What school leaders need to do to make things happen
Leaders are there to provide direction. But Robert Greenleaf theorises that the leaders should become servants to the led if they want their ideas implemented
At the start of a new academic year, when schools hold high hopes of accomplishing goals, it's a good time to consider how Robert Greenleaf's concepts of servant leadership can be used to fulfil this purpose.
Nowadays, schools are run like corporations, complete with vision and mission statements, strategic and operational plans as well as quality assurance mechanisms.
To guide development, school leaders need to develop a school vision and mission, or revisit and revitalise an existing one, to fit the changing school context. They must also formulate plans for realising the desired state as envisaged.
School vision and mission statements look similar, often couched in lofty language, but are rarely fully realised. Even when laborious action plans are implemented, the results usually lack the desired spirit or benefits they are supposed to bring to students and teachers.
Why do things often fall so short? It may be because of leadership practice.
Traditionally, it is believed that when the head puts forth a vision for the school and formulates plans to implement it, things will naturally fall in line as long as people are closely monitored and enough carrots and sticks used, or if the leaders themselves are charismatic enough to win followers' commitment to perform well.
But often the reality is that the led show varied responses to such leadership: at best compliance on the surface and, at worst, open rebellion. Complex organisations like schools do not function well simply because of the leader's charisma or a top-down approach to management. They require their leaders to play different roles at different junctures.