Philosophy Behind the Leadership Position in a Learning Organization

Imagine this. You have served for years as an assistant to the Principal at a local high school. Recently, the school has become plagued with administrative problems affecting the day to day operations of the school, the quality of education for students, and teacher development. As someone with long-standing experience in that school, you have been promoted to the highest leadership position at that school. Part of your role in the leadership of a learning organization includes policy development, decision making, professional development, and the monitoring of organizational progress. This paper will identify and examine the relevant leadership skills and strategies necessary to develop a successful, thriving learning organization. The philosophy behind the leadership position in a learning organization has emerged in recent years as a concern for parents, teachers and policy-makers alike. Changes must be implemented in the current supervisory process, as the role of leadership in a school setting has progressed from the principal as an instructional leader, to the principal as a transactional leader and, most recently, to the role of transformational leader. High performing leaders have a personal vision for their school and the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop, articulate and implement a shared vision that is supported by the larger organization and the school community (Anonymous author, 2001). Numerous studies on the topic have revealed the importance of leadership skills and strategies of the school leader. These studies clearly indicate that improved education for students requires improved leadership and supervisory skills. The leader in a learning organization must develop and administer policies that provide a safe school environment and establish operational plans and processes to accomplish strategic goals. Research indicates that a necessary aspect of policy development is the intertwining of the daily operations of the school to school and student learning goals (Anonymous author, 2001). Additionally, the major sources of fiscal and nonphysical resources for the school including business and community resources must be analyzed and identified (Anonymous author, 2001). The financial and material assets must be managed, as well as capital goods and services, allocating resources according to district or school priorities (Anonymous author, 2001). Policy development includes an efficient budget planning process that is driven by district and school priorities and involves the staff and community. A strong leadership quality is the ability to identify and organize resources to achieve curricular and instructional goals (Anonymous author, 2001). Research indicates that the process of planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating a district budget must be analyzed, and techniques and organizational skills necessary to lead and manage a complex and diverse organization must be demonstrated (Anonymous author, 2001). Furthermore, policy development includes the planning and scheduling of one's own and others' work so that resources are used appropriately, and short- and long-term priorities and goals are met (Anonymous author, 2001). Policy development lies at the basis for a successful learning institution where the needs and goals of students, teachers and the community are met. Research indicates that the decision a leader in a learning organization makes has a strong influence on what will or will not occur in classrooms throughout the country. The leader must take a results oriented approach, and frame, analyze, and resolve problems using appropriate problem solving techniques and decision making skills (Anonymous author, 2001). In this way, good decisions can be made by viewing events and problems from multiple perspectives, and through the use of multiple sources of data to inform decisions. Additionally, decisions must be made based on the moral and ethical implications of policy options and political strategies (Anonymous author, 2001). Research indicates that the leader must recognize situations that require forcefulness and self-confidence in making decisions and delegate authority and responsibility clearly and appropriately to accomplish organization goals (Anonymous author, 2001). Finally, logical conclusions and making high quality, timely decisions must be based on the best available information. According to Marks and Printy (2003), the decision making tasks to be accomplished encompass those of supervision and evaluation of instruction, of staff development activities, of curriculum development knowledge and activities, of group development knowledge and activities, of action research, of development of a positive school climate, and of the creation of links between school and community. Technical skills include goal setting, assessment and planning, instructional observation, research and evaluation; whereas, interpersonal skills are those of communication, motivation, decision making, problem solving, and conflict management (Marks & Printy, 2003). In order to meet the rapidly changing needs of our students, teachers must be given the authority to make appropriate instructional decisions. Therefore, the basis for school leadership must include teachers and parents, as well as the principal, in the role of problem finding and problem identification (Marks & Printy, 2003). Youngs and King (2002) state that a prominent way in which leaders shape school conditions and teaching practices is through their beliefs and actions regarding teacher professional development. Individual teacher competence is necessary for effective classroom practice, and that teachers must be able to integrate knowledge of students, subject matter, and teaching context in planning out units and lessons and assessing student work (Youngs & King, 2002). The studies discussed by Youngs and King examine the relationship of capacity to instructional quality and student achievement, finding that effective school leaders can sustain high levels of capacity by building trust, creating structures that promote teacher learning, assist in the implementation of general reforms. Their study results also suggest that during transitions in school leadership, incoming leaders must be cognizant of shared norms and values among their faculties before initiating new practices into the curriculum, instruction, or school organization (Youngs & King, 2002). Other research on the topic indicates that speaking with teachers in and outside of instructional conferences was the cornerstone of effective leadership (Blase, 1999). Organizational leaders in a school setting use five primary talking strategies with teachers to promote reflection: 1) making suggestions; 2) giving feedback; 3) modeling; 4) using inquiry and soliciting advice and opinions; and 5) giving praise (Blase, 1999). Another important aspect of effective leadership is the promotion of teachers' professional growth with respect to teaching methods and collegial interaction about teaching and learning (Blase, 1999). According the to Blase study, effective instructional leaders used six teacher development strategies: 1) emphasizing the study of teaching and learning; 2) supporting collaboration efforts among educators; 3) developing coaching relationships among educators; 4) encouraging and supporting redesign of programs; 5) applying the principles of adult learning, growth, and development to all phases of staff development; and 6) implementing action research to inform instructional decision making. The study results found that school leaders that were effective provided former staff development opportunities to address emergent instructional needs. These opportunities resulted in innovation and creativity, variety in teaching, risk taking and positive responses to student diversity as well as effects on motivation, efficacy and self-esteem (Blase, 1999). Monitoring of Organizational Progress Finally, a core leadership skill of a learning organization is the continual monitoring of the school's progress. The studies discussed by Youngs and King (2002) reach the conclusion that school leaders can affect achievement indirectly by establishing a mission or set of goals and building school-wide commitment to them. As a result, higher student achievement can be associated with higher levels of school professional community and program coherence (Youngs & King, 2002). Along with monitoring the school's goals and mission, leaders must continue to facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision and strategic plan for the school that places student and faculty learning at the center (Anonymous author, 2001). The leader of a learning organization must align instructional objectives and curricular goals with the shared vision and articulate the district's or school's vision, mission and priorities to the community (Anonymous author, 2001). The learning organization must be understood as a political system, relating the vision, mission, and goals to the welfare of students, and its' leader must articulate and reinforce that vision in written and spoken communications. In this way, a positive school culture for learning is created, along with conditions that enhance the staff's desire and willingness to focus energy on achieving educational excellence (Anonymous author, 2001). Finally, the leader must model professionalism, collaboration and continuous learning in order to successfully monitor the organizations progress. Learning to become a leader of an learning organization is a complex, multidimensional task. If school leaders believe that growth in student learning is the primary goal of schooling, then it is a task worth learning. In today's rapidly changing world that means becoming a leader of leaders by learning and working with teachers, students, and parents to improve instructional quality. Goal setting and problem solving become site-based, collective collaborative activities. The leadership of the principal is pivotal in ensuring that the process is informed of all school issues, especially those that relate to student instruction. As indicated by the literature available, policy development, decision making, professional development and progress monitoring are all key areas for leadership. If these areas are enhanced by strong leadership qualities, the future of the educational system will remain very bright. Additional studies on the leadership skills and strategies necessary to effectively lead a learning organization will assist in determining the next steps of our future leaders.