Educational Leadership: The Conceptual Framework

People Need Leaders

Pupils Need School Leaders
Transformational and effective too
Unfortunately there is dearth of effective school leaders
Rashmi Diwan

Understanding School Leadership

In a beaureucratic set up, as in India, the policy directives pronounced from time to time
place high expectations on schools to implement decisions. One would agree that each school
has a distinct capacity to adjust to the decisions taken at apex levels. It is not an easy
proposition. While few schools would be able to implement or bring desired in-school
changes because of acceptability and adaptability of teaching faculty to the norms set by
higher ups, but not all schools would be able to show results. Eventually it is the leadership of
School Head that matters. The School Head, more dependent on the acceptability of faculty
since each would be furrowing one's own land, because of differences in opinion, perception,
readiness to accept change. It is for the School Head then to find ways to bring compatibility
among them, convince and change perceptions and behaviour of each member, build teams. It
is not sufficient to change behaviour of one member or one set of behaviour, ultimately they
will have to change total behaviour and attitudes and form teams to bring desired results. In
the entire process of transformation, the School Head through leadership, mainly changes
behaviour of individuals through three ways: Power, Authority and Influence.
Leadership Defined

Power is an ability to change the behavior of other person(s) with

manipulation of reward and punishment.
LEADERSHIP IS
NOT A SHOW OF
There are three kinds of power: (i) coercive power (personal POWER
harm) remunerative power (money) and normative power (norms, or
rules and regulations) COMPLIANCE TO
AUTHORITY
Authority is legitimized power. Where power is ability, authority
REAL LEADERSHIP
is a right.
IS TO INFLUENCE
OTHERS TO BRING
The traditional kings, bureaucrats in government sector enjoy DESIRED
leadership by virtue of power position they hold to exert CHANGES
leadership in one's own sphere of work.

Influence is an ability to change the behaviour of other person(s)

without the manipulation of reward and punishment.

A leader can change behaviour of others in all the three ways, but the best way is to exert
influence, free from fear of rewards or punishments. The impact of influence is stronger,
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enduring and lasting. One premise on leadership to be drawn most apt in all school situations
is Leadership is an influencing process".

Activity 1

Describe a critical incident where you have been able to influence your subordinates
and successful in bringing a desired change in your school.

You are an Appointed Leader

There is difference between two kinds of leaders: appointed and emergent or charismatic
leaders. Appointed leaders occupy positions based on a formal letter for a fixed tenure, which
is valid till the date inscribed on it. Once these leaders superannuate, even the best friends,
"refuse to recognize." Emergent or charismatic leaders arise from the crowd, mesmerize each
of them, and take them along in pursuance of a goal set for the team that leads to memories to
remain always in the hearts of people. But most of them could be political or religious
leaders. Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Abraham Lincoln are very few among the most
popular leaders who have shown charisma in influencing people in large numbers. The
discussion in the module will be more based on Leaders in the education sector, the appointed
leaders. Leaders from other sectors are beyond the scope of this module.

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 WHAT RESEARCH ON SCHOOL HEADS REVEALS
OVER THE PAST 2 DECADES?
Factors Instrumental in better
SCHOOLS HEADS School Practices
o failed to play an effective leadership role in Findings from the recent research
the academic field in schools because of
Long stay of the Head in one
limitation of time and energy. Lack of co
school:
operation from the teachers is also a
enhances understanding and
contributing factor.
cordiality in relationships : fully
o ignore helping and guiding teachers in the area
supportive of teachers , spends
of subject content and teaching methodology
time with staff and share
even though they are distinctly related to class
thoughts with them
room teaching. The concept of school-based
supervision and monitoring of
supervision was not clear to them.
o confessed that they play police man role but teachers activities
despite best efforts they cannot do much in no favouritism for few staff
respect of teachers who waste time in classes members
and go to classes unprepared or do not attend involvement of staff in
school regularly decision making
o find in bigger school set-ups, lack of co concern for staff development
operation among teachers, inter-departmental high concern for bringing
and intradepartmental conflicts have affected continuous shows improvement
teachers morale despite best efforts of the in academic performance
head adaptation of practical
o incapable in taking decisions and lack innovative programmes and
practical knowledge relating to the managing practices however small these
of problematic situations. may be
o of advanced districts schools and urban area Capacity Building of School
schools differ significantly in respect of Heads based on the Need
teachers sensitivity, innovative practices Assessment
adaptability, outcome oriented, effective in Satisfaction of School Heads
communication and less rejecting. The credit for contributions made towards
of all this goes to head of the school for being school improvement
concerned so much with the schools that they programmes--also reinforced by
were found to be more others-oriented and less recognition from higher
authoritarian , less rejecting and stood higher authorities
in the openness of organisational climate Awards, laurels, honours,
schools. medals, shields bagged by the
o more than 60% had practically no attraction School for commendable school
for developing new ideas and new performance
programmes.
Collaborative culture emanates from three
TEACHERS major foundations.
o In 85% schools, teachers accepted Vision
administrative assignments willingly. Foster collaborative relationship
o In 77 percent of schools are consulted before through shared vision
heads took any decision regarding changes in Value human resources by
day to day running of schools. In 83 percent of relating to people.
schools, teachers voluntarily offered
suggestions. And 78 percent of heads made (Mazzarella and Grundy, 1989; Hoy and
efforts to keep their teachers up to date. Brown, 1988; Sarason, 1982; Blumberg
and Greenfield, 1980).
Political influences and pressures from central office
have been dominating the education scene more in
issues concerning transfer, deputation, appointment and
selection of personnel, opening of schools,
introducing new subjects, examination patterns.
The district office remains the main targets of pressures
and the next in significance is the school.
The traditional ethics of impartiality and justice have
diminished slowly; self interest reigns supreme.

The interesting feature is all of all proceedings are that

You areoral
more an administrator
communication has been the than leader
common practice in
all such transactions and as such it leaves no evidence
of operation. 3
There is inherent difference in the way one works as an administrator or manager or leader.
Examine the figure below and decide where you stand while functioning as School Head in
your workplace.

ADMINISTRATOR MANAGER LEADER

Adherence to rules Maintaining tasks and Vision as spot light
and regulations relationships

You will see in the figure, as the arena of work widens so does the nature of your functioning.
When you bind rules and regulations in the execution of tasks, you tend to exhibit more of
administrative tendencies. Your spectrum of work is narrow. This is more pronounced in a
highly bureaucratic structure, wherein one does not come out of comfort zone and resorts to
boundaries set by higher ups. When you maintain your school by supervising teachers and
tasks to carry out routine school activities, you are working more as a manager with extended
boundaries, slightly more than administration. The role of a leader is much beyond. A leader
holds vision, articulates vision, shares vision, translates vision into practice with teams of
teachers. It was in 1988 that Murphy placed significance to shared vision "It is rare to see a
clearly defined vision articulated by a leader at the top of the hierarchy and then installed by
followers." The vision of a school or district, developed collaboratively or initiated by the
leader and agreed to by the followers, becomes the common ground, the shared vision that
compels all involved to realize the vision. Importance of shared vision cannot be undermined
in leadership. Westley and Mintzberg in 1989 stated "Vision comes alive only when it is
shared." In this present age of change, vision has to become reality and it is the leader who is
expected to provide an environment that promotes collaborative human relations with
sufficient space for team formation, supporting team efforts , development of skills and
provision of necessary resources both material and human to fulfil shared vision. The process
of developing a shared vision promotes collegial and collaborative relationships. Bush
(2003) describes it as collegial management model wherein he looks at transformational
leadership as key to shared values and common interests for bringing school improvement.

Go beyond Administration to Leadership

A leader is expected to go beyond administration and management to provide leadership by
fostering an environment for change. In order to become leader, you will have to achieve four
goals as illustrated in the model proposed by Boles and Davenport (1975)

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 Goal 4
Satisfying Needs

Goal 3
Innovating
-------------------------------------
Goal 2
Providing learning
Opportunities

Goal 1
Maintaining the School

Source: The Leadership Process in Harold W. Boles and James A. Davenport (1975) Introduction to Educational
Leadership Harperand Row, Publishers, New York , p. 158

The figure demonstrates while managing, monitoring, administering your school, you are
supposed to achieve four goals in order to become a School leader. To the extent, you are
carrying out school activities like maintaining performance of students and teachers, students'
attendance, school results, teachers' regularity and punctuality, provision of learning
opportunities for teachers and learners like professional development for teachers, inviting
subject specialists and resource persons for facilitating teachers, equipping library with
reference material and teacher guides for teachers etc., one may contend that you are
achieving goal one and two. Those who initiate changes and implement innovations can
claim to accomplish Goal 3. Further, those who have attained success in satisfying personal
needs of teachers and professional needs of the Institution to the extent that both become
compatible to each other and grow simultaneously can be considered to be successful in
accomplishing Goal 4. Till first two goals are achieved, you are an administrator. To become
a leader, you will have to cross the dotted line. Translating leadership continuum, one may
assert, few can claim to be leaders with attainment of first three goals, but majority are
administrators in Indian schools, and very few reach Goal 4.

Where do we stand as leaders? Let us address major questions here:

Are leaders born?
Are leaders made?
How do leaders behave?
What forces shape the behavior of leaders?
Why does behavior of leaders change with situations?
Does a leader have the capacity to alter the situation?

The Great man Theory and Trait Theories have always believed that leaders possess certain
traits, not commonly found in others. The royal kings and bureaucrats were assumed to
possess such traits and had every right to be inherited traits from ancestors. It was believed
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that there are certain characteristics which differentiated clearly between leaders from non-
leaders. As democratic institutions began to establish and people from other class categories
also started occupying senior leadership positions, it came to view that no more do trait
theories hold true.

Based on behaviour exhibited by the leaders, the theories propounded by Ohio State Studies,
University of Michigan Studies, The Managerial Grid and Scandivian Studies became more
pronounced. Among the behavioural theories, Participative Leadership advocated as Lewins
leadership styles (1939) and Likerts leadership styles (1967). It was then that based on
Lewin's theory that behaviour normally exhibited by leaders was mainly classified into three
types: Democratic, Autocratic and Laissez-faire. Those leaders who resort to democratic
style believe in strengthening interpersonal relations. Such leaders follow some of the
practices like:

In touch with all concerned

All round communication
Provides sense of direction
Gives and seeks feedback LEADER
Conducive to team spirit

Such leaders have confidence and trust in most people around. Communication and
consultations are widely accepted. One word of caution: leaders might get too skewed on
maintaining cordial relations at the cost of output or desired
Leaders who adapt autocratic style in their day to day management resort to the behaviour
wherein:
All directions come from the leader
No feedback given or sought
No communication among the follower LEADER
No concern for team spirit

Here the leader has little confidence in his group members, less trust on them and therefore
makes most of the decisions on own. One goes to the extent of threats to ensure compliance
from others.
The leaders who adapt more to laissez faire style are output oriented; hardly remain in
touch with team members. They work more in a project mode, following strict deadlines. In
such arrangements, there is no direction, only team work.

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 Everyone free to perform, but with high commitment to purpose
Everyone in touch with everyone except with the leader
Any team spirit works in this arrangement

Likert recommended four types of leadership behaviours as

(i) Exploitive authoritative (ii) Benevolent authoritative

(iii) Consultative and (iv) Participative styles.

Figure Leadership Behaviour Framework

Task Behaviour Relationship Behaviour

Ohio State studies Initiating Structure
Organizing work
Giving work structure
Defining role responsibilities
Scheduling work activities
University of Production orientation
Michigan Studies Stress technical aspects
Stress production aspects
Workers
- viewed as way to get
work done
Blake and Moutons Concern for production
grid Achieving tasks
Making policy decisions
Developing new products
Process issues
Workload
Increasing sales
Consideration
Building
- respect
- trust
- liking
between followers and leaders
Employee orientation
Workers
- viewed with a strong human
relations aspect
Leaders
- treat workers as human
beings
- Value workers individuality
- Give attention to workers
needs
Concern for people
Attending to people
Build commitment and trust
Promote worker personal worth
Provide good work conditions
Maintain fair salary/ benefits
Promote good social relations

The presumptions that leaders behave in a certain manner, within the two major behaviour
either democratic or autocratic did not get established for long since they were found to be
showing a blend of both the leadership styles in a given situation. The in congruency in the
behavioural theories led to another set of theories, the situational theories, believed more on
situations that shaped the behaviour of leaders, more directed towards the demands of a given
situation. The situational theory were mainly advocated by Hersay and Blanchard in the late
60s, Vroom and Yettons Normative model (1973) and Houses path goal theory of leadership
(1974).

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The framework Hersey and Blanchards Situational Leadership followed mainly emphasized
on four styles of leadership: telling, selling, participating and delegating mainly based on
Maturity, readiness, willingness of followers to perform a task. The descriptions on four styles
of leadership were described as:

Style 1: Telling / Directing

Staff : Low competence, low commitment / Unable and unwilling or insecure,
new, inexperienced
Leader: High task focus, low relationship focus, directs, guides, encourages,
supportive
Situation: Staff unwilling and unable to perform

S2: Selling / Coaching

Staff: Some competence, variable commitment / Unable but willing or
motivated
Leader: High task focus, high relationship focus, assist members in doing a
task for which they do not have the skills, coaches the members through the
skills of the task.
Situation: Direction and guidance as necessary to maintain willingness
(motivation) of the staff.

S3: Participating / Supporting

Staff : High competence, variable commitment / Able but unwilling or
insecure, even apprehensive
Leader: Low task focus, high relationship focus, more supportive with
realization that staff may be unwilling but has the ability to do the assigned
job, the staff and leader participate in making decisions and carrying them out
together. The leader provides moral support and encouragement.
Situation: Recognised by the leader that staff is unwilling to work but has the
ability to perform.

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 S4: Delegating / Trusting/ Observing
Follower: R4: High competence, high commitment / Able and willing or
motivated
Leader: Low task focus, low relationship focus, choose to be a delegator and
trusts the staff to take up responsibilities on their own
Situation: Staff are willing and able to perform

Vroom and Yettons Normative Model described five different decision procedures. Two are
autocratic (A1 and A2), two are consultative (C1 and C2) and one is Group based (G2).
A1: Leader takes known information and then decides alone.
A2: Leader gets information from followers, and then decides alone.
C1: Leader shares problem with followers individually, listens to ideas and
then decides alone.
C2: Leader shares problems with followers as a group, listens to ideas and then
decides alone.
G2: Leader shares problems with followers as a group and then seeks and
accepts consensus agreement.

The decisions Leader takes are influenced by certain situational factors, which have a
rationale, relatively logical-based:
When decision quality is important and followers possess useful information,
then A1 and A2 are not the best method.
When the leader sees decision quality as important but followers do not, then
G2 is inappropriate.
When decision quality is important, when the problem is unstructured and the
leader lacks information / skill to make the decision alone, then G2 is best.
When decision acceptance is important and followers are unlikely to accept an
autocratic decision, then A1 and A2 are inappropriate.
When decision acceptance is important but followers are likely to disagree
with one another, then A1, A2 and C1 are not appropriate, because they do not
give opportunity for differences to be resolved.
When decision quality is not important but decision acceptance is critical, then
G2 is the best method.
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 When decision quality is important, all agree with this, and the decision is not
likely to result from an autocratic decision then G2 is best.
Fiedler's Least Preferred Co-worker (LPC) Theory came up with the premise that certain
elements in the immediate environment leads to exhibition of certain behaviors by the leader.
The best LPC approach depends on a combination of all the three major elements:

Leader-Member Relations: The extent to which the leader has the support and
loyalties of followers and relations with them are friendly and cooperative.
Task structure: The extent, to which tasks are standardized, documented and
controlled.
Leader's Position-power: The extent to which the leader has authority to assess
follower performance and give reward or punishment.

How would you ensure that the style you adopted in EMERGING SCENARIO IN PRESENT DAY
SCHOOL CONTEXT
a particular situation is right? Call for radical change in leadership role

Situational leadership confirms that no one leadership
style is effective for all situations. It all depends on
situation one is placed in and if the style adapted is in
Extended school boundaries, not limited to four
walls: Changes in inter-personal relationships;
Influx of crime and anti social activities:
Implications on leadership of School Heads;

consonance to the demands of situation, the leadership
style is considered to be appropriate. Important is to
identify your preferred style and how others perceive
you. You may move from one style to another,
depending upon your understanding of the situation in
the emerging school scenario of today, and also the
behaviors you may consider appropriate for that style.
But certain realities schools like drug abuse, injustice in
education etc are facing today, can one really fall prey
to the demands of situations? Ponder on this issue
seriously.
New Education Policies: Curriculum changes,
global to local;
Multi language and multi cultural student
population;
Right to Education Act: Emphasis upon rights of
students/ child;
Teacher Accountability and commitment: New
generation of teachers;
Teacher power through associations and unions;
Community in an adversary role;
Rise and fall of financial support;
Demand for removal of social injustice in
education and otherwise;
Students unrest, violence, sex abuse and drug
abuse.

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Activity: In addition to the inventory above, specify what more changes in social matrix and its
implications on school heads as leaders are you experiencing today. Can situational leadership still
work in the changing scenario? If no, support with explanations.

Leadership can be exercised in different forms

There is a great realization today that a leader influences
INSPIRATIONAL LEADERS
other members to bring change in the system through
various approaches. Main approaches often talked about Promote a culture where
people value themselves and
today in the context of schools is the Inspirational each other
Leadership, the Charismatic leadership and Build teams
Transformational leadership, the distributed leadership , Passionately believes in
strong sense of ownership
the instructional leadership. Under the broader canvas of People look them as those
Inspirational leadership, the Charismatic and leaders who make a difference
and inspire to achieve more
Transformational are complimentary to each other. than they may ever have
dreamed possible, influencing
Transformational leadership is the facilitative power, the them to keep their spirits high.

charisma a leader holds to create an aura that helps in

bringing change in the system. This comes clearly with
the works of James McGregor Burns in 1978, later
extended by Bernard Bass (1990).

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 Burns (1978) looks at transformational leadership theory as an ongoing process rather
than the discrete exchanges of the transactional approach. It is a process where leaders
and followers engage in a mutual process of raising one another to higher levels of
morality and motivation. This theory appeals for higher ideals and values of followers
model the values themselves and use charismatic methods to attract people to the values
and to the leader. Burns considers transformational leadership as more effective than
transactional leadership, where the appeal is to more selfish concerns. Contrary to this,
transformational leadership is an appeal to social values, encouraging people to
collaborate, rather than working as individuals (and potentially competitively with one
another).

Bernard Bass in 1990 proposed a four-factor definition of TL:

Idealized Influence (serves as a role model)
Inspirational Motivation (provides meaning and challenge to followers;
vision/goals)
Intellectual Stimulation (solicits and encourages ideas, challenges assumptions)
Individualized Consideration (coach and mentor followers; personnel growth and
development)

Extending the work of Burns and Bass, Leithwood (1996) proposed Six Factor Model of
Transformational Leadership:
Provides Vision
Models Behaviour
Fosters Commitment
Provides Individual Support
Provides Intellectual Stimulation
Holds high Performance Expectations

Revisiting the paradigm of transformational leader in 2006, Leithwood et al. specified four
primary functions of leadership in the following framework:
Setting Direction
Developing People
Redesigning the Organization
Managing the Instructional (Teaching/Learning) Program
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Within these functions, the authors examined critical leadership practices and provided a
model by classifying six factors of transformational leadership, proposed earlier ( in yellow)
into four broader sets of their functioning:
Set 1: Setting Direction Building a shared vision
(Provides Vision)
Fostering the acceptance of group
goals
(Fosters Commitment)
Conveying high performance
expectations
(Holds High Expectations)

Set 2: Developing People Providing individualized

support/consideration
(Provides Individualized Support)

Providing intellectual stimulation

(Provides Intellectual Stimulation)

Providing an appropriate model

(Models Behavior)

Set 3: Redesigning the Organization Building collaborative cultures

Restructuring the schools
management structures
Building productive relationships
with families and communities
Connecting the school to its wider
environment.
Set 4: Managing the Instructional (Teaching Staffing the programs
and Learning) Programs Providing instructional (teaching and
learning) support
Managing school activity
Buffering staff from distractions to
their work.

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Transformational leadership recognizes the importance of
teamwork to improving schools. The message here is that The transformational
leader is more
situational School leaders adapt only that style of functioning concerned about
Gaining overall
which suits the situation. If they fail to do so, they are termed as cooperation and
energetic participation
biased. A transformational leader also functions as situation
Maintaining a
demands but has the capability of transforming the situation. They collaborative culture
will mostly exert influence on group members; motivate them to
Improving group
channels that bring a change in their ideologies and attitudes. It is problem solving

through charisma they hold that they bring changes to alter the
situation, unlike situational leaders who accommodate to the
demands of situation.

Transformational leaders have the capacity to:

hold and articulate vision and mission for the school they belong to and translate them
into real school practices
take risks, while building safety nets around
are sensitive to environment around and bring changes step by step
are sensitive to the needs of staff members
resort to unconventional behaviour, are more open and accommodating while at the
same time take pride, gain respect and place trust on group members.

Transactional and Transformational Leadership: A Distinction

Transactional leadership is similar to barter system wherein rewards are linked to services
provided by a teacher, which happens in a controlled environment. Where transformational
leadership resorts to alter school situations, transactional leadership is more concerned with
maintaining the schools, more towards carrying out day to day functions and routines rather
than contributing to school improvement. The daily organizational office proceedings and the
administration of buildings, financial and personal resources, and the time resources of staff
as well as communication processes within and outside of school all comes under the purview
of transactional leadership. The foundations of transactional leadership stand on various kinds
of rewards that the leader controls, at least in part.

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Transformational leadership do not simply administer structures and tasks but concentrate
on people carrying them out, tries to make deliberate efforts to win their cooperation and
commitment. They actively try to influence the culture of the school and stimulates more
cooperation, coherence and more independent learning and working. Here School leadership
is particular about bringing about successful in school development processes. In addition,
leadership concentrates on the results, the success of the teaching and learning processes, and
on the relation between these outcomes and the specific processes which led to them.
Transformational leadership is a facilitative power that empowers each group member to take
decisions at their own level, eventually helping them to come out of the dependency
syndrome. While following transformational approach in constituting teams and
strengthening interpersonal relations to improving schools, charisma is seen as necessary
which a leader carries in bringing inherent changes in schools.

Points to Remember
Transactional Leadership
provides fulfillment of lower-order needs, such as psychological well-being and
safety
is a model of punishment, deference to authority, conformity, and social
convention

Transformational Leadership

is based upon the fulfillment of higher-order needs, such as self-esteem, self-

actualization
is grounded in the needs and values of both leaders and followers
provides the opportunity to group members to be changed
(transformed) into leaders themselves
Is a mechanism for the authentic empowerment of followers?
Carries charisma for bringing the teams of group members together through
influence, inspiration, motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized
consideration.

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Activity: Do you agree that charismatic School Activity: Reflect with examples on how
leaders can make difference in the schools? transformation in schools can be brought
Explain in detail about in the present school context.

Apart from transactional and transformation leadership approaches, School leaders

resort to integral leadership too. Imants and De Jong (1999) talks about integration of
management and leadership tasks, but associated with deliberate control of other
peoples behavior. Consequently, the central issue for a school leader is how to
positively influence the teacher educational actions and the learning activities of the
pupils. The limitation of this combination of educational leadership and
administrative management is often perceived as contrary by school leaders which
lose its contradictory character.

Similarly instructional leadership concerns with the learning progress of pupils,

include management oriented as well as leadership oriented activities like a suitable
application of resources for teaching, agreement on goals, the promotion of
cooperative relationships between staff and especially, the evaluation and counselling
of teachers during lessons through classroom observation, structured feedback and
coaching. These parts of leadership though crucial for student performance and
learning levels, hardly find much place in the life of Heads of Indian schools.

One of the most recent and often practiced concepts in India is the Distributed
leadership, propounded by Gronn, 2002; Spillane, Halverson and Diamond 2001,
2004. In their research, it was found that the School Head cannot be sufficiently
informed to make all decisions in a school. There are certain decisions in the schools
wherein responsibility of decisions can be left to the other group members including
teachers, staff, and community. In such arrangements where interactions, decision
taking , responsibilities are shared and divided, leadership becomes more interactive
involving an influencing relation and you will agree that leadership is all about
interactions that influence.

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 The Changing School Landscape towards Improvement
Calls for different types of leadership

Navigated by Vision a School leader holds and shares

Adopts best practices of teaching and learning techniques that have been proven by
research to improve student achievement.
Raises the bar developing high standards for every student in the school.
Creates a formal management plan for change by open communication, shared decision-
making, accountability, and use of data for planning.
Builds partnerships of School leaders with teachers, parents, students, Heads of other
schools, private partners and community leader
Fosters a sense of professional community encouraging teachers to learn new skills.

IDENTIFY WHAT IS WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT, AND PUT SCHOOL

DEVELOPMENT PLANS INTO ACTION

Develop the leader in you and around: Strategies Transformational Leaders often adapt
Here are specific ideas, collected from several sources (Sagor, Leithwood, Leithwood and
Jantzi, Poplin) worked on the strategies on transformational leadership
Visit each classroom every day; assist in classrooms; encourage teachers to visit one
anothers classes.

Involve the whole staff in deliberating on school goals, beliefs, and visions at the
beginning of the year.

Help teachers work smarter by actively seeking different interpretations and checking out
assumptions; place individual problems in the larger perspective of the whole school;
avoid commitment to preconceived solutions; clarify and summarize at key points during
meetings; and keep the group on task but do not impose your own perspective.
Use action research teams or school improvement teams as a way of sharing power. Give
everyone responsibilities and involve staff in governance functions. For those not
participating, ask them to be in charge of a committee.

Find the good things that are happening and publicly recognize the work of staff and
students who have contributed to school improvement. Write private notes to teachers
expressing appreciation for special efforts.

Survey the staff often about their wants and needs. Be receptive to teachers' attitudes and
philosophies. Use active listening and show people you truly care about them.

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 Let teachers experiment with new ideas. Share and discuss research with them. Propose
questions for people to think about.

Bring workshops to your school where it's comfortable for staff to participate. Get teachers
to share their talents with one another. Give a workshop yourself and share information
with staff on conferences that you attend.

When hiring new staff, let them know you want them actively involved in school decision-
making; hire teachers with a commitment to collaboration. Give teachers the option to
transfer if they can't wholly commit themselves to the school's purposes.

Have high expectations for teachers and students, but don't expect 100 percent if you aren't
also willing to give the same. Tell teachers you want them to be the best teachers they
possibly can be.

Use bureaucratic mechanisms to support teachers, such as finding money for a project or
providing time for collaborative planning during the workday. Protect teachers from the
problems of limited time, excessive paperwork, and demands from other agencies.

Let teachers
Activity: Enumerate at are
know they least two cases
responsible of School
for all students, Heads
not just who
their own resorted to
classes.
transformational approach as leaders to shape current perspective of school
improvement. Explain the process and procedure and difference made to schools.

Case 1

Case 2

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Successful and Effective Leaders

With a thin thread of distinction, you can identify yourself as either successful or effective.
You are not in school premises and your teachers do not observe punctuality, students
become irregular to school, but in your presence everything goes well, you are successful. In
your absence, if school continue to function in the similar manner as you have regulated in
the school, you are effective. When mice play while the cat is away, the cat is successful and
mice do not play while cat is away , cat is effective.
Figure _________

+10 Highly Effective

Effective

Resultant behaviour Ineffective

Attempted
Leadership

Successful

-10 Unsuccessful

Interpreting the figure, one can comprehend that in a given situation, a leader resorts to a
certain kind of behaviour as per one's judgement appropriate to the situation. The behaviour
yields into a range of acceptability ranging from successful to unsuccessful and effective to
ineffective. Successful leaders may not be effective leaders. Leaders can be successful, but
ineffective when they have a short term influence over behavior of others. If you as
successful leader wish to become effective, then you will have to use personal power as well
as general supervision. The essence of the discourse: try to be both successful and effective to
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have long term influence for leading others towards increased output, results, and developing
the school as a whole.

Bring Changes in the System: Aim for Effective Leadership

Cambron and Cabe (1999) expressed the need to reconceptualise school leadership
fundamentally and radically And this is possible only when a school head as effective
transformational leader understands school and people within. The School heads as
educational leaders have become quite demanding today. The trajectory from administrator to
leader and transformation of ordinary to innovative schools is all about lay good systems and
workable procedures within ones arena of work which calls for rethinking on how to make
decisions, solve problems, plan for the future, communicate successfully, allocate time
efficiently, manage politics and get the most of other people and themselves, following a
multipronged approach in the process of transformation. It is not enough to become
successful in all endeavours for transforming schools; rather it is important that one becomes
effective school leader.

Organize your world of work

This is like setting the stage for initiating the process of change in school. It becomes
important that one assesses the resources available; creating school-based vision, planning
for the direction in which school should move, kind of people around, forming teams with
mixed interests. The process of transformation can begin with the assessment of situation
followed by an analysis of what will bring the desired results and tune strategies in
accordance to the school level requirements and priorities.

Understand your school: Every school has its data on class wise enrolment, attendance,
retention and participation, achievement levels, health status; segregation based on gender,
social class; special needs of disadvantaged, marginal, and hard to reach segments of student
population such as girls and children with physical and mental disabilities; academic and
infrastructure facilities but most of time the data is not utilized for improvement of the
school. The available data bank on different aspects of schools can be utilized for diagnosing
the problems, identifying of particular needs of the school, assessment of the limitations and
resources. Based on such an assessment, the heads can then establish their own priorities,
goal standards and even targets for the school. This base line exercise is expected to help

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them to determine the priority areas for their respective school. Based on such an assessment,
the heads can then chalk out their own school development plan.

Understand each team member: Most of the initiatives for

school improvement would go waste if one neglects human
KNOW AND UNDERSTAND
resources in the system. After all, the head is dealing with PEOPLE
reinforce desired behaviour
human beings and not machines. Each individual in the system Make four words so much a part
of you that these become your
will have own opinion, viewpoints, ideas, willingness and second nature
readiness to accept changes. Building a rationale on why
Be sensitive to people and
decisions at implementation stage get hindered, why there is their needs.
Use empathy before action
absence of support of people around, their needs, dispositions Talk with and listen to others
Remember you only learn
and motivation levels, perceptions and understanding about an when you arent talking.

issue, absence of support and receptivity to change helps in REMEMBER

enhancing motivation of people around in the school, LOYALTY IS CONTAGIOUS
REWARD YOUR LOYAL PEOPLE
contributing to better performance. Motivation and desire to be OTHERS WILL FOLLOW SUIT

acknowledged enhances performance. Assessment of the

following is always helpful to explore ways, means and
direction in which the school should move:

What kind of others behaviour disturbs me?

Why someone tends to make me feel good?
Why do people react in certain ways they do?
What are their assumptions and expectations towards me, from me?
What do they think of themselves?
What are their general attitude towards life, work and overall situation prevailing
around them?

It is all about exploring ones own behavioural patterns and others with whom you work.
As a leader you have then assessed overall relationship with peers, subordinates and
superiors, and you would be better equipped to give shape to the strategic plan of
development of your school.

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Create a shared school-based vision: Vision as spotlight
guides the school towards development. The Head of Schools, Articulate School-based
Vision
placed in any situation has clear understanding of what the
Think constantly about
school should look like in next 10 years and starts setting the development of the
school you belong to
direction accordingly. At times, best ideas get crippled at the A 10 am to 5pm
mentality will never
implementation stage, mainly due to resistance of group develop vision for the
members because they were not involved in the whole school
Do not share an
exercise of creating a school-based vision. In our schools, we incomplete vision
Do not try to implement
will often find pessimist or easygoing people who have no will vision at the immature
stage.
to work. They will be the main critics of any decision taken up
by the school head. We have empirical evidences to show that Visionaries know what
must be done and
it is the dissatisfied class in any school that never show any Implementers know how it
is to be done.
commitment, no will to teach, no interest in school affairs.
They would pass sweeping remarks. He is crazy. I bet this is not possible. Such
members spoil the school climate and refrain others to follow their leader. Such cynics can
be handled wisely if vision is shared, ideas and opinions exchanged to make them co-operate
for building vision and developing a consistent plan of school improvement. In this process
group members are socialized into an organization. In fact the members when enjoy the
freedom to give their considered opinion on shaping the vision that suits all, each member
owns the decisions taken at this level. Research evidence supports that when they get
recognition from the leader in whatever they do or appreciation in front of outsiders, they
perform better. They put in additional effort and show more enthusiasm for the betterment
of the school. When teachers start identifying themselves with school, there are more
chances of win-win situation. When one teacher gets that sense of belongingness, (s) he will
definitely share with others. This sort exchanging and sharing enhances rapport,
understanding and cordiality in relations among all colleagues where important issues
receive more care and attention, better analysis of problems and improved decision making
with co-operative and co-ordinated efforts. And the Leader automatically wins by
applauding the efforts of his own people. This would definitely require determination and
positive feedback in at least what is anticipated can be achieved in future.

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Build team concepts: It is an admitted fact that every individual is unique and is
embodiment of capabilities, abilities, strengths and willingness to be a part of change process.
Every member has something substantial to contribute and this is what needs to be
recognized. For every activity, rather than relying on individual member, the model of team
building needs to be promoted to ensure timely completion of the task in hand. Here
important is to
specify and clarify role of each member because of
Ensure Team Support
uncertainty on how everything would come together and Follow collegial
approach
encourage participation
Create a culture
supportive to team
allocate roles and responsibilities based on strengths and building

clarify how things are done in the team to form a Inspire teams to be
constantly on move in
performing team the quest of quality

Do not call on group

recognize that individuals flourish as they develop and use members for tasks that
you are unwilling to
their strengths and support the team in fulfilling tasks undertake yourself
Empower colleagues to
innovate and take risks
open and fair in resolving group conflicts
Promote teacher
wait out the slowness of the group problem solving, for if leadership

you pressure too hard, the slower members will lose

interest

Positive outlook reinforces intrinsic energy: Mind set positive

and negative have serious implications on reforming schools. If we presume that we have
been cast into a certain mould and there is no possibility of change, no change will be
possible and therefore no improvement will happen. After taking such a negative stand, one
does not have to do anything at all, because by already accepting that nothing is possible, one
resorts to confining to comfort zones we have created for years. This ideology alters when we
will look at the possibility of change. Just by visualizing the possibility of change, one finds
that one is changing even without being aware of it. Then there has to be basic conviction to
change, not forced, not imposed. To generate and sustain the culture of positivity, keep
providing positive and inspiring feedback.

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 Summing up
You will agree that leaders are the prime catalysts for making schools function in the most
effective or ineffective manner. An efficient School Principal resorts to Doing things Right
which would lead to more effective ways of Doing the Right Things ultimately adapting to
transformational approach which rest upon Doing Right Things in More Righteous
Manner. But one cannot function in isolation. You will have to constitute teams to manage
the group for becoming an acceptable member of the whole school team. At the same time,
one needs to become dynamic by bring changes in behavioural patterns for building schools
as Good Effective Schools. Rejuvenation of school education rests on the progress of its
people. Success stories of School Heads/Principals emphatically support that change in the
behaviour of a school leader within organizational context is possible and so is the
improvement of a school.
Points to remember
The hallmark of a School leader for holistic improvement in schools

Be open to new ideas and innovations; analyze new ideas and approaches.
Lock yourself in the cycle of learning; questioning your own knowledge and schedule time
for learning activities.
Admit mistakes and improve upon them.
Optimist that people can be trusted.
Coach, teach and inspire than lead for enhancing school performance
Build networks and inter-sectoral collaborations.

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 Activity

Can ordinary schools afford non leaders as Principals/ Head Teachers? Comment

Activity

You will have to invent your ideal job; you will never see it advertised. Reflect and
Support with examples

25
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