PRINCIPLES OF

EDUCATIONAL
LEADERSHIP AND
MANAGEMENT
The Significance of
Educational Leadership
It is widely recognized that leadership is second only to
classroom teaching in its impact on student learning.
Leithwood et al.’s (2006) widely cited report shows that
“leadership acts as a catalyst” (p.4) for beneficial
effects, including pupil learning.
Definitions of Educational Leadership
Gunter (2004) shows that the labels used to define this
field have changed from “educational
administration” to “educational management” and,
more recently, to “educational leadership”.
Definitions of Educational Leadership
Leadership is a process of influence leading to the achievement of desired
purposes. Successful leaders develop a vision for their schools based on
their personal and professional values. They articulate this vision at every
opportunity and influence their staff and other stakeholders to share the
vision. The philosophy, structures and activities of the school are geared
towards the achievement of this shared vision.
(Bush & Glover, 2003: 5)
 Three Dimensions of Leadership
Leadership as influence
Leadership involves a social influence process whereby intentional
influence is exerted by one person [or group] over other people [or
groups] to structure activities and relationships in a group or organization
(Yukl, 2002: 3).
Three Dimensions of Leadership
Leadership as values
The notion of ‘influence’ is neutral in that it does not explain or recommend what
goals or actions should be pursued. However, leadership is increasingly linked
with values. Leaders are expected to ground their actions in clear personal and
professional values. This implies that values are ‘chosen’ but Bush (2008: 277)
argues that the dominant values are those of government and adds that these
may be ‘imposed’ on school leaders.
Three Dimensions of Leadership
Leadership and vision
Vision has been regarded as an essential component of effective leadership for
more than 20 years. Southworth (1993: 23–4) suggests that heads are motivated
to work hard ‘because their leadership is the pursuit of their individual visions’
(ibid.: 47). However, Thoonen et al. (2011: 520) refer to the ‘adverse effects’ of
vision, which arise when principals do not involve teachers in the process of
vision building.
 Types for Leadership
Instructional leadership
Instructional leadership is the longest established concept linking
leadership and learning. However, several other terms may be used to
describe this relationship, including pedagogic leadership, curriculum
leadership and leadership for learning. Despite its prominence and
longevity, instructional leadership has been criticized on two grounds.
 Types for Leadership
Instructional leadership
First, it is perceived to be primarily concerned with teaching rather than
learning (Bush, 2013). The second criticism is that it ‘focused too much on the
principal as the center of expertise, power and authority’ (Hallinger, 2003:
330). As a consequence, it tends to ignore or underplay the role of other leaders
such as deputy principals, middle managers, leadership teams, and classroom
teachers
 Types for Leadership
Instructional leadership
Instructional leadership is different to the other models in focusing on the
direction rather than the process of leadership. It says little about the process
by which instructional leadership is to be developed. It focuses on the
‘what’, rather than the ‘how’, of educational leadership. In this respect, it is
limited and partial, and has to be considered alongside other models.
 Types for Leadership
Managerial leadership
Managerial leadership assumes that the focus of leaders ought to be on
functions, tasks and behaviors and that, if these functions are carried out
competently, the work of others in the organization will be facilitated. Most
approaches to managerial leadership also assume that the behavior of
organizational members is largely rational.
 Types for Leadership
Managerial leadership
Managerial leadership is the model which provides the greatest risk of a
bureaucratic approach to school organization. By focusing on functions,
tasks and behaviors, there is the possibility that the aims of education
will be subordinated
to the managerial aim of greater efficiency.
 Types for Leadership
Managerial leadership
Managerial leadership has been discredited and dismissed as limited and
technicist, but it is an essential component of successful leadership,
ensuring the implementation of the school’s vision and strategy.
Management without vision is rightly criticized as ‘managerialist’ but
vision without effective implementation is bound to lead to frustration.
 Types for Leadership
Transformational leadership
Transformational leadership is based on the assumption that higher levels
of personal commitment to organizational goals, and greater capacities
for accomplishing those goals, are assumed to result in extra effort and
greater productivity
(Leithwood et al., 1999: 9).
 Types for Leadership
Transformational leadership
There is evidence to suggest that transformational leadership is effective
in improving student outcomes (Shatzer et al., 2014) but this model also
has two major limitations.
 Types for Leadership
Transformational leadership
First, it may be used as a vehicle for the manipulation or
control of teachers who are required to support the
‘vision’ and aims of the leader.
 Types for Leadership
Transformational leadership
Second, the language of transformation may be used to
secure the implementation of centrally determined
policies, not the identification of school-level vision and
goals.
 Types for Leadership
Moral and authentic leadership
The moral leadership model differs from the transformational approach
through its emphasis on integrity. It assumes that the critical focus of
leadership ought to be on the values, beliefs and ethics of leaders themselves.
Several other terms have also been used to describe values-based leadership.
These include ethical leadership,
authentic leadership, and spiritual leadership.
 Types for Leadership
Moral and authentic leadership
West-Burnham (1997: 239) discusses two approaches to leadership which may be
categorized as ‘moral’.
A. The first he describes as ‘spiritual’ and relates to ‘the recognition that many leaders
possess what might be called “higher order” perspectives’, perhaps represented by a
particular religious affiliation. Such leaders have a set of principles which provide the
basis of self-awareness. Survey of headteachers in England found that 52 per cent ‘were
inspired or supported in their leadership by some kind of spiritual power’.
 Types for Leadership
Moral and authentic leadership
West-Burnham (1997: 239) discusses two approaches to leadership which may be
categorized as ‘moral’.
A. The second category is ‘moral confidence’, the capacity to act in a way that is
consistent with an ethical system and is consistent over time. Keddie’s (2016) research in
Queensland, Australia, points to the enduring significance of moral leadership despite the
regimes of accountability and competition that can compromise student equity and
delimit schooling purposes.
 Types for Leadership
Distributed Leadership
The models discussed above are essentially about individual (usually
principal) leadership. However, there have been several approaches which
seek to widen the debate to include shared approaches to leadership.
Crawford (2012) notes the shift from solo to shared leadership. She attributes
this, in part, to well documented failures of high profile ‘superheads’ in
England, leading to skepticism about individual, or ‘heroic’, leadership.
 Types for Leadership
Teacher Leadership
Wenner and Campbell (2017) characterize teacher leadership as the
teacher role beyond the classroom, supporting the professional learning
of peers, and targeting student learning. Grant’s (2006) model extends
this view to develop a four-part model of teacher leadership:
Types for Leadership
Teacher Leadership
Four-part model of teacher leadership:
 Within the classroom
 Working with other teachers
 As part of whole-school development
 As an extension beyond the school
 Types for Leadership
Contingent Leadership
Contingent leadership acknowledges the diverse nature of school contexts,
and the advantages of adapting leadership styles to the particular situation,
rather than adopting a ‘one size fits all’ stance. The educational context is too
complex and unpredictable for a single leadership approach to be adopted for
all events and issues. Contingent leadership, then, is not a single model but
represents a mode of responsiveness which requires effective diagnosis followed
by careful selection of the most appropriate leadership style.
ANY QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU!