0.5 Why is school leadership preparation so complex  (Page 8/11)

Leadership behavior consists of a person’s general personality, demeanor, and communication patterns inguiding others toward reaching personal and organizational goals. The balance between“taking charge”and“empowering others”is indeed difficult to maintain over an extended period of time. Aschool principal may organize for and believe in teaching to the test, but staff perceptions may view the principal as anauthoritarian who refuse to discuss alternative teaching approaches. The literature reveals little empirical researchevidence that answers why some leadership styles in specific situations are triumphant successes and others are dismal failures.Observers have pondered why some successful school leaders use a consistent leadership style in all situations and others use a moresituational style. Moreover, research is silent in seeking answers about the impact of certain leadership styles across schools,school leaders, and situations. Some promising findings are emerging about how some leaders appear to read the school cultureand adjust their leadership style to address critical racial and social issues that impact student learning (Lunenburg,2003).

Leadership research continues to undulate between leadership as“being in charge”to“being among the leadership team.”The literature includes leadership as a personal quality, a remnant of the“great man”theories of the 1950s when personality traits and human capabilities that gave individualsadvantage over others. Writers can not make up their collective minds about why it has been so difficult to move from the boss onthe top to the boss in the middle model of leadership. Most writers avoid the boss on the top and write about the virtues of leadershipas relational and as a moral quality. In the past five years leadership research investigates the power of love and spiritualityin preparing tomorrow’s school leaders. Thus, will organizations especially schools continue its search for higher quality whenleaders back down? This author thinks not! While effective leaders understand that cooperation cannot be forced on others, they mustbe persuasive and lead others to destinations beyond their imaginations and gain their commitment to shared goals. The formalleader is vital in capturing the cooperation of others in seeking higher goals for themselves and for every student they teach andcounsel. The school principal, superintendent and professor of school leadership must posses the drive of George Patton, thepatience of Job, the persistence of Nelson Mandela, and the love of

Mother Teresa.

Keeping the Organization on a Proper Edge for Productivity in a Political Context

The four months leading up to the D-day invasion of Europe, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, visitedtwenty-six divisions, twenty-four airfields, five ships of war, and many other important installations. His friends urged him to slowdown and not wear himself out before the invasion. However, General Eisenhower told them that the information he was gaining wasvaluable to the war effort and would provide an edge for victory over the Nazis. In his memoirs, Eisenhower told his reasons forthese extensive pre-battle visits.