Exploring Educational Leadership Styles: Analysis & Enhancement

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of educational leadership, focusing on leadership styles, strengths, and strategies for improvement. It begins by identifying a leader within an educational organization, describing their leadership style (participative), and discussing its strengths such as fostering creativity and increasing employee morale. The essay then proposes five concrete ways to improve upon this leadership style, including holding focus groups, conducting surveys, and improving organizational processes. Furthermore, the essay discusses the evolving role of the educational leader from manager/administrator to instructional leader, highlighting the importance of adapting to the dynamic educational environment and focusing on instructional leadership competencies and strategic leadership. The essay also touches upon the principles of sustainable leadership and the critical role of change knowledge in successful educational reform. Desklib provides students access to this essay and a wealth of other solved assignments and study resources.

Running head: EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Table of Contents
Part A...............................................................................................................................................2
References and Bibliography...........................................................................................................6
Part B...............................................................................................................................................7
References and Bibliography.........................................................................................................11
Part C.............................................................................................................................................13
References and Bibliography.........................................................................................................17
Part D.............................................................................................................................................19
References and Bibliography.........................................................................................................23
Part E.............................................................................................................................................25
References and Bibliography.........................................................................................................29

2EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Part A
Identify one leader in your school or educational organization. (a) Describe the leadership
style that he or she demonstrates in your school or organization. (b) Discuss some of
strength of his or her leadership style. (c) Assume that you have been promoted to his or
her position. Explain five ways in which you would attempt to improve on his or her
leadership style.
Introduction
The role of a leader is considered to be largely crucial in the workplace and any leader
who wants to ensure successful implementation of the different organizational goals as well as
the objectives, will be required to ensure that they are successfully able to manage the different
members well and see to it that these members are able to work well towards the overall goal of
the firm at large. Hence, the primary purpose of this answer is to highlight the manner in which
one of the educational leaders as present in the institution has been able to portray an excellent
leadership style and in lieu of this has also been able to ensure that the organization benefits
comprehensively under his guidance (Aeu.edu.my ,2018). The educational leader who has been
chosen for the purpose of the particular section is Professor Dato’ Dr. Ansary Ahmed. Professor
Dato’ Dr. Ansary Ahmed is the Director and CEO of the Asia e University and has been guiding
the overall university and has taken it to a commendable path of success and development. The
given section follows a structured format whereby the leadership style as used by the leader has
been described which is then followed by the strengths of the style and the latter half of the
report discusses the manner in which I would attempt to improve the leadership style and suggest
measures for the same.
The leadership style as adopted by Professor Dato’ Dr. Ansary Ahmed
Professor Dato’ Dr. Ansary Ahmed has been associated with the particular institution for
a long period and time and through he has portrayed his skills as an educational leader along
with the reflection of considerable external factors which have had an impact on the overall
institutional success (Aeu.edu.my ,2018). As per my analysis, the leadership style as adopted by
Professor Dato’ Dr. Ansary Ahmed is the participative leadership style.

3EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
The participative leadership style forms one of the most crucial aspects of the
professional life. When the group is led by a participative leader, it becomes easy for them to
perform their roles and be more likely to win their targets and assist in the accomplishment of the
overall objective of the organization as well. On the other hand, if the leader simply gives certain
orders and is unable to engage effectively with the different employees then the leader will not
be able to attain success in the long run (Ward, 2016). Hence, the participative leadership style
is stated to be the most effective leadership style which can be adopted by any leader at large and
also go a long way in ensuring that the educational leader will be successful able to ensure that
the institution prospers in its different activities. Portraying this participative leadership style, the
Professor Dato’ Dr. Ansary Ahmed has been able to successfully able to lead the institution.
According to Tannenbaum and Schmidt (2017), the participative leadership style is also
known as the Democratic leadership style as it involves the decision making of the different team
members as well in the particular achievement of the goal and ensuring that the organization is
able to achieve its best performance. The leader ensures that he instead of acting as a boss, the
leader acts as a facilitator which will then help the team in taking in help from the leader and
give in their views as well. In this manner, the leadership style can be rightfully utilized in a
setting which is volunteering in nature, or the business setting involves engagement of all the
employees at large.
The strengths of Professor Dato’ Dr. Ansary Ahmed in the Participative Leadership style
Professor Dato’ Dr. Ansary Ahmed as stated earlier makes use of the Participative
Leadership style. The particular educational managerial style invites the input from the different
employees and with respect to this, the staff is provided with considerable information in regard
to the different issues of the firm, the course of action to be adopted and other such issues
(Northouse, 2018). Although it is considered to be a slow form of decision making as it involves
time as well as efforts, the different strengths of Professor Dato’ Dr. Ansary Ahmed adopting the
particular leadership style are as follows:
 Acceptance: By adopting the particular leadership style the different employees of the
firm tend to accept the particular leader as the ultimate head and this thereby assists in
reducing the resistance with respect to the different company policies as well as the
experience. Additionally, it speeds up the implementation of the new ideas as well. When

4EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
the employees feel engaged, they will perform in a better manner for the institution at
large.
 Increased morale: The particular style brings about increased morale for the employees
and ensures that the different members of the institute and the school will be easily able
to perform well. Moreover, this higher morale can bring about exceptional changes in the
institute and ensure that the employees have an active role to play.
 Fosters Creativity: Through engaging in a participative Professor Dato’ Dr. Ansary
Ahmed is also able to foster creativity into the different realms of the firm (Daft,
2014). This is because, once they are successfully able to engage in the decision making
process, they tend to give in their input which can be considered to be good for the
performance of the firm. The participative leadership will ensure that the different
employees to make use of creativity and make the institution more efficient in nature.
 Retention: The participative leadership also encourages employee retention as when the
employees in an institution feel valued, they tend to work in the firm for a longer and
believe that they will be successfully able to prospect in their career growth as well as
development (Ward, 2016).
Manner in which the Professors Leadership style can be improved upon
1. Hold focus groups: The professor can easily hold certain focus group meetings and other
such facilities with the help of which, the professor would come to know the integrate
working of the firm.
2. Conduct different surveys: The leader in the participative leadership is also required to
ensure that they are successfully able to engage in surveys which would help them to
understand the overall functioning (Antonakis and Day, 2017).
3. Improve the organizational processes: The organizational processes can also be improved
in case the participative leadership is managed in a better manner. Hence, in lieu of this,
the educational leader needs to ensure that
4. Act as a facilitator: Lastly, the educational leader following the participative leadership
style should also act as a facilitator and provide various goods to the employee.

5EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Conclusion
Therefore, from the given analysis, it can be rightfully stated that Professor Dato’ Dr.
Ansary Ahmed as a participative leader has been performing considerably well and in lieu of
ensuring that he is successfully able to integrate the different fucntions of the organization and
ensure success in the long run. The given section undertook the analysis of the leader and
examined his role as a participative leader. In this regard, the different strengths as possessed by
the leader were examined which was then followed by the suggestions which can be followed by
the leader in order to manage the institution and the business school in a better manner were also
discussed at large.

6EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
References and Bibliography
Aeu.edu.my (2018). Aeu Corporate Profile. [online]. Available at:
http://www.aeu.edu.my/sites/default/files/aeu_corporate_profile.pdf (Retrved on: 06 Dec.
2018).
Antonakis, J., and Day, D. V. (Eds.). (2017). The nature of leadership. Sage publications.
Bolman, L. G., and Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and
leadership. John Wiley and Sons.
Černe, M., Jaklič, M., and Škerlavaj, M. (2013). Authentic leadership, creativity, and innovation:
A multilevel perspective. Leadership, 9(1), 63-85.
Daft, R. L. (2014). The leadership experience. Cengage Learning.
Fairhurst, G. T., and Connaughton, S. L. (2014). Leadership: A communicative
perspective. Leadership, 10(1), 7-35.
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. E., and McKee, A. (2013). Primal leadership: Unleashing the power
of emotional intelligence. Harvard Business Press.
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
Shamir, B., and Eilam-Shamir, G. (2018). “What’s your story?” A life-stories approach to
authentic leadership development. In Leadership Now: Reflections on the Legacy of Boas
Shamir(pp. 51-76). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Tannenbaum, R., and Schmidt, W. H. (2017). How to choose a leadership pattern. In Leadership
Perspectives (pp. 75-84). Routledge.
Tourish, D. (2014). Leadership, more or less? A processual, communication perspective on the
role of agency in leadership theory. Leadership, 10(1), 79-98.
Ward, J. (2016). Keeping the family business healthy: How to plan for continuing growth,
profitability, and family leadership. Springer.
Yukl, G. A. (2013). Leadership in organizations. Pearson Education India.

7EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Part B
The Role of the Educational Leader is changing from Manager / Administrator to that of
an Instructional Leader. Discuss.
Introduction
The general business environment and with special reference to the educational industry
can be stated to be very dynamic in nature. Hence, this dynamic nature of the external
environment leaves little or no scope for improvement and for this reason, the different leaders
are required to adapt to the different change procedures and align their role according to the need
of the hour. As the businesses around the world have become quite competitive in nature, so has
the educational sector (Hopkins, 2013). Due to globalization, there have been various
opportunities for the students to study in international locations and hence, the different
institutions often engage in a competition with one another and for this reason, each leader is
often under the pressure to ensure that their institution is able to perform the best and gain a large
number of student intake. Hence, in context of this, the primary objective of the section is to
highlight the role of an education leader in the general context has a manager or an administrator
and how this role is undergoing a considerable change whereby the role of a leader is becoming
more inclined towards an Instructional leader. The educational leader`s role will be analyzed
which will then be followed by the role of the educational leader as an instructional leader which
will then be followed by the analysis of the transition.
The educational leader
According to Hopkins (2013), an educational leader can be rightfully defined as the
leader who plays an inspiring role in the key learning prospect of a child and ensures that the
children grow up to be inspired by their leader. The leader not only ensures that they improve the
different aspects of the firm but generally play the role of a manager and that of an administrator.
The educational leader is also engaged in motivating the different employees to perform and
seeing to it that the different members of the organization as present are successfully able to
improvise on the role of the work educators.
The role of an educational leader as a manager or an administrator

8EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
According to Mestry, Moonsammy-Koopasammy and Schmidt (2013), the role of an
educational leader can be stated to be that of a supporter to the community by the manner of
leading the development as well as the implementation program which helps in the assessment of
the planning cycle. The educational leader not only ensures that the different tasks in the firm are
being carried out well but is also give the responsibility to ensure that the educational leader
looks after aspects like mentoring, supporting the educators and guiding them. Hence, the role of
an educational leader can be essentially stated to be that of a manager and the administrator
which has been highlighted as follows:
 They are required to support the different educators and help them to plan the different
programs as well as the practices effectively.
 They are required to ensure the development and implementation of various programs.
 They also need to collaborate with the different educators to help them in the
measurement and assessment plan (Shamir and Eilam-Shamir, 2018).
In addition to this, the educational leader is also vested with the responsibility of ensuring
that he is able to successfully see to it that the learning outcomes of the different programs are
achieved at large. Some of the other roles of the educational leader can be defined as follows:
 Building the overall knowledge base of the different professionals.
 Advising the parents on the development of the child at large.
Instructional leader
The instructional leaders can be described as one who are not only involved in the overall
curriculum and other related activities but also in the different issues which have an impact on
the achievement of the different students at large. According to Renz (2016), the role of an
instructional leader in the educational segment requires an analysis beyond the scope of just
managing and administrating the firm but involves other leaders as well. The different tasks
which come under the extended role of a leader are the central office personal, the principles and
senior teachers along with the general coaches. Although the traditional leader role may sound
similar to the instructional leader role, the primary elements and roles of the instructional leader
have been described as follows:

9EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
The different instructional leaders would be essentially required to engaging in
prioritization whereby the learning will always remain at the top priority and the leader would be
required to maintain a balance of the vision as well as the management of the vision. Although
the leaders may ignore the other duties, this is something they should not. Secondly the
instructional leaders are also involved in conducting the scientifically based reading research
whereby they are required to engage in effective reading instruction as well as assistance which
will then go a long way in ensuring that these organizational members are successfully able to
implement the reading materials as well as monitor the different implementation plans which
have been designed for them. According to Johnston and Marshall (2013), when the leader will
participate in the professional development sessions, then the leader will be successfully able to
remain informed and be highly focused.
Thirdly it can considered to be crucial that the leader must be focused on the alignment of
curriculum, instructions, assessment as well as laying down of various standards. They must
assist the different students to achieve their goals at large and ensure that the assessment cycles
and other aspects of the study are aligned in a manner such that the student is able to learn and
then apply this learning in the external environment. In case there lies a sense of disconnect
among the leaders in this aspect, then it may lead to the overall downfall of the coursework.
According to Heifetz and Linsky (2017), another duty which must be fulfilled by the
leader is the Data analysis. The data analysis will help the leader in focusing on improving the
achievement and taking the right decisions in the right manner. By using the tool of data
analysis, the leader will be successfully able to help himself in becoming a successful
instructional leader and make the right decisions in the right manner and right time. This will
effectively have an impact on the overall learning of the student as well as the general institution.
Hence, in a similar manner, it can be rightfully stated that, the leader needs to engage in effective
analysis of the data which will help him to improve his leadership. In addition to this, it also lies
the role of an instructional leader to engage in and foster a culture of continuous learning for the
different adults as well. The effective instruction can be stated to be a skill which can never go
wrong and hence, using this technique all the members of the organization can effectively
engage in the overall development so that they are effectively able to improve upon their skills

10EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
and thereby ensure that relevant training is received (DuBrin, 2015). This will not only assist in
the overall development of the teachers but also ensure that the students largely benefit from this.
Hence, from the analysis as done on the different roles of a the leader as a manager and
the instructional leader it can be largely understood that the role of a leader has been expanding
considerably and with respect to this, their traditional role has been growing and needs to include
considerable support for the improvement in the learning as well as the teaching aspect. It needs
to be understood by the different leaders that while the traditional aspects must be met with along
with shifting the focus towards the instructional issues which not only have an impact on the
classroom instruction but also on the student achievement (Avolio and Yammarino, 2013)These
include the promotion of a vision, creating a sense of alignment, giving out instructions,
assessment and other such standards. If the instructional leadership s best applied in a firm, it
may lead to a strong evidence of best practices, then the institution will prosper greatly.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the given analysis it can be stated that, the role of an educational leader
has been changing considerably and from that of a manager and an administrator it has now
evolved to the role of an instructional leader whereby the leader must not only be involved in the
day to day functioning’s of the organization at large but also have an interest and involve him in
the different aspects like preparing an environment of continuous growth, engaging in a culture
where continuous training is provided, ensuring that the leader is successfully able to manage the
coursework and align it effectively with the daily responsibilities so that the firm is successfully
able to prosper an environment which engages good learning and effective development of all
the members as present in the institution.

11EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
References and Bibliography
Avolio, B. J., and Yammarino, F. J. (Eds.). (2013). Introduction to, and overview of,
transformational and charismatic leadership. In Transformational and Charismatic
Leadership: The Road Ahead 10th Anniversary Edition (pp. xxvii-xxxiii). Emerald Group
Publishing Limited.
Beck, D. E., and Cowan, C. C. (2014). Spiral dynamics: Mastering values, leadership and
change. John Wiley and Sons.
Černe, M., Jaklič, M., and Škerlavaj, M. (2013). Authentic leadership, creativity, and innovation:
A multilevel perspective. Leadership, 9(1), 63-85.
Chhokar, J. S., Brodbeck, F. C., and House, R. J. (Eds.). (2013). Culture and leadership across
the world: The GLOBE book of in-depth studies of 25 societies. Routledge.
Daft, R. L. (2014). The leadership experience. Cengage Learning.
DuBrin, A. J. (2015). Leadership: Research findings, practice, and skills. Nelson Education.
Fairhurst, G. T., and Connaughton, S. L. (2014). Leadership: A communicative
perspective. Leadership, 10(1), 7-35.
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. E., and McKee, A. (2013). Primal leadership: Unleashing the power
of emotional intelligence. Harvard Business Press.
Heifetz, R., and Linsky, M. (2017). Leadership on the Line, With a New Preface: Staying Alive
Through the Dangers of Change. Harvard Business Press.
Hopkins, D. (2013). Instructional leadership and school improvement. In Effective leadership for
school improvement(pp. 65-81). Routledge.
Johnston, M. W., and Marshall, G. W. (2013). Sales force management: Leadership, innovation,
technology. Routledge.
Mestry, R., Moonsammy-Koopasammy, I., and Schmidt, M. (2013). The instructional leadership
role of primary school principals. Education as Change, 17(sup1), S49-S64.

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Naicker, I., Chikoko, V., and Mthiyane, S. E. (2013). Instructional leadership practices in
challenging school contexts. Education as Change, 17(sup1), S137-S150.
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
Renz, D. O. (2016). The Jossey-Bass handbook of nonprofit leadership and management. John
Wiley and Sons.
Shamir, B., and Eilam-Shamir, G. (2018). “What’s your story?” A life-stories approach to
authentic leadership development. In Leadership Now: Reflections on the Legacy of Boas
Shamir(pp. 51-76). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Tannenbaum, R., Weschler, I., and Massarik, F. (2013). Leadership and Organization (RLE:
Organizations): A Behavioural Science Approach. Routledge.

13EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Part C
Compare the Different Leadership Styles Observed Among Educational Leaders
Introduction
Leadership can be defined as the manner in which the leader as present in the business
environment or any other such scenario manages the different employees and other members of
the firm as present under it and utilizes his skills to lead these members towards the overall
success of the firm. The choice of a leadership style becomes more crucial in an educational
institute whereby the different educational leaders are playing a more comprehensive role where
they not only have to inspire the different members of the firm but act as the administrative head
as well (Goolamally and Ahmad, 2014). Hence, the main aim of the given section is to highlight
the different Leadership styles which are generally observed in the Educational Leaders and the
manner in which these leaders tend to apply these styles to their convenience. In addition to this,
the impact of these styles on the overall functioning of the firm will also be discussed at large
along with the factors which have an influence of the use of a specific task which needs to be
performed.
Analysis
Leadership style
A leadership style can be defined as the approach which is adopted by the leader in lieu
of providing a sense of direction, implementation of the plans along with the motivation of the
different people as present. It can be stated to be the manner in which the different members of
the firm undertake their implicit as well as the explicit actions (Thapa et al., 2013). According to
Kurt, the different leadership styles which the Educational leaders usually undertake are as
follows:
 authoritarian or autocratic
 participative or democratic
 delegate or laissez-fair
Although the good leaders make use of all the three styles as present, it can be stated to
be a certain group which makes use of just one autocratic style.

14EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Autocratic leaders
This style can be stated to be the first leadership style which is usually present in the
different leaders and in lieu of this, these leaders act as the sole head of the university or the
school and advice the entire organization with respect to the manner in which the school is
required to run. The main characteristic of this leadership style is that they do not take the advice
of the other members of the firm. However, according to Goolamally and Ahmad (2014), this
style cannot be taken to be an attractive style in all situations as it puts the different employees in
a minor position and deems them to be unsuccessful in their leadership. However, argues that
when the time frame for the critical decision making is short or the employees are well
motivated, such a style needs to be adopted. It needs to be understood that if any leadership
leader insists on gaining the support of the different employees and ensure that they are
successful in nature by engaging in commitment and motivation, they should avoid using the
style. This style indeed has an adverse impact on the students as well as they are unable to solve
their doubts from their immediate heads as the power is just in the heads of the autocratic leader
at large.
Participative leaders
The Participative Leadership style, which is also known as the Democratic leadership
style engages the different employees of the university or the educational institute to participate
in the decision making procedure. In the particular leadership style, the particular leader may not
necessarily involve all the members of the organization as present in the firm but just take into
consideration a few of them and their critical views for the overall welfare of the firm. According
to Tannenbaum and Schmidt (2017), it needs to be noted that the Educational leader has the
final power in the decision making procedure and that although the engagement of a certain
group of employees might be taken for the consideration, it is the educational leader making the
final choice. Additionally, the style encourages the different employees to take adequate part in
the workplace. Pourrajab and Ghani (2016), states that this method of leadership also serves as a
good measure of knowledge sharing as well as it allows the leader to disseminate his side of
information in the institution and in return receive the employee view and information as well.
This is a mutually beneficial style which not only helps the educational leader to gain

15EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
information from the employees but also allows the employees to disseminate information and
become a part of the team.
Delegative leaders
The third leadership style which is generally adopted by the educational leader can be
described as the style of delegation or Laissez-faire. In this style, the educational leader gives the
autonomy to the different employees as present in the educational institution and allows them to
take a complete decision of the different aspects of the firm with little or no supervision.
Although the decision making power is deemed to have been delegated. A majority of
responsibility lies in the hands of the educational leader whereby, the educational leader reflects
that he or she has immense confidence in others and is thereby trusting them to perform the
tasks. However, according to Shahmohammadi (2014) as the responsibility of the decision still
lies on the head of the educational leader, the leader must ensure that before the delegation of the
different tasks in the institution, he must make a wise decision and choice.
Mannerism to make the right leadership style choice and the influence of the different forces
According to Seth and Asudani (2013), no leadership style for an educational leader can
be deemed to be perfect and any leader who is engaged in the leadership of the firm would be
required to ensure that the leader is successfully able to make the decision in regard to the
preferred leadership style which is to be adopted and the manner in which this choice needs to be
made. According to Tannenbaum and Schmidt (2017), the authoritative leadership choice can be
made when the employees are new and the leader feels that they have a lot to learn. In such a
scenario it is generally advisable that the educational leader not only acts as a leader but also a
good coach and helps the different members who are new to gain confidence and motivate them
well so that they are able to learn a few skills and adjust in the new environment.
However, the use of a participative style for the educational leader can be considered to
be good as well. This is because with respect to the participative style, the leader is able to gain a
considerable and sufficient amount of information by engaging in a conversation and discussion
with the different individuals as present in the workplace and on the other hand, this method
helps the different employees as well to be a part of the team and contribute to the decision
making of the firm. Lastly, as mentioned by Pourrajab and Ghani (2016), the delegation style

16EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
can be considered to be quite good for the institutions where the educational leader of the
institution has employed various well qualified employees under him and they are aware of the
different roles which they are required to play in the firm at large. This allows the educational
leader to pay attention to other critical aspects as present in the workplace and in addition to this,
also take into consideration the overall growth and development of the firm at large.
According to Pihie, Bagheri and Asimiran (2014), it is advisable that a good educational
leader needs to take the overall combination of various aspects of these strategies which will then
ensure that the educational leader is being able to guide the employees, take in their views and
delegate the responsibilities to ensure the overall success of the educational institution.
Forces impacting the choice of style
Beck and Cowan (2014) states that there are a large number of forces which actually have
an impact on the choice of the educational leader which is generally inclined towards a particular
leadership style at large. Some of these forces are the forces like the time span available to the
educational leader, the internal conflicts which take place, the level of trust as present in the
institution, the level of skills the employees possess and the manner in which the information is
divided amongst the leader and the employees.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the given analysis, it can be rightfully stated as that the leader forms a
crucial role in an organization and In order to ensure long term success the leader needs to adopt
a comprehensive style which shall not only suit the institution but also assist in ensuring that the
employees feel motivated to perform well and ensure success in the long run. The given section
discussed the different leadership styles as possessed by the different educational leaders and
discussed the benefits as well scenarios where the different leadership styles like democratic,
delegative and authoritarian might be employed. The forces which generally tend to have an
impact on the educational leaders has also been discussed and hence, it is advised that as an
educational leader any individual must use a combination of styles to ensure success in the long
run and to achieve the overall growth of the institution.

17EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
References and Bibliography
Aziz, N. A. A., Fooi, F. S., Asimiran, S., and Hassan, A. (2015). Literature review on the
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Beck, D. E., and Cowan, C. C. (2014). Spiral dynamics: Mastering values, leadership and
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Černe, M., Jaklič, M., and Škerlavaj, M. (2013). Authentic leadership, creativity, and innovation:
A multilevel perspective. Leadership, 9(1), 63-85.
Chhokar, J. S., Brodbeck, F. C., and House, R. J. (Eds.). (2013). Culture and leadership across
the world: The GLOBE book of in-depth studies of 25 societies. Routledge.
Daft, R. L. (2014). The leadership experience. Cengage Learning
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Pourrajab, M., and Ghani, M. B. (2016). Four-frame leadership and students’ academic
achievement. FWU Journal of Social Sciences, 10(1), 1-9.
Sayadi, Y. (2016). The effect of dimensions of transformational, transactional, and non-
leadership on the job satisfaction and organizational commitment of teachers in
Iran. Management in Education, 30(2), 57-65.
Seth, M. R., and Asudani, V. H. (2013). The Impact of Authoritarian Parenting Style on
Educational Performance of Learners at High School Level. Asian Journal of Research
in Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(10), 234-245.
Shahadan, A., and Oliver, R. (2016). Elementary school leaders perceptions of their roles in
managing school curriculum: A case study. Educational Research and Reviews, 11(18),
1785-1789.
Shahmohammadi, N. (2014). Conflict management among secondary school students. Procedia-
Social and Behavioral Sciences, 159, 630-635.
Thapa, A., Cohen, J., Guffey, S., and Higgins-D’Alessandro, A. (2013). A review of school
climate research. Review of educational research, 83(3), 357-385.

19EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Part D
Apply the Strategic Leadership Concept in Educational Institutions
Introduction
The subject of Leadership has gained considerable interest from various scholars as well
as leaders due to the fact that it can be considered to be an art which can lead the different
members of the firm to perform well and help the organization to do well as well. Earlier the role
of leadership was just limited to the operational segments of the organization, however, at
present the role of the educational leader in the organization has increased considerably and the
different leaders are now expected to play a strategic role in the firm. Hence, the educationalists
and other related leaders as present must begin to understand that at present they are essentially
required to play a strategic role whereby other than just engaging in the general overall
functioning of the firm at large, the different leaders are now required to play a strategic role
whereby they are needed to be involved in the different plans as formed and engage in improving
of the overall vision and mission of the firm at large (Heifetz and Linsky, 2017). Hence, the
primary aim of the section is to highlight the role of a strategic leader especially in the case of
the educational institutes and also highlight the manner in which these leaders should function so
as to ensure that they are able to engage in the overall welfare of the firm at large.
Strategic Leadership
The strategic leadership can be defined as a complex term and may change the role of a
leader throughout but it needs to be understood that the concept of a strategic leadership is to
deal with the future of the firm. In this manner it can be stated that the leader is required to form
the overall strategy of the firm at large and also ensure that the leader is able to successfully form
the general direction setting, broad agendas and provide a new overall perspective to the firm.
The strategic leader is generally an individual who can be stated to be vested with an opportunity
and responsibility so as to be able to represent the firm in the external realm of the firm (Seth and
Asudani ,2013). Moreover, the leader is required to assess the external environment of the firm
continuously and envision a suitable future for the organization which will then help them to
manipulate the external as well as the internal factors for the overall welfare of the firm at large.

20EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Earlier, the role of a strategic leader in the context of the educational institution was quite
simple in nature but at present it has turned out to become quite competitive in nature whereby
the educational leader needs to extend its operational base and ensure that he or she is able to
think about the future without compromising on the ability`s present firms.
The role of strategic leadership with reference to an educational leader
The strategic leader in an educational leadership will be successfully required to be
oriented strategically in a manner such that the leader is able to consider the long term goals as
well as see to it that they can understand the current context of the educational setting. This will
help them to assist the organization in their progress towards an integrate setting (Pourrajab and
Ghani ,2016). The second role which strategic leadership has to play in the facet of an
educational leadership is that they need to define the strategy and be able to successfully
translate these into proper actions and operational terms so that the overall success of the
organization can be achieved.
Moreover, as a strategic educational leadership also involves the understanding that only
a singular role of a leader will not be required but instead ensuring that the entire organizational
members and other related parties are aligned to the overall goal of the organization so as to
ensure long term successful goal completion. According to Shahmohammadi (2014), the
educational leader as involved in the particular action would also be required to engage in ensure
that the key milestones and the effective leadership points are also defined considerable which
shall help in ensuring that the organization would be successfully able to bring about the
necessary changes in the firm.
Northouse (2018) states that only if the educational leadership performs well with
respect to the strategic responsibilities of the firm, he is also required to ensure that all the staff
members are also trained enough and possess all the necessary skills as well as competencies
which shall help them in ensuring that they are able to assist the leader and the organization on
the whole can work as a whole to achieve its goals and be able to strategically progress in the
long run. In addition to the same, the educational leader is also required to ensure that the
organization is accustomed to adopting to the change which takes place and be flexible enough
that they are essentially required to change the organizational direction can be made. The
strategic leader should be capable enough of gathering any information which is required to be

21EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
learnt and spread throughout the firm at large. It needs to be understood that the change needs to
be made in a proactive manner and the institution responds to these changes in the right way and
the right time.
Lastly, it is the role of the educational leader is to ensure that they are successfully able to
make the correct decision for their firm at the right place, the right time and the right context so
that they are able to stand out as a strategic firm and ensure success.
In an educational institution, the leader is essentially required to see to it that they engage
in the development of the firm in various aspects like the infrastructure, educational, recruitment
and other relevant competitions as well (Borrego and Henderson, 2014). Moreover, the different
leaders are also required to see to it that their institution prospers but along with it the nearby
institutions prospers as well and the leader is able to successfully engage in strategic alliances
which would allow them to perform well.
Hence, it needs to be understood that the Educational strategic leadership cannot be just
captured in paper or the office and in the endless meetings which take place in the firm. Instead
the concept of strategic leadership goes way beyond that and is concerned with ensuring that the
staff and the leader of the various institutions are required to be held in a constant alliance with
one another and see to it that they are leading and listening which can be applied later. It can be
considered to be relevant for the firm to ensure that at this time the different leaders who are
involved in an organization need to communicate the message of the change well and ensure that
they are successfully able to personally engage with the different education personnel and the
different communities as well (Cheng, 2013). The communication has a key role to play in this
aspect as the different members have a considerable involvement in the organization and with
respect to this, the different members of the organization need to act in a strategic alliance with
the management and seek to improve the lives of the students. The hands on leadership style in
the form of strategic management shall ensure that the management in the complex organizations
becomes considerably easier and the leader can take the correct initiatives to ensure the efficient
change in the organization can be taken.
Conclusion

22EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Therefore, from the given analysis, it can be rightfully stated that, the role of an
educational leader has changed considerably in the past and that earlier the educational leader
had a simple role to play as an adviser and manager but at present the role of an educational
leader has become more strategic in nature. The given analysis took into consideration the
manner in which the strategic leadership can be applied in the organization at large and how the
leader is designated to now become the strategic head of the institution and ensure that they are
successfully able to manage the institution and lead it to success. The given analysis aimed to
analyze and explore the different issues as well as the theories related to Strategic management
in the context of Leadership with special reference to the current structure and the dynamic
positioning of the education industry. The section helped in analyzing that visionary leadership
has become an essential part of the strategic planning procedures which take place in the firm at
large. The education sector has been greatly impacted by this development and the particular
section examined the meaning of strategic leadership and determined along with examining its
role in the context of the education institutions at large.

23EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
References and Bibliography
Borrego, M., and Henderson, C. (2014). Increasing the use of evidence based teaching in STEM‐
higher education: A comparison of eight change strategies. Journal of Engineering
Education, 103(2), 220-252.
Cheng, Y. C. (2013). School effectiveness and school-based management: A mechanism for
development. Routledge.
Goolamally, N., and Ahmad, J. (2014). Attributes of school leaders towards achieving
sustainable leadership: A factor analysis. Journal of Education and Learning, 3(1), 122.
Hamid, S. F., Nordin, N., Adnan, A. A., and Sirun, N. (2013). A study on primary school
teachers’ organizational commitment and psychological empowerment in the district of
klang. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences, 90, 782-787.
Heifetz, R., and Linsky, M. (2017). Leadership on the Line, With a New Preface: Staying Alive
Through the Dangers of Change. Harvard Business Press.
Hopkins, D. (2013). Instructional leadership and school improvement. In Effective leadership for
school improvement(pp. 65-81). Routledge.
Huxham, C., and Vangen, S. (2013). Managing to collaborate: The theory and practice of
collaborative advantage. Routledge.
Johnston, M. W., and Marshall, G. W. (2013). Sales force management: Leadership, innovation,
technology. Routledge.
Marion, R., and Gonzales, L. D. (2013). Leadership in education: Organizational theory for the
practitioner. Waveland press.
Mestry, R., Moonsammy-Koopasammy, I., and Schmidt, M. (2013). The instructional leadership
role of primary school principals. Education as Change, 17(sup1), S49-S64.
Naicker, I., Chikoko, V., and Mthiyane, S. E. (2013). Instructional leadership practices in
challenging school contexts. Education as Change, 17(sup1), S137-S150.
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
Pourrajab, M., and Ghani, M. B. (2016). Four-frame leadership and students’ academic
achievement. FWU Journal of Social Sciences, 10(1), 1-9.

24EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Sayadi, Y. (2016). The effect of dimensions of transformational, transactional, and non-
leadership on the job satisfaction and organizational commitment of teachers in
Iran. Management in Education, 30(2), 57-65.
Seth, M. R., and Asudani, V. H. (2013). The Impact of Authoritarian Parenting Style on
Educational Performance of Learners at High School Level. Asian Journal of Research
in Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(10), 234-245.
Shahmohammadi, N. (2014). Conflict management among secondary school students. Procedia-
Social and Behavioral Sciences, 159, 630-635.
Shapiro, J. P., and Stefkovich, J. A. (2016). Ethical leadership and decision making in
education: Applying theoretical perspectives to complex dilemmas. Routledge.

25EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Part E
The 21st Century Educational Leader. Elaborate
Leadership can be considered to be both an art as well science. The leader is required to
ensure that they will successfully be able to engage in the different activities which will then
ensure that the overall organization also benefits from the given process. However, the role of a
leader does not remain static throughout the term but is indeed required to ensure that the leader
evolves over the time and is easily able to adapt to the changing needs of the business
environment thereby ensuring that the leader is successfully able to engage in the roles which the
changing nature of the firm demands from it. According to Tannenbaum and Schmidt (2017),
being an education leader is not an easy task and the leader is required to engage in various
activities which will thereby ensure that the firm attains success in the long run. The aim of the
given section is to highlight the role of an education leader in the 21st century and also imply on
how this role has changed from the role of a traditional leader which will then go a long way in
understanding how the leaders of the 21st century are required to engage in activities which
would lead to the overall success of the firm and therefore contribute towards the overall growth
and development of the employee.
Discussion
According to Tannenbaum and Schmidt (2017), leadership can be viewed as an
individual as well as a collective response to change the world for a better prospect. An
understanding of the procedure of the leadership goes a long way in assisting the readers to
thereby ensure that as a leader, one is required to be fully responsive to the world which has
become highly interdependent and full of complexity, accelerated changes, unforeseen
circumstances and unprecedented events as well. Hence, according to Shamir and Eilam-Shamir
(2018), the 21st century leadership needs to be highlighted in a manner such that they are easily
able to respond to the unique challenges as well as the opportunities which are faced by the
different leaders and to ensure that the paradigm of leadership is greatly expanded at large. The
21st century leadership not only requires the integration of theories as well as the practices of
various kinds but also ensures towards seeing to it that the organization engages in fostering
practical knowledge as well as transformative change in the service of their specific task at large.

26EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
According to Shamir, and Eilam-Shamir (2018), the 21st entity leader not only needs to
view the Leadership procedure as a property or a body of knowledge but is also required to
ensure that leadership has now become more of a social network whereby the different leaders
are required to come together and work for the betterment of the organization at large. The
concept of leadership has greatly changed whereby only those who are in change do no
participate but the participation is also encouraged from the people who have a share in the
organization and those who tend to benefit from the success of the firm. The leadership has a
distinctive dimension to play whereby not only are they required to complement the management
as well as the administrative function but are also required to engage in adequate activities which
will ensure that the overall institute develops.
According to Tannenbaum and Schmidt (2017), the contemporary perspective of
leadership needs to be incorporated in a manner such that it takes into its spectrum the concept of
values, wide range of capacities, certain competencies as well as skills which can be effectively
applied in different spheres of life such as the context specific matters. However, it needs to be
noted that the role of a leader does not remain limited to just the critical thing, taking out various
creative solutions and systems thinking but also in spreading self-awareness, engaging in
communication as well as the encouragement of the different employees. According to Tourish
(2014), the 21st century leadership also comprises of social as well as the cultural intelligence
whereby the facilitation of the team along with the collaborative procedures need to be taken due
care of. For this reason Tourish (2014), states that in order to ensure long term success both the
inward as well as outward orientation of the firm is needed to be built which not only involves
the entire person but also involves that individual who can successfully engage in the entire
system. Hence, the 21st century leader is required to ensure that they are successfully able to
engage in the entire system.
For this reason, it can be successfully understood that the 21 st century leadership has
become multidimensional, in nature whereby it can be sated to have an integrative view
based on the different relationships it is successfully required to engage in. The leader is
required to engage in shared purposes and aspirations which will then put forward a manner
in which new ideas can be fostered and the general business can be developed. It can be
stated that the 21st entity leadership is required to be inclusive in nature, collaborative,

27EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
provide adequate service to the individuals, be social good and along with this be
ecologically sustainable in nature.
Hence, the different educational leaders, in this particular perspective are required to
ensure that they not only focus on the overall development of their institution and the completion
of targets along with ensuring that no complaints are received from the different decision
makers, but they are also required to ensure that they are successfully able to engage in the threw
core priorities which form the essential of any organization at large (Ward, 2016). These three
core priorities are priorities like the improvement of student achievement, reduction in the
achievement gaps between the students and ensuring that the public confidence of the firm in the
company increases considerably. Another crucial step that the 21st century leaders are required to
take is that they need to leverage on the strengths of the schools and see to it that the different
leaders are provided with all the considerable facilities which would not only enhance their
classroom learning but also their overall prospect increases and they are able to successfully
attain the best education as possible.
Manner in which the 21st century educational leaders role has transformed
The 21st century’s leader’s role has transformed considerable whereby the different
leaders are required to see to it that they are successfully able to increase the accountability.
Long gone are the days whereby the different leaders would not be accountable for the different
funds as given to them and were successfully able to engage in the frauds but this is not possible
now as the leaders are held responsible for every activity which they engaged in and in lieu of
this, the different leaders need to maintain transparency in the particular system. Moreover, the
educational leaders are also required to engage in a comprehensive systems focus approach
whereby the focus needs to be on the development of the entire organization and not just on the
development of a certain aspect of it. Additionally, according to Mypls.aeu.edu (2018), earlier
the particular educational leader as present was required to take care of just the school where
they were required to manage however, at present this is not the case and the educational leader
is not required to manage just their own schools and institutions but also engage in the
development of the schools and other colleges as present in the same district.

28EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Pourrajab and Ghani (2016) states that the commitment of the leader has increased
considerably as well. This means that the educational leaders are now required to reflect more
commitment and required to ensure that they are held responsible for the overall development of
the different schools and provinces as present in the region and states and build a network of
different schools as present in the provinces as well. Additionally, the leader is not only required
to engage in learning through various courses and workshops but through the procedure of
engagement in the development of the institution (Huxham and Vangen, 2013). This
development can take place throughout the organization with respect to the infrastructure, the
building, the quality of the different learners and the teachers as well. It is the collective capacity
which can now be considered to be an effective part of the workplace and can engage in the
assurance that the collective capacity is not only able to generate the emotional commitment of
the organization but also ensure that the technical expertise is also improved. This is because
when the two individuals work together, it is better than a single one working.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the given analysis it can be understood that as an educational leader, the
principal will be needed to engage in a large number of activities which will not only assist in
ensuring that the overall organization progresses but shall also engage in ensuring that the
powerful conditions to a working environment are developed. These are conditions like that of
creation of an environment for change, develop and communicate a shared vision for the firm,
plan and provide the different resources, invest in the professional development of the employees
and in addition to this, check the progress of the institution and provide continuous assistance to
the different members of the firm at large.

29EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
References and Bibliography
Hamid, S. F., Nordin, N., Adnan, A. A., and Sirun, N. (2013). A study on primary school
teachers’ organizational commitment and psychological empowerment in the district of
klang. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences, 90, 782-787.
Heifetz, R., and Linsky, M. (2017). Leadership on the Line, With a New Preface: Staying Alive
Through the Dangers of Change. Harvard Business Press.
Hopkins, D. (2013). Instructional leadership and school improvement. In Effective leadership for
school improvement(pp. 65-81). Routledge.
Huxham, C., and Vangen, S. (2013). Managing to collaborate: The theory and practice of
collaborative advantage. Routledge.
Johnston, M. W., and Marshall, G. W. (2013). Sales force management: Leadership, innovation,
technology. Routledge.
Marion, R., and Gonzales, L. D. (2013). Leadership in education: Organizational theory for the
practitioner. Waveland press.
Mestry, R., Moonsammy-Koopasammy, I., and Schmidt, M. (2013). The instructional leadership
role of primary school principals. Education as Change, 17(sup1), S49-S64.
Mypls.aeu.edu (2018). Mod Resource. [Online]. Available at:
http://mypls.aeu.edu.my/pluginfile.php/11842/mod_resource/content/1/
EdInnovationNair5.pdf (Retrieved on: 07. Dec. 2018).
Mypls.aeu.edu (2018). Mod Resource. [Online]. Available at:
http://mypls.aeu.edu.my/pluginfile.php/11838/mod_resource/content/
3/9.Future.Leadership.pdf (Retrieved on: 07. Dec. 2018).
Naicker, I., Chikoko, V., and Mthiyane, S. E. (2013). Instructional leadership practices in
challenging school contexts. Education as Change, 17(sup1), S137-S150.
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
Pourrajab, M., and Ghani, M. B. (2016). Four-frame leadership and students’ academic
achievement. FWU Journal of Social Sciences, 10(1), 1-9.

30EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Sayadi, Y. (2016). The effect of dimensions of transformational, transactional, and non-
leadership on the job satisfaction and organizational commitment of teachers in
Iran. Management in Education, 30(2), 57-65.
Shamir, B., and Eilam-Shamir, G. (2018). “What’s your story?” A life-stories approach to
authentic leadership development. In Leadership Now: Reflections on the Legacy of Boas
Shamir(pp. 51-76). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Tannenbaum, R., and Schmidt, W. H. (2017). How to choose a leadership pattern. In Leadership
Perspectives (pp. 75-84). Routledge.
Tourish, D. (2014). Leadership, more or less? A processual, communication perspective on the
role of agency in leadership theory. Leadership, 10(1), 79-98.
Ward, J. (2016). Keeping the family business healthy: How to plan for continuing growth,
profitability, and family leadership. Springer.
Yukl, G. A. (2013). Leadership in organizations. Pearson Education India.