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Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

INTRODUCTION
The past few decades have seen an enhanced interest and focus on leadership studies and theories of leadership have increased in both quality and quantity to meet the emerging demands for sustainable development of new organizations in the modern corporate world (Limerick, Cunnington & Crowther, 1998). The era of complexity and rapid change is generating demands for a reconceptualised leadership capacity, especially by senior executives, on the scale that this will require an active mobilization of management. Administrators in the educational sector have come to an understanding that they cannot just rely on their leadership skills but need to acquire management know-how to steer their organizations in the right direction in times of change while maintaining their culture and equilibrium. In other words, they need to redefine school leadership which is inseparable in function with management. For this reason, I attempt in this argument to approach leadership from different perspectives, which frames a common ground on which I argue the difference but correlation of leadership and management and how they are both significant for organizational operation.

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EDUC7100 Assignment 1

Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

CONCEPTUALISING LEADERSHIP
A great number of authors and theorists have contributed to a vast literature of leadership; however, leadership as a concept is hard to define (Christie, 2002). Cribbin (1981, p. 12) points out that definitions of leadership are as many as definers, but most of these definitions, as Yulk (1994, p. 3) claims reflect an assumption that leadership involves a social influence process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person (or group) over others (or groups) to structure the activities and relationships in a group or organization (cited in Leithwood et al, 1999, p. 10). As a concept, leadership deals with influence over others (inspiring, motivating and coordinating); vision sharing (setting, communicating and realizing); values transforming (persuading, setting examples) towards making a difference (facilitating change) (Burns, 1978, cited in Christie; Fidler, 1997; Dubrin, 1998; Gronn, 1996, 1999; Leithwood et al, 1999; Leonard, 1999; Law & Glover, 2000; Christie & Lingard, 2001; Krishnan, 2001; Owens, 2001). As a phenomenon, leadership is defined by followership. In this sense, leadership refers to what Mant (1999) has argued, as a human process whereby leaders power as well as authority is entrusted and voluntarily granted by followers. This implies that leaders engage with, rather than exclude followers in seeking to achieve the desired goals on the basis of shared agreement and mutual commitment (Owens, 2001). Whichever perspective, leadership is generalized as a process of influencing others towards articulating and achieving goals.

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Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

Since leadership has become a subject of major concern of organizational discourse, commentators have evidenced numerous approaches to which leadership is theorized. Leadership, as an influence is associated with power or authority which often goes with personal qualities and traits (Bass, 1981; Stodgill, 1974, cited in Christie, 2002). This charisma or great man perspective, as Leonard (1999) describes attempts to identify specific physical and psychological characteristics that attract loyal followers (p. 237). As the art of leadership refers to traits, many educators still attribute success of organizations to abilities and actions of an individual (Rost & Barker, 2000). This physics approach, as Mant (1999, p. 23) puts it, fails to explain the complexity of the process of influencing especially when followership angle makes that process chemical unless followers needs meet with the leaders capacity (or need) to channel them. But this is not often the case; therefore, leaders need to take a comprehensive look into followers needs and disposition, facilitating reciprocal relationships to enhance trust and commitment. In other words, they need to be open to all forms of information and feedback (Clement & Bush, 1999). Embedded in the relationships between leaders and followers, leadership is then understood as a social process, or rather a complex phenomenon rather than an isolated trait, and for this reason context-related factors need to be taken into consideration (Stodgill, 1974, cited in Christie, 2002; Leonard, 1999) for appropriate response to the circumstances. Fiddler (1997, p.25) describes, although a leader may have a preferred style of leadership, this may need to be varied according to circumstances. But if different leadership skills and traits are needed in different situations, then for
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Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

the sake of appropriateness, leaders have to alter their behaviour that is determined by opportunity, and thus lacks morality to enhance mutual trust (Feeney, 1998; Evans, 1996, cited in Christie, 2002). The limitations in both traits and contingency theories have prompted a shift of focus towards a more effective style of leadership, transformational. In fact, over the second half of the 20th century, our understanding of leadership has changed towards recognition that what leaders do is determined, in large part by the nature of those being led and by the culture of organization to which they belong (Siegrist, 1999). And if leadership is understood as relationships (Burns, cited in Christie. 2002; Owens, 2000), or partnership (Dubrin, 1998, p. 3), then followers and their preferences have an influence. This lies in the way they are invited to share power with the leaders in dispersing leadership and transforming cultures and values. It is the followers whose wants, needs, motives and values, as Burns (cited in Christie, 2002) argues are put to the fore of the leaders attention and raised in their on-going discourse. To put it another way, leaders change followers who in return change leaders. In actual fact, several commentators have agreed on leadership as the ability to inspire and stimulate others to achieve worthwhile goals and by so doing, leadership ignites the commitment and capacities of organizational members (Leithwood et al, 1999, p. 9). Of human nature, followers are likely to be motivated to act for or willingly pursue certain goals through literally exchanging for valued things (economically, politically or psychologically rewarding) (Burns, 1978, cited in Christie, 2002). Though important in the leadership process, this transactional type is driven merely by values of
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Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

means whereas one would highly appreciate a transformation of commitment and morality based on mutual and constant pursuit of shared end-values (i.e. liberty, equality, justice) (Ibid, cited in Christie & Lingard, 2001). In this light of transformational approach, leaders tend to be peopleoriented, to put it another way follower-centric (Gronn, 1996) in a sense that they train followers to be leaders, exerting influence by inspiring, inviting them to look forward to the horizon of the common good in which they can identify and feel themselves as part of the environment to which they must contribute. Stoll & Fink describe, leaders do not manage the structure, they purposefully impact the culture to achieve school development (1996, p. 106). Leaders of transformational type are viewed as inspirational (Gronn, 1996; 1999); intellectual (Gronn, 1996; Mant, 1999); invitational (Stoll & Fink, 1996); ethical or moral (Burns, 1978, cited in Clement & Washbush, 1999; Eddy et al, 1997; Leithwood et al, 1999; Bolman & Deal, 2002). In another vein, Arlington (2002) and Daft & Gengel (1998) propose leaders should lead with love and heart. Regarding vision actualizing, leadership is synonymous to management in form of executive or strategic leadership, or rather managerial leadership. To this point, it is difficult to define the split between leaders and managers. In the words of Gronn (1996): The hierarchy of roles comprises core managerial work (planning, communicating, appraising, setting output targets, finding resources, coaching, selecting, and inducting, etc.) to which leadership at every level is the value-added component. All managers carry leadership accountability, and to that extent are managerial managers. (p. 17)

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Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

So far I have touched upon some key approaches to the conceptualization of leadership. Debates arise when leadership is examined from different perspectives with different foci. What I might argue is that, in actual organizational climate, there is no extreme leadership style. Rather, one can find the multi-dimension of leadership and a mixed style but acknowledge the dominance of some certain style over others at different phases in the process.

LEADERSHIP OR MANAGEMENT IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION?


The terms leadership and management are inherent in all leadership studies and according to Law & Glover (2000), they tend to be used interchangeably in organizational discourse despite debates over the profound difference between them. Considering the nature of leadership and management, it is useful to note about the difference but not separateness between them. Fidler (1999) shifts his dimension of consideration from concern for people (leadership) to concern for results (management). Gronn (1999, p. 3), however, ranks leadership as more important and comes earlier in the pecking order of status compared with administration and management. He proposes the functions leadership assumes is qualitative different from its counterparts. Fullan (1991, p. 57, cited in Law & Glover, 2000) argues while leadership relates to mission, direction, inspiration, management involves designing and carrying out plans, getting things done, working effectively with
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Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

people. Lewin describes leading is influencing, guiding whereas to manage means to bring about or to accomplish. So to speak, as Lord & Maher (1993, cited in Gronn, 1999, p.4) point out, leadership refers to a perceptual process whereas management deals with discharging a set of task activities. Whitaker (1998) s words: Management activity is necessary to keep the organization functioning efficiently, so that plans come to fruition, procedures work and objectives are met. Leadership is concerned with creating conditions in which all members of can give their best in a climate of commitment and challenge. Management enables the organization to function; leadership helps it to work well. (p. 23) From the above description, it is possible to come to a conclusion that while leadership is relationship-oriented management is task-based (Owens, 2001; Gronn, 1996, 1999; Day et al, 2000). Although leadership and management seek to do different things, there is a great deal of overlap and the two are complimentary in terms of functions and characteristics and thus both are important for organizational growth (Coach; Kotter, 1990; Fidler, 1997). To this point I find it exciting to quote Jarrel (2001) s metaphor, Management is the road on which leadership travels. Another point arises here is whether leadership should be equated with administration which is characterized as manipulating values and ideas. According to Hodgkinson, (1993, cited in Gronn, 1999, p.4) leadership is administration and it is, by all means the manipulation of persons. Here I believe leaders need power and authority to exert their influence, and senior administrative positions are ideal for their influence game. In educational arena, incumbents in headship roles, the most senior rank comprising both
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In

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Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

management and administration, are authorized to execute decisions, and thus need be leaders to avoid possible conflicts which may arise when leaders are not managers. I do not advocate a kind of authoritarian leadership assumed by any unique executive, what I might argue is a kind of participative leadership which is found not only at the top of the school pyramid but at all levels within them from board to linear management, senior administrators to staff, still the leader/manager (two roles in one) plays significant role in the decision making process. And of course, it is not the heads who work singly towards the new culture of their schools. This not-too-extreme top-down management still works in many educational institutions as it involves the empowerment among senior executives and staff. Wallace & Hall (1994) claims, this hierarchy remains intact but the apex comprises a team rather than a single individual (cited in Bush, 1995). To Hopkins (2001), the quality of leadership in schools is the factor of optimal importance to their success, which results from the principal becoming a manager of structures and budgets, and a leader of colleagues. If school leaders are to facilitate change, they do it through management approaches and become managers of change (from curricular to organizational). Bush (1995) argues that effective management calls for leadership and every style of leadership enacted by school official leaders inevitably reflects the particular features of diverse models of management (pp.142-5).

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Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

CONCLUSIONS
To conclude, leaders manage and managers lead. Management functions can potentially provides leadership and leadership activities can contribute to managing. As today organizations are undergoing a massive amount of change, leaders need to learn new management skills that can enable them to actualize more of their leadership potential. What is required from the twenty-first school leaders is a strong capacity to lead intertwined with superb management skills, which without doubt multiplies the amount of workload and responsibilities rested on their shoulder. Interestingly however, this is significant if their concern is to address problems, fulfill responsibilities amidst tight budgets and limited resources, facilitate and manage change on the road to building a new culture to their schools. Equally important to educational leaders is to know the difference between leadership and management but learn to manage the balance as a rational and clever switch between the two in the organizational dynamics will facilitate a solid foundation for the school to sustain during rapid change.

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Redefining Leadership in School Administration Le Thi Giao Chi CFL UD VIETNAM

REFERENCES
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