Unit 2
Introduction
As we have seen, the Headteacher should play a critical and determining role in achieving the central purpose of a school. Thus, his or her style of leadership is important since it will affect the school’s tone either positively or adversely.
The extent to which a Headteacher succeeds in attaining the school objectives and fulfilling the principles included in the mission statement depends on skilful development and use of a suitable leadership style. A successful style will depend largely on the Headteacher’s own personality. It will also depend on his or her being trained to realise that there is a range of ways of working with people.
The aim of this unit is to explain the various styles of leadership that the Headteacher can develop and use. It must be remembered that, although there are a range of styles and probably only one or two of them will be dominant for a particular Headteacher, he / she must be prepared to use different styles in different situations.
Individual study time: 4 hours
Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
¨ explain various styles of leadership
¨ identify the strengths and weaknesses of each style
¨ describe the circumstances in which various styles of leadership may be best developed and used
¨match styles of leadership to given situations
Styles of leadership
For you to be an effective Headteacher, knowledge of different styles of management that may help you to achieve the school objectives will certainly be useful.
Activity 2.1
Read the following list, and use a few words to describe
1) your dominant leadership style
2) the dominant leadership style of your line manager (e.g. the District Education Officer).
Here are a few words to help you:-
(a) Problem solving
(b) Controlling
(c) Hands on / hands off
(d) Participatory
(e) Considerate of organizational and staff concerns
Comments
No two leaders have exactly the same way of doing things; life would become too predictable and dull if they did. If a manager is regarded as successful by those whom he or she is managing as well as by society at large, then perhaps we might excuse almost any form of leadership style. Although management textbooks may argue for particular styles, in fact if you study famous leaders from Guyana, you may well find that they display characteristics of less favoured styles. As you read the following descriptions, see if you can name people known to you, perhaps through the media, who fit each description. Note that we have included arguments both for and against each style.
Autocratic style
An autocratic style involves very little sense of the leader being accountable to anyone; he or she may do very much what they like. The Headteacher who subscribes to this style of leadership determines school policy alone and assigns duties to staff without consulting them. Directives are issued and must be carried out without question and in the prescribed manner.
Where people are coerced, controlled, directed and threatened, individual initiative may be stifled and self-motivation may be discouraged. In schools, it may lead to low morale amongst both staff and pupils. Low morale may, in turn, become the root cause of strikes, riots and staff turnover.
On the other hand, an autocratic style may provide a degree of certainty for those beneath the leader. They may feel safe because they do not have to be involved in solving problems. The autocratic leader usually has great self-confidence, a clear vision of what needs to be done, and the political skills to get things done. Many great figures in world history have been autocrats.
Laissez‑faire style (literally let‑do)
In theory, the Headteacher who uses this style of leadership believes that there should be no rules and regulations since everyone has an ‘inborn sense of responsibility’. Such a situation may well exist amongst mature, experienced teachers, but how would it work with new, young teachers fresh from the 'freedom years' of university or college? This style of management (or maybe mismanagement), where the Headteacher sits back and allows everyone to do as they please, might lead to anarchy and chaos, which would hardly be conducive to the provision of quality education.
But as the laissez‑style is opposite to the autocratic style, many of the criticisms of the latter become arguments in favour of the former. Thus individuals have to think for themselves and individual initiative and hard work may be well rewarded. A laissez‑faire environment may be more creative and fulfilling for those involved.
Democratic style
In this style, the Headteacher believes that the staff should be involved in decision-making processes. Decisions are arrived at after consultation with the staff, and even with the pupils. A democratic style allows freedom of thought and action within the framework of the mission and objectives of the school.
Available skills and talents can be used optimally through delegation and the promotion of creativity, a sense of belonging and a higher degree of staff morale.
This style is based on the belief that
¨ where people are committed to the service of ideas which they have helped to frame, they will exercise self control, self direction and be motivated
¨ ideas will promote job interest and encourage both staff and students to set their own targets and find the best way of achieving them.
But democracy may not always work very well, when, for example, there is a lack of clarity as to how binding decisions will be reached. For example, in multi‑party states where there are too many parties (or one party states where there are too many factions), it may be extremely difficult to reach a consensus. You might also like to consider how a democratic style differs from a laissez‑faire style, and why clear leadership is still essential.
This style is often called “Participative” where the decision making is shared amongst the staff.
Transactional style
It has been argued that the transactional style may be the most effective style since it seeks a compromise between stressing organizational demands or goals and individual needs.
The Headteacher who subscribes to this style appreciates the need to achieve organizational goals while at the same time ensuring that the individual needs of staff members are not ignored. Although the Headteacher sticks to the rules and procedures, he or she also aims at achieving school objectives without upsetting people too much in terms of their needs.
It may sound as though achieving this balance between the needs of the organization and those of the individual is quite simple. Headteachers have to make decisions like this many times every day. For example: Should Teacher A be allowed time off in order to chase up a personnel matter with the TSC? Should the money raised by the PTA be used to purchase more textbooks or to renovate the Snackette? Only by analysing many decisions like this one will be able to see whether one is inclined more towards the needs of the organisation or the individuals, or one has achieved a true balance between them.
Contingency style
The Headteacher needs to realise that effectiveness in management depends on being able to diagnose and adapt to the dynamics of ever-changing situations. A contingency leadership style is where the Headteacher 'rides the waves', or deals with each problem as it arises.
One important function of the Headteacher is to communicate effectively to the staff the philosophy and objectives of the school and thus to gain their commitment to them. As a result, a useful contingency approach is that of the Path‑Goal Model. It states that an effective manager clarifies the means or paths by which subordinates can achieve both a high performance and job satisfaction. The motivation may be an appropriate reward and a focusing on paths or behaviours which can lead to successful job completion. This suggests that if some of the hurdles and barriers to motivation can be removed, a better performance by subordinates will result. Whatever approach is adopted will depend on individual employee characteristics (for example, ability, self‑confidence and needs) and the task characteristics (for example, the objectives and targets required).
In more simple terms, this style suggests that because we know that Headteachers and teachers will be faced with problems and issues every day, what we need to plan is how best to equip them to be able to handle these issues confidently and with a minimum of stress.
Instructional Style
The key function of a school is learning and with this style, the Headteacher focus on the learning of students and improving the effectiveness of teachers in the classroom. It will inevitable involve a considerable amount of lesson observation and analysis of the work practices of colleages. The Headteacher will monitor the work of the school staff, evaluate it and, alongside the teachers, help them to develop to become better at their work.
Transformational Style
Although similar in some respects to some of the styles above, the user of this way of working is concerned with capacity building in the organisation and ensuring that whatever is achieved can be sustained because the processes have been set up to allow continuous improvement to take place.
Moral Style
Although fairly self explanatory, the user of this style will be ensure that there are strong, shared and disseminated values within the institution.It will almost certainly have similarities to the democratic style in that the importance of the individual is paramount.
Managerial Style
Some might describe this style as one used by a Headteacher whose purpose is the efficient achievement of goals. He / she is concerned with the smooth running of the institution to create an atmosphere where effective development can take place.
Activity 2.2
Consider a representative teacher in your school. You are trying to improve his or her performance.
1) List some of the hurdles and barriers faced by this teacher.
2) Suggest three actions you could realistically take to enable the teacher to become more effective in the school
3) Now consider your answer. Which styles of leadership did you use and why?
Comments
Everyone is faced with hurdles and barriers every day. Perhaps the best thing we can do is to develop in ourselves and our staff (and the pupils) skills to be able to handle many different types of situation. Thus developing oral and writing skills and interpersonal skills (relating and working with other people) should give us more confidence to handle difficulties and to be more effective. Of course, you will also need to help both individual teachers and the staff as a whole with personal welfare and employment matters and in their professional development.
Activity 2.3
Consider yourself and each of the nine leadership styles considered above.
1) For each style give an example of a recent occasion when you have behaved in a style similar to the description.
2) Place the nine styles in a rank order which reflects your own preferred approach to leadership. You might compare your answer with someone else who has done this exercise and ask them to rate your styles.
3) Get a colleague to tell you what style or styles he or she thinks you display.
Comments
You will probably find that you display elements of each style. It would be wrong to suggest that any one style is right and another wrong, since each may work in a particular situation. You might be surprised by the difference between how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you!
Case study
Read carefully through the case study below:
Jamoon Grove Secondary School
Jamoon Grove Secondary is a Grade A, senior secondary school located in a residential area of Georgetown. The grounds cover 5 acres in which there is a large three storey L shaped building and playing fields.
In the building there are 26 classrooms, three science laboratories, three technical/vocational rooms, a library, a computer room and an administration block which comprises a general office, the Headteacher’s office, staff room and assembly hall.
There are 47 members on the teaching staff including the Headteacher, her deputy, 3 senior teachers (SMs). Sixty per cent of the staff are graduates. The remaining staff are qualified trained teachers.
The support staff comprises an administrative officer, two typist /clerks, 1 office assistant, and 5 general workers including a handyman.
The student body numbers 750 and is drawn from the top performers of the Grade 6 Exams. While the majority of the students are from middle to high income families, some are from lower income homes. Among this latter group are some students who require assistance to gain daily hot meals and basic items of school clothing.
There is a prefect body to assist in the smooth running of the school. They are led by a Head Boy and Girl and are entrusted with certain duties delegated by the school management.
The academic week is five days of seven 35 minute periods. The number of periods to be taught per week for each subject/year group is laid down by the Ministry.
Every student does a core programme of English Language, Spanish, English Literature, History, Geography, Mathematics, Integrated Science and Information Technology as well as one subject from Art, Technical Drawing, Food and Nutrition and Music . There are Ministry appointed Heads of Department for Languages, Mathematics and Science, Social Studies, Information Technology and Technical Vocational Subjects.
The Headteacher expects every staff member and student to participate in the co-curricular programme by enrolling for one sport and one club option. Sport options include Cricket, Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Badminton, Table Tennis, Athletics and Netball. Club options include Music, Chess, Debate, Drama, Art, Science, Bible and Gymnastics. Sports practices are held on two afternoons each week while clubs meet once per week. Inter-school fixtures for athletics occur once per year but inter-school competitions in other sports vary in regularity.
Assembly for the whole school is held daily in the hall and conducted by the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher, both of whom enter the hall after the staff and students are assembled. Attendance is compulsory for all.
Activity 2.4
Many management decisions are needed to ensure that Jamoon Grove
Secondary School runs smoothly and effectively:
1) Which style of leadership would you use to reach decisions on the following components of decision‑making in the school?
¨ the timetable;
¨ the co‑curricular programmes;
¨ a fire in one of the laboratories;
¨ homework policies;
¨ the prefects' duties;
¨ transport problems?
2) Why would you use the particular style you have selected in each case?
Comments
We are not going to suggest a particular answer here, since the answers will vary with the initiative and the personality of the individual. In all these areas clear policies are needed. The way in which you decide to form them will depend on such factors as:
· your own expertise in each area
· the extent to which other people (whether individuals or groups) have a vested interest in the policy
· the level of expertise of these people and their ability to communicate effectively
· the degree of urgency of the task.
Summary
From the above discussions and activities on Leadership Styles, you should now be able to see that no single style can solve or be a cure for all problems arising in management situations. Problems do not arise so much from a 'bad' style of leadership but rather from the wrong choice of style for that occasion. Success in the leadership of a school by a Headteacher will be more certainly assured if the appropriate style of leadership for a particular situation is used.
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