Importance of Leadership
Leadership as defined by Andrew J. Dubrin is “the ability to inspire confidence and support among the people who are needed to achieve organizational goals” (DuBrin, 2013, p. 2). Siena Heights, like a good leader does this with their followers, in this case, student followers. Siena Heights mission statement is “to assist people to become more competent, purposeful and ethical” (Siena Heights University, 2016, para. 1). Siena Heights does this through their classes both online and in the classroom. A good leader, like a good school, will mold and work with their followers to make them better at their jobs. This helps to build competence which is a forgotten part of trust- “However, the differentiating and often ignored
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You might think a person is sincere, even honest, but you won’t trust that person fully if he or she doesn’t get results” (Covey, 2006, p. 30). Trust is a must in leadership because without trust, followers will leave- be that a business or a school. Good leaders provide direction, inspiration, and stimulation to those they lead. Siena Heights provides the same for their followers through their exceptional teachers, alumni and variety of classes and campus activities. Leaders move with their people through crisis and so does Siena Heights with their Diversity and Inclusion program and counseling center. A school or workplace without leadership will have people milling around, and sometimes they will move forward- but without a direction. Leaders provide that direction; higher education provides that direction. A person without higher education is like a person without leadership, treading water in place. Sometimes moving, but …show more content…
23) is an example of how they help to foster trust the same way a leader fosters trust. A leader or school will teach the followers ethics and hold them to that ethical behavior. A good leader cultivates their people; a good school does this as well with their students. Cultivating ethics in people has pitfalls. Many times we make the mistake of misconstruing Ethics and Compliance. As Stephen Covey points out in his book “The Speed of Trust”- “The problem in organizations, however, is that many “ethics” solutions focus on compliance. The compliance definition of “ethics” is not one of integrity or integratedness; it is a watered-down, devalued definition that essentially means “follow the rules” (Covey, 2006, p. 61). Great leaders however, make sure their people know the difference between ethics and compliance. Aldo Leopold said it best when he said “Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching- even when doing the wrong thing is legal.’ (Goodreads, 2016) This is what separates ethics from compliance, doing the right thing when only you know that it is the right thing to do. Another part of being ethical is character. Character as defined by Dr. Henry Cloud is “the ability to meet the demands of reality” (Cloud, 2006, p. 24). This is how you act in real life. Character and integrity come together to form ethical behavior. At some point everyone has had a leader
Throughout the years of being a student at Council Rock, I have come to the realization of what a true leader is. A leader is not someone that just plans events, collects money, or shows up to meetings. Rather, this is someone that has a true connection with their peers, and has unmatched passion for what they do. With this, I can confidently say that since seventh grade, as a young adult, I have been shaped into an individual that fits these traits. Since that time, I have been involved in student government,
In the world of higher education, we as students who have chosen this profession strive to one day possibly becoming a President of an institution. In the article written by Michael D. Cohen and James G. March, “Leadership in an Organized Anarchy” the authors detail their beliefs that most college presidents face four fundamental ambiguities which strike at the heart of a president’s interpretation of leadership. The four ambiguities are ambiguity of purpose, power, experience, and success. But is Cohen’s and March’s concept true for every president and their institution? To determine this I have decided to compare them to the current leadership of 16th president of the University of North Texas (UNT), Dr. Neal Smatresk.
In a quote from Tom Peters, he states that “ leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.” Working as a lead administrator in a building can have some powerful challenges, but as with anything, the approach is what makes the difference. A good leader will take advantage of the tools around them, knowing that every building has individuals who offer their very own strengths. In focusing on the individual teacher strengths of each specific teacher, a rapport can be built, but most importantly, the outcome will be a stronger building because of the process of spreading the wealth. Ultimately, no teacher in any building became a teacher without being a leader first, and as I have looked back on my own past upbringing through scouting by other educators, I see the outpouring of wealth of experience from those teachers just waiting to make a
Leaders should exert a positive influence on the member’s school. A real leader strives to train and aid others to attain the same objective. No matter what power exists, you are ineffectual without the guidance of a leader. The NJHS is completely made up of leaders that will make their school a better place.
Leading organizations of school administrators offer educators various opportunities to encourage educators to become leaders. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) has mandated that leaders be better prepared for the task of providing quality education to all. NCLB “… is forcing all educational stakeholders to face the weakness of contemporary school leadership and is making it impossible to ignore the need for higher quality principals” (Hale & Moorman, 2003, p.1). It is believed that all educators can be and are leaders in their own right. A leader is a visionary and has the ability to inspire others to aspire to greatness. Of the numerous opportunities that are offered, those that are most beneficial include but are not limited to leadership training programs, professional development, and creating shared leadership opportunities for teachers to become leaders. The systems “…that produce our nation’s principals are complex and interrelated – and governed by the states. Each state establishes licensing, certification and re-certification” (Hale & Moorman, 2003, p.1). States use the ISLLC standards “…as the framework for preparation programs and in service professional development of school superintendents, principals, and other leaders” (Hale & Moorman, 2003, p.3).
The article gave a great account of two Ohio school districts; one, Olmstead Falls Intermediate School, classified as a “High Performing” school that wanted continued growth and the other, Start High School, classified as needing “Continued Improvement” both embarked on the Framework for Improving Leadership set forth by the state of Ohio. The Framework set for an emphasis for adult learning focused on effective leadership, shifting from traditional leadership, positive leadership as the means for improvement, and including standards, training and supportive conditions for leaders.
The role of a leader is often inaccurately defined as an individual who is in a position to give orders. However, there are enormous differences in the attributes of an outstanding leader, and one of mediocrity. An outstanding leader, above all else, is a role model for their peers. In doing so, a leader of the highest caliber is trustworthy in both their peer’s trust for the leader as well as the leader’s trust of their peers. A leader must also display exceptional skill in communication which transcends speaking and, more importantly, includes listening and consideration to the ideas presented to them. Furthermore, a leader must be supportive of and willing to help their peers build their own strengths. The attributes listed above represent only a small subset of what makes an outstanding leader. Yet,
Encarta Dictionary within Microsoft Word defines leadership as,” the ability to guide, direct, or influence people.” Expanding upon that definition, my personal definition is influencing people to follow to achieve a goal, regardless of how unpleasant. Leadership is not something that happens overnight, it needs to be cultivated over time. During that process, it is necessary to identify delinquencies and make adjustments. Reviewing the feedback provided by my LPI/360 assessment, the three areas identified I need to improve on are, praising people for a job well done, actively listening to diverse points of view, and becoming more visible within the workplace.
Leadership is being able to direct or guide other people by either your own actions or by actually guiding them into the right direction (Acumen). Inspiration to be a leader might come from many different areas like your family, friends, peers, or even teachers. My inspiration didn’t really occur to me until I started attending college in August 2013. In all actuality I never even thought of how to be a leader until I was in Mrs. Moore’s Perspectives class. I now have a desire to be a great leader, and the inspiration has come from Mrs. Moore, and my family. I am the first to attend college out of my family, so in a away I have already started leading my siblings in the right direction. Being a leader means inspiring others to pursue their dreams, and aspirations and helping throughout the journey to success. Being a leader has nothing with authority or being able to tell other what, and how to do things, it’s about having people who look up to you and want to follow your example.
For many years, I have been told by teachers, family, and friends that I am a good leader. Until fairly recently, I had never truly thought about what it means to be a good leader and just took it as a compliment. Leadership is an intangible concept which cannot be properly outlined in a dictionary, but one which must be formed and explained only through one’s own philosophies and experiences.
What does leadership mean in the context of educational leadership? Many definitions of leadership in education co-exist, attesting to the complexity and multi-faceted phenomena of the concept (Elwell & Elikofer, 2013). Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood organizational and psychological areas of study. Despite volumes of research and numerous theories, no one theory of leadership emerged as the sole predictor of the success of educational leaders. The current body of knowledge about leadership consists of narrow definitions of leader effectiveness that are disconnected from their context (Latham, 2014). Educational leadership influences and affects every dimension of the educational process from the
Leadership is trait that is extremely important in any society. Leadership is known as the way people attempting to make a difference in a situation. However, I believe that it is better said to be a way of influencing others actions. Leadership is usually connected to a great leader that affected his or her followers in a dynamic way. Throughout the semester for my leadership class, I have expanded the knowledge in numerous ways. I now have fully understanding of the purpose and process of leadership to a society. Being a leader one must maintain an image of being the role model. I believe that this is leader should be who is someone who has the ability to influence, encourage, listen, and nurture. They are able to inspire, stimulate, persuade, shape, and have an effect on others.
A community leader expands their collective experience, skills and energy to drive positive social change and enable their communities to thrive. Throughout elementary school and high school, I engaged in school clubs and special classes, volunteered in my community, took on leading roles for fundraising and acquired many jobs. I have become a leader in my community because of references from jobs or activities, connections with other leaders and by achieving high academic grades and excelling in sports, I have chosen to share my abilities with others and proceed to make a change.
"A leader is an individual (or, rarely, a set of individuals) who significantly affects the thoughts, feelings, and/or behaviors of a significant number of individuals” (Gardner, Howard 2012). An essential part of a leader lies in their ability to motivate and influence people to follow their lead. Leaders are both men and women who have the ability to influence others in a community, control situations, connect with others and persuade others to follow them or the goals they define. To be a good leader one must set a good example and make correct decisions for difficult choices. I myself am implementing leadership skills into my every day life. Leadership skills are all around us. They can be applied to any situation where one may be required to take the lead. This can be
Education is a very important aspect in the life of a child. The level of success a student has in the classroom is greatly influenced by their teachers. Students, as well as their parents, depend on the teachers to guide them through their education. But who guides a teacher to perform successfully in the classroom? Principals and teachers play an important role in schools. A good relationship among school leaders and teachers is necessary and play an important role in making improvements in the school. Leadership refers to the “process in which one person successfully exerts influence over others to reach desired objectives”. (Okoji, 2015) Good leadership involves honesty, vision, confidence and commitment. It is the ability to inspire a