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Monday, August 24, 2015
Learning to be a New School
The report
Literature that discusses transformative change in schools typically draws on experiences of renewal and change in existing schools. This report explores the shaping of a new school with the intent, established at the very outset, of offering a curriculum for the 21st century. The report discusses four key aspects of curriculum innovation at this school, outlining the intent of each and then discussing issues and challenges encountered in bring each aspect to fruition as the school got under way.
In its third year of operation when this report was compiled, this senior high school has dared to be different, in the process riding a rollercoaster of hopes and dreams, expectations met and occasionally dashed, careful planning, ongoing troubleshooting and collaborative professional learning. Through the lens of complexity theory, the report discusses the learning and problemsolving processes the school has set in place, describing how they have acted as a key enabler of the school’s success in addressing challenges it has encountered to date.
The perspectives of all members of the school community are included in the report: senior leaders, teachers, students, parents and some members of the school’s board of trustees.
This report was funded by NZCER's Purchase Agreement with the Ministry of Education
Types of Leadership
- Autocratic or Authoritarian Style of Leadership
- Under the autocratic leadership style, all decision-making powers are centralised in the leader. Leaders do not entertain any suggestions or initiatives from subordinates. This approach provides for quick decision making but is generally not successful in gaining employee engagement
- Laissez-faire or Free-rein Style of Leadership
- A person may be in a leadership position without providing leadership, leaving the group to fend for itself. Subordinates are given a free hand in deciding their own policies and methods. This can sometimes be a positive leadership style if workers are responsible and self-starting and do not require a lot of supervision.
- Participative or Democratic Style of Leadership
- A participative or democratic style of leadership involves the leader sharing decision- making abilities with group members while also promoting the interests of the group members and practicing social equality. Employees will likely enjoy this style of leadership because it gives them a say in many decisions.
- Transformational Style of Leadership
- The transformational leadership style is one of the most inspiring leadership styles that enhances the motivation, morale and job performance of followers. The concept was initially introduced by James MacGregor Burns- a leadership expert and presidential biographer. According to Burns, transformational leadership can be seen when "leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of morality and motivation."
Leadership styles
Based on a three-year study of over 3,000 executives, Daniel Goleman identified six different leadership styles:
- Pace-setting
- Authoritative
- Affiliative
- Democratic
- Coaching
- coercive or commanding
Six Leadership Styles
- Pace-setting leaders expect excellence and self-direction, and can be summed up as ‘Do as I do, now’. The Pace-setter very much leads by example, but this type of leadership only works with a highly-competent and well-motivated team. It can only be sustained for a while without team members flagging. Like the Coercive leader, Pace-setters also show drive to succeed and initiative, but instead of self-control, these are coupled with conscientiousness.
- Authoritative leaders move people towards a vision, so are often described as ‘Visionary’. This style is probably best summed up as ‘Come with me’. It is the most useful style when a new vision or clear direction is needed, and is most strongly positive. Authoritative leaders are high in self-confidence and empathy, acting as a change catalyst by drawing people into the vision and engaging them with the future.
- An Affiliative leader values and creates emotional bonds and harmony, believing that ‘People come first’. Such leaders demonstrate empathy, and strong communication skills, and are very good at building relationships. This style is most useful when a team has been through a difficult experience, and needs to heal rifts, or develop motivation. It is not a very goal-oriented style, so anyone using it will need to make sure others understand that the goal is team harmony, and not specific tasks. It is probably obvious from this that it cannot be used on its own for any length of time if you need to ‘get the job done’.
- The democratic leader builds consensus through participation, constantly asking ‘What do you think?’, and showing high levels of collaboration, team leadership and strong communication skills. This style of leadership works well in developing ownership for a project, but it can make for slow progress towards goals, until a certain amount of momentum has built up. Anyone wishing to use this style will need to make sure that senior managers are signed up to the process, and understand that it may take time to develop the consensus.
- A coaching leader will develop people, allowing them to try different approaches in an open way. The phrase that sums up this style is ‘Try it’, and this leader shows high levels of empathy, self-awareness and skills in developing others. A coaching style is especially useful when an organisation values long-term staff development
- Coercive leaders demand immediate obedience. In a single phrase, this style is ‘Do what I tell you’. These leaders show initiative, self-control, and drive to succeed. There is, of course, a time and a place for such leadership: a battlefield is the classic example, but any crisis will need clear, calm, commanding leadership. This style does not, however, encourage anyone else to take the initiative, and often has a negative effect on how people feel.
Why Leaders Eat Last- Simon Sinek
In this in-depth talk, ethnographer and leadership expert Simon Sinek reveals the hidden dynamics that inspire leadership and trust. In biological terms, leaders get the first pick of food and other spoils, but at a cost. When danger is present, the group expects the leader to mitigate all threats even at the expense of their personal well-being. Understanding this deep-seated expectation is the key difference between someone who is just an "authority" versus a true "leader."
3:30 Happiness breakdown (4 chemicals)
5:53 1) Endorphins
7:16 Importance of endurance
7:59 2) Dopamine
8:19 Dopamine is to make sure get stuff done
9:10 Goals must be tangible - we have to see the goal to stay focused
10:17 Dopamine is dangerous when unbalanced
15:07 Feel safe
15:40 In our organization, danger isn't a constant it is a variable
17:05 The responsibility of leadership is 2 things: 1) Determine who gets in and who doesn't 2) how big do we make the circle of safety
17:33 Great leaders extend safety to the outermost of the org
17:53 3) Serotonin - leadership chemical
19:30 Trying to enforce relationships
22:22 Value of group-living
22:28 Being alpha comes at a cost
26:01 The cost of leadership is self-interest
27:15 Makes you feel safe
27:34 4) Oxytocin
29:03 Businesses aren't rational, it's about feeling safe. "It's human -- physical touch"
29:27 "Human bonds matter"
29:29 Act of human generosity
32:19 Leaders spend time/energy not money
37:30 You have to make sure you can trust others as leaders because you won't have time to help everyone
38:47 Cortisone - the feeling of stress and anxiety
40:59 Needs to shut down during times
41:42 Cortisone inhabits oxytocin
42:18 "Our jobs are killing us.. leaders are responsible"
43:12 Leadership is a decision, a choice.
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