Investigate Educational Leadership

Role of Leadership in Educational Organization

Leadership is significant in any learning institution because it has basics of setting the direction on which school activities take place, it contributes to the development of people, and enables redesigning the organization. In setting the organization’s direction, leadership is effective in enabling examination of the evidence by setting a clear sense of direction that results in the greatest impact in the organization ( Siemens & Matheos, 2012) . Leaders of learning organizations also set the direction for the management of school activities by investing their time in sharing their views on how the institution should look like and actions that need to be taken to get the institution there. They build the community and the surrounding spirit. 

Leadership is important in learning institutions because it facilitates the development of members of staff and emphasizing the role of the principal in the provision of guidance that contributes to the improvement of practices in classrooms. It is composed of three sets of dimensions: definition of the school’s mission, management of instructional activities, and promoting positive learning environment ( Wright, Moynihan & Pandey, 2012) . A part from instructional leadership, leadership in educational institutions provides emotional intelligence to students and teachers. It enables elimination of feelings of frustration, facilitates transmission of a sense of mission, and contributes to an increase in performance in an indirect manner. The most recommended leadership practices that enable people development include stimulation of intellectuality, provision of individualized support, and provision of an appropriate model. Development of people through individualized support can be implemented in various forms in the institutions. Teachers get benefits from peer observations, debriefing, sessions, and feedbacks obtained from the principals. 

Leadership in schools is also relevant in the redesigning of the activities of the organization by conducting a review of operating environment of the organization. In a number of contexts, hi-stakes testing has been implemented to encourage detailed forms of instructing students by teachers in order to promote deep understanding on the part of students ( Hoch & Kozlowski, 2014) . During the redesign of the school, the organizational leaders focus on: strengthening the institutional culture, modification of organizational structures, and building collaborative processes. Practical application of redesigning an organizational structure of an institution can occur when principals strengthen the culture of expecting high performance from students and subgroups that have been blamed for the inability of the institution to perform well as the year's progress. 

Examples of Effective Leadership Based on Leadership Theories

There are particular leadership theories that can be relevant to the management of activities in a learning institution in an efficient manner. An example of a relevant leadership theory that can be implemented is knowledge leadership ( Hammond et al. 2011) . In a different perspective, knowledge leadership is where continuous improvement is implemented in the information resources, personal skills, and knowledge learning networks. Furthermore, a number of factors such as reorientation and the development of a culture of supportiveness to the individuals in the learning process are an important attribute of this leadership theory. 

In addition, a learning institution can also implement transformational leadership. This is the process where the leader engages with the subordinates for the purpose of creating a connection aimed at promoting inspiration and ethics for the leader and the followers. It is composed of four main elements: charismatic leadership, intellectual motivation, provision of inspiration, and individualized focus ( Wilderom, van den Berg & Wiersma, 2012) . With regards to implementation of innovation, transformational leadership has been considered to be a reflection of qualities that leaders of institutions need to implement in order to achieve change in an institution. In order to implement transformational leadership, organizational leaders need to have skills such as the ability to build a vision, rhetorical, and the ability to create the right impression in the institution. 

Learning institutions can also implement charismatic leadership theory in order to achieve its strategic leadership objectives. This is the process where leaders within organizations device mechanisms of performing tasks in a manner that the subordinates are influenced by being made to have self-confidence and possession of a strong sense of values for one’s own goals. A number of studies show that charismatic leadership is not effective in achieving significant strategic changes in leadership activities. For instance Wright, Moynihan & Pandey (2012 ), explained that while charismatic leadership is important in achieving strategic changes, it is still not sufficient. It has been suggested that charismatic leadership should be implemented alongside other leadership theories; otherwise, it cannot be effective in initiating and implementing changes. Organizations can also implement academic leadership theories in the performance of leadership roles. This is where the subordinates are motivated to be disciplined, have personal qualities, and applies expertise in the performance of tasks aimed at achieving the organization’s mission and objectives. A study conducted by Parris & Peachey (2013 ) that compared academic and administrative leaderships in institutions of learning indicated that one of the major challenges affecting learning institutions is the appointment of leaders who do not have the required academic qualifications for leadership positions. Furthermore, a number of competing cultures such as collegial, developmental, and negotiating cultures can be integrated into the academic leadership theory in order to achieve sustainable change within a learning institution. 

Behavioral Models that Best Fits the Ideal Organization

There are different organizational behaviors that can be implemented to achieve ideal organization in a learning institution. An example of such a behavior is autocratic organizational behavior. This is where those in leadership positions such as managerial roles exert certain levels of pressure on those in lower positions to enable particular outcomes to be achieved ( Terzi, 2011) . They are responsible for performing a commanding role in the achievement of the desired organizational outcomes. They also enforce policies and ensure they are followed by the subordinates.

The Custodial behavioral model is also relevant within the context of a learning institution. This is the process where the management in higher positions performs the duty of ensuring efficient management of organizational resources by ensuring their effective use for the purpose of achieving economic benefits ( Terzi, 2011) . The employees of the organization, in turn, are dependent on the security and benefits provided by the organization. A learning institution can also implement a collegial organizational behavior model. This is where leadership is concentrated on teamwork in order to achieve organizational goals, mission, and objectives. Those in leadership positions seek the support of those in subordinate positions in the performance of a particular leadership role to enable the achievement of organizational goals. The outcome is that the employees develop the feeling of being needed and useful. Those in lower positions are involved in responsible and self-discipline in their involvement in the performance of particular organizational tasks. There is also a general feeling of a degree of fulfillment among employees in lower positions due to their involvement in the control of institutional activities. 

The system model of organizational behavior can also be implemented in the performance of leadership roles in institutions. This is achievable when leaders develop a practical approach to ethics, care, and integrity in the management of diverse needs of the workforce. This behavioral model is a reflection of the values that are required in order to achieve positive organizational behavior, where the emphasis is on the role of managers in providing help and attention to employees so that they have hope, optimism, and self-confidence ( Argote & Miron-Spektor, 2011) . They are also able to be trustworthy, have high self-esteem, and become resilient in their tasks performance in order to achieve their institution’s mission and objectives. This organizational behavioral model requires that managers must show authenticity by being open to others and demonstrate transparency in managing underlying issues within an organization. They should also demonstrate the ability to read social situations and respond in an appropriate manner in accordance with ethics involved in leadership practices. 

Application of Organizational Theory in a Practical Organizational Environment

Organizational theory can be implemented in the context of a learning institution to solve its problems, maximize outcomes, and improve productivity as well as ensuing the needs of stakeholders are met. These patterns can be used in the context of a learning institution to determine the best ways in which they can be managed in a manner that success is achieved. 

In learning institutions, the institutional management can determine its internal and external stakeholders. Internal stakeholders include; the principals or the superintendent, the teachers, and students. it also includes employees in administrative departments. External stakeholders include suppliers, the surrounding community, the government, creditors, and Customers. In order to achieve effective organizational leadership, the managements of learning institutions need to understand the needs of each of these stakeholders in order to devise strategies for empowering them to contribute to the needs of the institution in a manner that promotes the achievement of its mission, vision, and objectives. The addressing of the needs of these stakeholders can be achieved by applying Contingency Theory. This is the process where anything that appears to be not within the required state within the organization is managed in order to bring the status of the organization to equilibrium status. The contingency theory puts emphasis on the need for the organization to address the most urgent issues affecting its internal operations and processes. 

The achievement of leadership objectives in a learning institution can also be possible by the implementation of systems organizational theory. This theory suggests that different departments in an organization are interrelated and that a change in one department has an impact on another. Learning institutions can implement this theory by performing departmental tasks in a manner that promotes the effectiveness of other departments or improving their role in achieving the overall success of the entire organization ( Parris & Peachey, 2013) . Systems theory can also be applied in the management of activities in educational institutions by creating models of decision making that promote the success of every department within the institution. It also involves effective evaluation of the relationships between departments and improving communication between staffs of different departments with the objective of achieving the overall objectives of the institution. This will result in the development of a culture that educational administrative duties are social activities aimed at building relationships that facilitate the development of frameworks which promote the understanding of the roles of the organization’s relationships. 

Application of Innovation and Improvement in Institutional Leadership

Innovation and improvement can be applied in educational institutions in the same manner as any other organization due to its relevance in achieving organizational goals, missions, and objectives. Innovation provides the management of institutions with the abilities to breakdown old rules of thinking with regards to management of organizational activities. Consequently, each team member develops trust on one another. When trust exists, there is patience and more capacity to listen and appreciate the relationships that are formed. Innovation and improvement can also be beneficial to the leadership of learning institutions because it provides the management with the skills of collaboration and discovery ( Davis & Eisenhardt, 2011) . Collaboration does not only involve working together but also taking leaps of faith in the discovery of new strategies of thinking and achieving the desired outcomes. While there is no particular idea that can contribute to the achievement of objectives of innovation, it is recommended that all conceived ideas should be implemented as a measure of achieving progress. Innovation is also effective in achieving the goals and objectives of a learning institution because it promotes communication and learning among the staff ( Argote & Miron-Spektor, 2011) . This provides them with the ability to overcome misunderstandings during communication and determine ways in which they can build trust and collaborate. Innovative and continuous improvement also empowers the management of institutions with the abilities to be courageous and act as change agents. It ensures teams are innovative and leaders challenge the present methods of performing tasks and administrative duties as a way of achieving efficiency and the ability of the institution to achieve its mission, vision, and objectives. Every leader has to be courageous or face the risk of extinction from the management of organizational activities. Consequently, the teams have the duty to be trained to act as change agents. The acceptance of the roles of agents of change involves the development of an attitude of an entrepreneur, the ability to embrace risks as the new normal, and commencement to see opportunity in every activity being performed in the institution. 

Examples of Systemic Changes in Educational Institutions

Educational leadership activities also involve making systemic changes to the functions and roles of the management. This can be achieved by increasing the levels of working with different departments in a manner that promotes the achievement of organizational outcomes within a particular time period ( Siemens & Matheos, 2012) . It also involves ensuring the management of developing procedures for resolving organizational challenges in a manner that reduces the time taken before the accomplishment of a particular objective. Systemic changes can also be implemented in leadership activities in institutions by developing policies for working with different stakeholders such as parents, teachers, the administration, and support staff in a manner that promotes the efficiency of service delivery for the purpose of achieving organizational outcomes. For instance, most parents wish that their views could be incorporated into the decisions made in the learning institutions. By making a change in the system of decision making in a manner that the needs of different stakeholders are addressed, it is possible to achieve outcomes that promote the achievement of goals that are beneficial to all stakeholders. 

The systemic change also involves making changes to the strategy used in the performance of particular tasks within the institution. For instance, an institution can implement a systemic change that enables the use of vouchers during the payment of tuition or other services that are charged within the institution ( Dinh et al. 2014) . In addition, systemic changes can be made in terms of the design of record keeping system in the institution with the incorporation of electronic system or paper -based system according to the preference of the institution. However, the increased use of information technology has resulted in more systemic changes being focused on the implementation of electronic record keeping systems in preference to paper-based systems. There can be a systemic change in the administrative duties such as the design of a school program in terms of the timing of different activities such as breaks, learning sessions, and participation in non-curricular activities. Systemic changes can also be implemented in terms of methods used to teach students, methods of conducting assessments, and interval in which students are examined. They also have the duty to assess their present policies and determine areas where reviews need to be done. 

Examples of Global and Local Educational Leadership Issues

Local Educational Leadership Issues

The main local challenge encountered in educational leadership is the assessment criteria that can be used to assess the competence of students and teachers in learning institutions prior to admission. Some people believe that the assessment should be done by applying problem-solving strategies, while others emphasize on the ability to communicate. Some administrators have been unable to determine whether they should implement teamwork during testing or not provide a test at all ( Easterby-Smith & Lyles, 2011) . The issue of addressing the teaching gap in a situation where the student demands immediate gratification despite not having achieved the required level of competence has been challenging for most leadership activities in educational institutions. The administrators have encountered the fear of being involved in the negative evaluation of students as a measure of ensuring they are enabled to achieve their academic objectives. 

Global Educational Leadership Issues

The most common global educational leadership issue is the challenge of developing managerial effectiveness. Most institutional leaders have encountered the challenge of developing the required skills among their subordinates such as the ability to think critically, decision-making capabilities, and getting up to increase involvement in job performance activities ( Hammond et al. 2011) . They have also encountered the challenge of determining the methods that can be used to inspire others as a measure of enabling the accomplishment of satisfaction with their jobs and increase efficiency. The issue of leading teams in educational institutions has also been challenging to most leaders of educational institutions because team development, team management, and provision of support to teams has been less effective. The challenge of guiding change is another area of concern for the global leadership in educational sectors. Most educational leaders encounter the challenge of managing, mobilizing, and leading change. They are unable to determine the strategy through which they can prevent resistance to implementation of a particular leadership policy. 

Role of Leadership within a Typical Educational Organization

The people responsible for the performance of leadership roles in educational institutions are principals and school administrators who strive to make changes to educational policies and processes. Educational leadership is where activities are conducted in a manner that teachers are guided towards the improvement of educational processes within the institution ( Hoch & Kozlowski, 2014) . They are trained to implement educational programs that have been created for the purpose of achieving institutional goals. The leadership of the institutions such as administrators and principals performs the roles of managing teachers, preparing budgets, setting institutional performance standards, and setting school-wide change policies. They may not perform the duty of team-building or restructure the organization to actualize change. A number of leaders in educational institutions participate in the development of policies and managing reform issues related to education on the local and international levels. 

Educational leadership in learning institutions is also implemented in the form of career leadership. This is where leaders are assigned positions as heads of departments, athletics doctors, or directors in curriculum departments ( Parris & Peachey, 2013) . In elementary institutions, educational leaders are assigned the roles of school principals, assistant principals, headmasters, or deans. Educational leadership also involves working in advocacy groups, lobbying, and development of policy reforms for the purpose of achieving institutional objectives. Furthermore, educational leadership is implemented at the graduate level by learners at the Masters levels of studies or doctorate levels are provided with training on leadership strategies that can be followed in educational institutions. The leadership training focus on theory and practices in education, the relevance of education in the society, and methods that are applicable during teaching. This ensures that the graduates from these programs are able to apply these qualifications in managerial activities within their institutions. 

References

Argote, L., & Miron-Spektor, E. (2011). Organizational learning: From experience to knowledge.  Organization science ,  22 (5), 1123-1137. 

Davis, J. P., & Eisenhardt, K. M. (2011). Rotating leadership and collaborative innovation recombination process in symbiotic relationships. Administrative Science Quarterly ,  56 (2), 159-201. 

Dinh, J. E., Lord, R. G., Gardner, W. L., Meuser, J. D., Liden, R. C., & Hu, J. (2014). Leadership theory and research in the new millennium: Current theoretical trends and changing perspectives.  The Leadership Quarterly , 25 (1), 36-62. 

Easterby-Smith, M., & Lyles, M. A. (Eds.). (2011).  Handbook of organizational learning and knowledge management . John Wiley & Sons. 

Hammond, M. M., Neff, N. L., Farr, J. L., Schwall, A. R., & Zhao, X. (2011). Predictors of individual-level innovation at work: A meta-analysis. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts ,  5 (1), 90. 

Hoch, J. E., & Kozlowski, S. W. (2014). Leading virtual teams: Hierarchical leadership, structural supports, and shared team leadership.  Journal of applied psychology ,  99 (3), 390. 

Parris, D. L., & Peachey, J. W. (2013). A systematic literature review of servant leadership theory in organizational contexts.  Journal of business ethics ,  113 (3), 377-393. 

Siemens, G., & Matheos, K. (2012). Systemic changes in higher education. In education ,  16 (1). 

Terzi, A. R. (2011). The relationship between power distance and autocratic-democratic tendencies.  Educational Research and Reviews ,  6 (7), 528. 

Wilderom, C. P., van den Berg, P. T., & Wiersma, U. J. (2012). A longitudinal study of the effects of charismatic leadership and organizational culture on objective and perceived corporate performance.  The Leadership Quarterly ,  23 (5), 835-848. 

Wright, B. E., Moynihan, D. P., & Pandey, S. K. (2012). Pulling the levers: Transformational leadership, public service motivation, and mission valence. Public Administration Review ,  72 (2), 206-215.