Case Study Four - Ethical and Distributed Leadership Theory

Leadership Lens

Various leadership theories recommend different interventions and course of action even in similar case scenarios. However, successful alleviation of a leadership problem is hugely reliant on the choice of the leadership theory that a leader refers to when making decisions. In this paper, the presented case study will be explored from two standpoints, which include the ethical leadership theory lens and the distributive leadership theory perspective. Moreover, the strengths of each leadership paradigm as it applies to the case study will then be examined in a bid to determine the most suitable solution to the managerial problem facing the educational institution.

The theory of ethical leadership asserts that leaders are expected to act with dignity and respect ethical beliefs. Other than possessing attributes of honesty, trust, charisma, consideration, and fairness, a leader is expected to make decisions that are informed by ethical principles (Eisenbeiss, 2012). The most prominent attributes of an ethical leader is deduced from the ability of a leader to serve others, to respect others, engage with both facets of a case prior to making informed decisions, treating other people justly, uphold honesty, and promote the development of a community.

On the other hand, the distributive leadership theory asserts that leadership and the decision-making process should be a shared responsibility. The theory refutes the assumption that there should be only one leader and all other members of staff are followers (Bolden, 2011). Instead, the theory stipulates that leaders should be able to delegate and distribute tasks in a bid to achieve optimal performance. To be precise, a leader should be able to assign tasks to other workers based on their experience and expertise. As a result, the decisions in the organization will be made by qualified persons that are experienced in specific areas involved in the case.

Case Summary

In the United States, since the school desegregation initiative was implemented, ethnic diversity in the students and the personnel in a school setup is expected. However, some people have been adamant towards embracing change. Although the need to have an academic institution that mirrors the societal ethnic complexion has not been vocally admitted in public, secret murmurs have shown that in some areas a consensus has grown on the issue.

In Malik High School, situated in Campton, the situation has bubbled to the surface. The principal, Mr. Bright, an African American educator with over 30 years of teaching experience, is facing massive pressure from the public. Two months ago, Mr. Bright, following the recommendation of the board, fired Mr. Born who was accused of discriminatory behavior in the school premises. Mr. Born was dismissed from his position as the gym teacher because he was recorded making racially aggressive comments towards a white student during one of the physical education lessons. Mr. Born was recorded saying “You cannot do 20 pushups because you white people love being spoon fed.” When the word reached Principal Bright, he fired Mr. Born, as was recommended by the board. Since, Mr. Born is African American, and the area is most inhabited by African Americans, the dismissal of Mr. Born triggered public outrage.

After the resentment and disappointment of the public had capsized, Principal Bright though it is time to hire a replacement. Two qualified applicants, Mr. Caska, an African American, and Mr. Chris applied for the position. Mr. Caska is an African American educator, whose references have cited that he has indiscipline tendencies such as absenteeism and negligence in managing gym equipment. On the other hand, Mr. Chris is a white educator with over 20 years of experience. Mr. Chris is applying for the job because, according to him, he is ready to undertake a different challenge.

The case is complicated by the fact that the community feels that Principal Bright acted unfairly when he decided to dismiss Mr. Born. In this accord, the community and the board, which is largely constituted of African Americans has vehemently stated that Principal Bright must hire a black teacher to replace Mr. Born. Principal Bright is unsure what to do.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Ethical Leadership

The concept of ethics has been extensively discussed by medieval philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato. The eminence of the subject to leadership platforms has compelled contemporary studiers to engage with the subject in depth. The importance of ethics to leadership and professionalisms has been discussed in a myriad of fields that include biotechnology, counseling psychology, business, and leadership studies (Eisenbeiss, 2012). Despite the apparent differences in the fields, it is conspicuous that the principles that define an ethical leader ate consistently across the board.

An ethical leader, in Kant’s perspective, is expected to respect others. Respecting others, in this context, means treating people as ends, rather than means for the attainment of the desired end. Ethical leaders are expected to understand that people have the autonomy to make individual goals. Moreover, an ethical leader is one who is a concern with the interests and wellness of others. Typically, according to the ethical leadership theory, leaders are expected to prioritize the needs of those that they serve in the decision-making process. Furthermore, ethical leaders are expected to be concern with issues of fairness and justice (Eisenbeiss, 2012). Therefore, when confronted by a dilemma or a conflict, an ethical leader is expected to act impartially. The principal forbids leaders from discriminating their subjects on the basis of ethnicity, religion, nationality, or linguistic background.

The strengths of the ethical issue in solving the ethical dilemma can be adduced from the fact that all parties can guarantee both their perspectives have been considered in the decision-making process. From the case, it is evident that the board expects the Principal to overlook a worth candidate, Mr. Chris, because they want the position to be filled by an African America. Despite the expectations of the board and the community, the Principal is in possession of information that portrays Mr. Caska as a wrong replacement to Mr. Born. Students are already lagging behind in physical education since Mr. Born was dismissed nears two months ago. Therefore, recruiting a teacher that would be rampantly absent will not help students to recover the missed classes. Given the fact that the principal’s primary objective is to ensure students are well catered for, it will be just and fair for Principal Bright to engage with the issue objectively. Hence, the principal should consider Mr. Chris for the Job because his credentials are superior to those presented by Caska. Evidently, the decision is made liberally and fairly.

Also, the strength of the ethical leadership theory in solving the problem is demonstrated by the fact that the victims, the students, must be able to benefit from the decision. Hiring Mr. Caska, who is less qualified in comparison to Mr. Chris just because the board and the community recommend so will be disadvantageous for the students. In this regard, prioritizing the concerns of the students in decision making will ensure the decision made will positively affect the concern group, which is the student population.

The notable weakness of the usage of the ethical theory in making the decision stems from the fact that what is fair and just tends to be relative. In this regard, the principal may invoke universal principles of fairness but the community and the board may perceive the decision as a deviation from what they had recommended. Hence, the application of the ethical leadership theory may strain the relationship between the principals and the board.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Distributive Leadership

Distributive leadership is based on the principle that no one person should be responsible of making all business decisions in an organization. In this accord, a leader is expected to distribute tasks to different professionals in the organization who have specialized in the area that is relevant to the problem (Bolden, 2011). In reference to the case, the decision on which candidate to hire can be given to the board. The strength of the paradigm is that the decision made in an organization that adheres with the principles of distributive leadership is feasible since they are made collectively by a group of actors. Hence, the decision is thorough.

The weakness of the model is that if a majority of the actors side with an unethical decision, the decision will pass. For instance, since a majority of the actors in the case believe that an African American teacher must replace Mr. Born, Mr. Caska will be given the job even though he is not the most qualified candidate.

In conclusion, decisions in the educational sector need to factor the interests and needs of students. Therefore, the ethical leadership model is integral in ensuring the needs of studentsare considered in the recruitment of the new gym teacher. Conversely, in a distributive leadership model, a majority of the actors may advocate for a decision even if it is not ethical, just, and fair.

References

Bolden, R. (2011). Distributed leadership in organizations: A review of theory and research.  International Journal of Management Reviews ,  13 (3), 251-269.

Eisenbeiss, S. A. (2012). Re-thinking ethical leadership: An interdisciplinary integrative approach.  The Leadership Quarterly ,  23 (5), 791-808.