Unit 1: Leading and Managing People: Setting the Scene
1.1: Context for Leadership and Management in Education
Concept of Leadership
Leadership can be defined through a number of ways. The concept of leadership in terms of
its definition is elusive (indefinable) and subjective. It is much like the words “democracy,
love and peace”, which might be defined differently by different individuals. Regardless of
its present significance, leadership has no agreed definition. However, there are several
definitions that are more helpful as compared to other definitions for some people – meaning
that people define leadership differently in different context, although none of these could be
recognised as being definitive. Leadership researchers, after exploring this concept from
different perspectives, highlight that it is a multifaceted and complicated ‘process’.
Some researchers conceptualize leadership from the trait aspect, which means a leader has a
set of certain characteristics which make him/her a leader; for others, it is the behaviour of
the leader which enables him/her to accomplish the goals of the institution. Furthermore, for
some theorists leadership is a relationship between the leader and followers in terms of
power; whereas, some theorists view leadership from the leader’s capacity with respect to the
skill and knowledge aspect. Bass (1990) defines leadership as a group process where the
leader holds a central place and embodies the team members’ will – meaning that educational
leader interacts with their faculty members/teachers/other subordinates, and this process of
interaction within the group shapes the leadership. Therefore, taking the example of Division
of Education, leadership is considered as a process whereby a divisional director influences a
team of faculty members to accomplish a shared aim of the division. The reason behind
taking leadership as a process, in the context of Division of Education, is that leadership is
considered to be a phenomenon which is shaped by the relationships and contacts between
the director and the faculty members. This implies that both the director and faculty members
are involved in the leadership process, and leadership does not reside only within the leader
as is the case in the trait perspective.
Educational Leadership
What is ............... ?
Educational Leadership is a term applied to school, college or university administrations
that strive to create positive change in educational policy and processes. OR
Educational Leadership refers to administration roles at schools, colleges, universities
and other educational institutions that go beyond traditional management and
administrative tasks. Educational leaders are trained to advance and improve educational
systems or institutions. OR
It is the process of enlisting and guiding the talents and energies of teachers, students,
and parents (in case of school) toward achieving common educational aims. The term
‘educational leadership’ is often used in the United States, whereas in United Kingdom
this term is replaced with ‘educational management’.
Function of Educational Leadership
Educational leaders work to improve educational programming. They hire and manage
teachers and staff, prepare budgets, set curriculum standards and set school-wide policy.
They might work on team building efforts or restructure the organization to affect
necessary change. Many educational leaders are involved with policy development or
reform issues dealing with education on the local, state or national level.
The labels used to define this field (leadership/management) have changed from ‘educational
administration’ to ‘educational management’ and, more recently, to ‘educational leadership’.
Bolam (1994) defines educational management as ‘an executive function for carrying out
agreed policy’. He differentiates management from educational leadership which has ‘at its
core the responsibility for policy formulation and organisational transformation’. Bush (2011)
argues that educational management should be centrally concerned with the purpose or
aims of education. These purposes or goals provide the crucial sense of direction which
should underpin the management of educational institutions. Management is directed at the
achievement of certain educational objectives.
Cuban (1988) provides one of the clearest distinctions between leadership and management.
He links leadership with change while management is seen as a maintenance activity. He also
stresses the importance of both dimensions of organisational activity. ‘I prize both managing
and leading and attach no special value to either since different settings and times call for
varied responses’. Day et al. (2001) add that management is linked to systems and ‘paper’,
while leadership is about the development of people.
Leadership and management need to be given equal prominence if schools and colleges are to
operate effectively and achieve their objectives. While a clear vision is essential to establish
the nature and direction of change, it is equally important to ensure that innovations are
implemented efficiently and that the school’s residual functions are carried out effectively
while certain elements are undergoing change. Hallinger (2003) argues that a leadership
perspective on the role of the principal does not diminish the principal’s managerial roles. In
any case, the differences cannot easily be observed in the day-to-day practices of leaders
(Leithwood 1994). Briggs’s (2003, p. 434) study of middle managers in English further
education colleges suggests that these two dimensions have a symbiotic relationship
(mutually beneficial relationship) and need to be kept in balance.
1.2: Leading and Managing People for Performance
There is ample evidence that high-quality leadership is vital in achieving successful schools
and colleges. The Commonwealth Secretariat (1996), for example, states that ‘the head . . .
plays the most crucial role in ensuring school effectiveness’. Regarding the significance of
leadership in educational institutions, Simkins (2005:9) argues that “leadership is one of the
major factors—sometimes it seems the only factor—that will determine whether an
educational organization, be it a school, a college or a university, will succeed or fail”.
Leithwood et al.’s (2006) study of successful school leadership reinforces previous research
which stresses that leaders improve teaching and learning indirectly. This means developing
and sustaining good relationships with teachers, who work directly with students. Effective
processes are required to enhance classroom practice but they must be supported by an
approach which recognises, values and celebrates the achievements of staff and students.
There is convincing evidence that successful leaders focus most strongly on motivating and
developing people rather than establishing and maintaining systems and structures. The latter
is important but should always be a second-order priority.
In education, as in many other settings, people are most likely to show commitment if they
are valued by those who have responsibility for them. This applies to teachers just as much as
to the children and students. It also applies to the many support staff who work in schools and
colleges. An inclusive approach, involving all categories of staff, is most likely to produce
the teamwork which is also a feature of successful organisations.
Researchers believe that Principals perform five key functions well to achieve excellent
performance of the school:
. Shaping a vision of academic success for all students.
. Creating a climate hospitable to education.
. Cultivating leadership in others.
. Improving instruction.
. Managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement.