Jolly Blog

· Description of Leadership

Introduction

Despite the fact that leadership is a concept any working adult has extensive experience with, defining the concept is not as simple as one would expect. “Essentially, leadership reflects as individual’s influence on and relationship with others (Jones, 2017). Notice this definition includes no mention of titles. Leadership’s purpose is to guide others toward attaining goals (American College of Education, 2023). This definition lends itself to the perfect explanation regarding employees from all different careers being able to describe the things they liked and disliked about their bosses but most have probably not given the concept and definition of leadership much thought unless they are working towards becoming a leader in their profession. I can tell you exactly what I liked about each boss I have ever had and everything I hated about them but would have to really think about their leadership style. I have worked in several disciplines and education is the one that I have been most concerned about my leaders because it directly and indirectly affects children. “Teacher leadership is often defined as a set of practices that enhance the teaching profession.” (Killion, J., et. al, 2016) I have worked for directors and principals who were wonderful in many ways and have worked for terrible administrators that brought down the entire school with their poor leadership.

· Three Leadership Models

Notes:

· “Situational leadership [is] the ability to adapt and apply the right leadership model at the right time” (American College of Education, 2023).

o Adapts pertaining to the individual circumstances Patience, accuracy, and awareness needed, relationships important, creativity, considers individuals, considers humanitarian needs, considers public and private relationships (Zohair, A., et al, 2021)

o “…flexibility and practical aspects of teaching leadership.” “…nature of the situation and subordinates” inclusion in decision making (Raza, S., & Sikandar, A., 2018)

· “A coaching model of leadership is highly beneficial in assisting others to gain or grow their levels of expertise” (American College of Education, 2023).

o Sharing knowledge, voluntary sharing, (Wang, W., Seung-Wan, K., Bong, S., 2021)

o Coaching leadership can provide resources, reduce employee stress and burnout, improve employee well-being, and promote employee knowledge sharing behavior. (Wang, W., Seung-Wan, K., Bong, S., 2021)

o Coaching leadership provides employees with work guidance, helps them achieve their work goals, provides them with work resources, reduces their pressure, and promotes a high-quality working environment, thereby improving their employee well-being. (Wang, W., Seung-Wan, K., Bong, S., 2021)

· “Emergent leadership is like the situational model in that the environment allows individuals to present as leaders who otherwise may not have” (American College of Education, 2023).

o “These teams are set up for a limited time period and have a defined lifecycle, from a start point to an end point, in which they need to form, work on tasks, and finalize their project ([35]).” (Gerpott, F., et. al, 2019)

o "Emergent leadership"—the ascription of informal leadership responsibilities among team members—is a dynamic phenomenon that comes into place through social interactions.” (Gerpott, F., et. al, 2019)

· Leadership Table

· Summary Analysis

I have supported colleagues and students beyond my classroom in many ways as a teacher leader. As a person who values personal connections and relationships above all else I have ensured that every staff member and student feels a connection with me and a sense of security while confiding in me. The entire building knows and has either experienced it firsthand or knows of someone who has, that I will do whatever I can to help a person in need. If I do not have the answers or the resources, I will find the person who does. In my leadership roles of PTA president and co-leader of our PBS committee I have shown the community that I will take action to improve our school in every aspect possible. I have also acted as an informal mentor to new teachers as I offered my help or a listening ear and have acted as a sounding board giving suggested when requested. Everyone at my school knows they can come to me with anything and I will do whatever I am able to help their situation or celebrate their successes.

Situational Leadership model is the most effective teacher leadership role for several reasons. One of which is that this model remains flexible to the needs of the school including the staff and students’ best interests. As every educator and parent knows first hand the needs of children are in a constant state of change. From the moment a child is born, the new parents figure out what works to soothe the infant, their sleep schedule, their feeding schedule, and just as the parents start to feel confident in their new found role the child’s needs change. This does not diminish as the child ages. Often with children who have behavior plans or an IEP they master their goals or what used to help them succeed in school is no longer needed or no longer assists them in being successful, in these instances flexibility is crucial. In all things that pertain to children and people who work with children, adjusting to the situation and conducting yourself in the correct manner for each situation is imperative to a successful school experience for everyone involved.

Every leader must find what works best for them and their particular school community. They must also be willing to re-evaluate themselves through the course of their career to ensure they continue to support their school community in the way in which their particular school needs. The situational leadership style is flexible and fair to all parties involved in each special situation. We are in the business of educating precious children and must treat all situations and decisions with the utmost thought and care.

· References

American College of Education (2023) Module 1 Video Presentation: Examining Teacher Leadership Frameworks. Retrieved from https://ace.instructure.com/courses/1898876/modules/items/34137515

Gerpott, F., Lehmann-Willenbrock, N., Voelpel, S., Vugt, M., (2019) It’s Not Just What is Said, but When it’s Said: A Temporal Account of Verbal Behaviors and Emergent Leadership in Self-Managed Teams. Academy of Management Journal Retrieved from https://discovery.ebsco.com/c/36ffkw/viewer/html/yferfsc2mz

Killion,J., Harrison, C., Colton, A., Bryan, C., Delehant, A., & Cooke, D. (2016). A Systemic Approach to Elevating Teacher Leadership. Leaning Forward. Retrieved from https://learningforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/a-systemic-approach-to-elevating-teacher-leadership.pdf

Raza, S., & Sikandar, A. (2018) Impact of Leadership Style of Teacher on the Performance of Students: An Application of Hersey and Blanchard Situational Model. Bulletin of Education and Research (40) 3, pp73-94 Retrieved from https://discovery.ebsco.com/c/36ffkw/viewer/pdf/dmg2hw75x5

Wang, W., Seung-Wan, K., Bong, S., (2021) Effects of Employee Well-Being and Self-Efficacy on the Relationship between Coaching Leadership and Knowledge Sharing Intention: A Study of UK and US Employees International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Retrieved from https://discovery.ebsco.com/c/36ffkw/viewer/html/loihgiglof

Zohair, A., Shooroq, M., Najwa, D., Hytham, B. (2021) High School Principals’ Situational Leadership and Its Relationship with Teachers’ Achievement Motivation. European Journal of Contemporary Education 10 (4). Retrieved from https://discovery.ebsco.com/c/36ffkw/viewer/pdf/6ljounse35