that happy workers is more committed and
productive. Therefore, a democratic leader facilitates discussion with
subordinates before completing a task.
 Everyone is encouraged to contribute physically and mentally towards the
job. The success of any project is taken as the success of the whole
team. The understanding enhances higher commitment among team
members is encouraged to contribute physically and mentally towards the
job. Democratic leadership upholds the spirit of “team work”.

Middle-of-the-Road Style of Leadership (5,5)

 The leader is too protective to the extent of delaying decisions. Quite
often he adopts a “wait and see” attitude.
 The fear of making mistakes makes the leader to loose his direction
and become indecisive.
 Some leaders of this type care both production and the welfare of his
subordinates (positive) or just the opposite (negative aspects).
 Most often such leadership is branded as “no principle” as he could not
make his own stand.

Laissez-Faire Style of Leadership (1,1) Autocratic Style of Leadership (9,1)

 The leader concerns little on the products and his subordinates.
 The leader prefers to avoid conflicts within the organization.
 The leader follows the rule of the book and seldom uses his discretion. He is very
protective of himself.
 The leader gives very little guidance to subordinates who are left on their own
without proper direction towards their job.
 Face-to-face relationship between the leader and subordinates are too limited.
 The primary concern of the leader is the product no matter what
happens to subordinates.
 The leader cares less his subordinates because what
matters most is the products subordinates produce. The leader wants
his subordinates to be robots.
 The leader wants subordinates to sustain their efficiency at all times
and get productive more and more. The leader tends to be very strict
all through.
 1.
Leadership Styles

1.

2.

3.
 Contingency Leadership
 Effective leaders are always open to any options on
leadership styles and approaches to use when confronting
problems and situations that need their attention and
participation.
 The contingency theory is a leader-match theory where it
tries to match leaders to appropriate situations. It is called
contingency leadership because the effectiveness of the
leader depends on how well his leadership style fits the
context.
Fiedler’s Contingency Theory of Leadership
 Fiedler’s contingency theory suggests that there is no best way for
managers to lead.
 Situations will create different leadership style requirements for a
manager. The solution to a managerial situation depends on the factors that
influence the situation. Fiedler looked at 3 situations that could define the
condition of a managerial task:
 Leader-member Relations
 Group atmosphere – the level of confidence, loyalty and attraction
followers feel for their leader.
 The Task Structure
 The requirement of a task are clearly spelled out. A completely
structured task will give more control to the leader while vague and
unclear tasks would reduce the leader’s control and influence.
 Position Power
 The amount of authority a leader has to reward or punish followers.
This usually refers to positional power and it is strong when the
leader has the power to hire and fire or has the authority to reward
through raise in pay or promotion.
2. Path-Goal Theory

Direct leadership is when leaders are actively managing their teams. Theorists describe
this leadership style as task-oriented, where leaders set goals, objectives, and
checkpoints for team members to achieve. It’s most similar to the way military officers
direct their units: with focus and precision.

A supportive leader focuses on developing and maintaining relationships. This

management style creates opportunities for learning and growth while building mutual
respect and trust. Supportive leaders are approachable and show empathy through active
listening and actionable feedback. This is great for work that doesn’t require heavy
directing.

Think of a participative leadership style as a co-collaborator at work. The entire team

is consulted before any decisions are made. This style is best for more challenging
situations where collaboration is needed to break through goal barriers. Teams with high
levels of expertise are encouraged to have a participative leadership style. Scholars also
note this is a process-related style, so integrate participative leadership even in your team
policies.

The achievement-oriented leadership style focuses on team members' identity,

confidence, and status. An achievement-oriented leader sets challenging goals for the
team to continuously strive so they have concrete achievements they can be proud of.
This leadership style wants to show teams that hard work pays off.
 The Path-Goal Theory of Leadership Effectiveness
 It is a situational leadership. It focuses on how leaders motivate followers to accomplish goals
and enhance performance and satisfaction. A leader needs to be skilful in all the following 4
behaviours.
 Directive Leadership - leader tends to give explicit expectations, initiating structure, ‘telling’ style.
 Supportive Leadership – leader treats followers as equals, considerate in behaviour, with
‘approachable’ style.
 Participative Leadership – leader tends toward shared decision making, collaborative behaviour.
 Achievement-oriented Leadership - leader sets challenging goals, shows confidence that they are
capable to meet them.
3. The Hersey-Blanchard Situational
Leadership Model
Hersey-Blanchard situational leadership model, there are 4 quadrant in the diagram,
which is S1, S2, S3 and S4. The quadrant is divided into two elements which is
directive behavior and supporting behavior.
SI: Directing
The leader or principal direct teachers because they have high directive and low
supporting behavior. For example new teacher have a lot to be guidance and do not
have idea and cannot think out of the box for the beneficial of program that will be
held in school , the principal just direct them without considering other things. Give
the teachers direction to complete the task.
S2 : Coaching
When teachers are be able to have their own behavior they become better and they
need to be coached. Principal gives them high direct behaviour and high direct
supportive behavior. They can think and perform the task better but they need to
be supported. They become better and be able to think by their own ways.
 It is based on the amount of direction (task behaviour) and socioemotional
support (relationship behaviour).
 S1 Directing/Telling (High Task/Low Relationship Behaviour): Recommended
dealing with new staff, work is repetitive, to be completed within a short time.
Subordinates are viewed as unable and unwilling to ‘do a good job’. Sample of the Exam Question:
 S2 Coaching/Selling (High Task/High Relationship Behaviour) : An attempt at
‘Leadership styles are based on
encouraging people to “buy into” the task. Sometimes characterised as a
situational contexts.’
“coaching” approach, it is to be used when people are willing and motivated but
lack the required “maturity” or “ability”.
Based on the above statement, discuss
 the Hersey-Blanchard situational
S3 Participating/Supporting (High Relationship/Low Task Behaviour) : The
leadership model. The discussion
leader to facilitate and communicate. It is used when people are able, but
should be supported with relevant
perhaps unwilling or insecure.
examples in the educational setting.
 S4 Delegating (Low Relationship/Low Task Behaviour) : The leader still
identifies the problem or issue, but responsibility for carrying out the response
is given to followers.

S3 : Supporting
As the teacher are able to become better in performing the given task, they know
the direction of the program, they know what they what to achieve so principal do
not have to give a lot of direction and low supporting behavior.

S4 : Delegating
Principal do some discussion with the teachers and let they know what they
supposed to do. They are low direction and low supportive behavior. Some of the
teachers have no idea on how to performing a task and leader identifies the problem,
direct to them and ask what to do later. Principal delegate the work to them because
they have high degree of competence and maturity.
 Literature Review: Education Quality in Hong Kong Primary Schools (Cheng, 1994)

Correlation Between Principal’s Leadership and Student’s Performance

Structural
Leadership

Education Human
Leadership Leadership Teachers’ individual Teacher’s group level
5 Dimensions performances performances Students’ Attitude
of Principal’s towards School
Leadership

Level of
professionalism
Symbolic Political
Leadership Leadership

Dependent Variables
Independent Variables Mediating Variables

Findings:
All the dimensions of leadership were positive towards students’
attitude towards schools
 Concept of Ethics in Leadership
Ethics and leadership cannot be separated because ethics is embedded in everything we do, and it is a
part of our humanity. An ethical school is characterised by an ethical culture, which the ethical nature od
the core business of schools.
There are FIVE principles that provide a foundation for the development of sound ethical leadership

Respectful of Others

Ready to Serve Others

Fair and Just

Honest

Build Community
Thank You