Education is an important aspect of human life. How we receive and translate it into our daily way of life is quite largely dependent upon the way it gets passed on. Educational leadership has been studied over years to address long-standing concern of students, educators, and society as a whole. As the need to understand which style of leadership will work best, alone or in combination, it is imperative to understand these types individually in regards to their methods and what they offer.
Styles of Leadership in Education
With an eye for reform, many educationists have either supported or criticized certain leadership styles, however, which style suits and works best is subjected to a matter of opinion. Educational leadership styles are based on the understanding that certain characteristics, such as physical energy and/or social interaction play a part in the way education is imparted. Effective leadership is about strengthening the performance of education leaders, primarily the educators, to improve student achievement. Hence, effective leadership is crucial for teachers and students to enhance performance at the highest level.
There is no denying the fact, that there is no single best way to lead and inspire in the field of education. Each educator, as well as schools, view leadership strategies differently, as certain situations, features and actions seem far more favorable than others at different levels and times. Broadly, there are three leadership styles in education, which are used individually or as a versatile combination. They are hierarchical, transformational and facilitative.
Hierarchical: Hierarchical leadership styles are based on the traditional method of education that lays more emphasis in a top-down approach in which all course of action is asserted and carried out with formal authority and has little scope for participatory analysis. Here, the administrative head, namely the principal, carries out all duties of a planner, supervisor, analyst, resource allocator, etc. It is a very straightforward, with major emphasis on efficiency, control and routines.
Transformational: Transformational styles are based on the concept of working together to put in place a mechanism that will not only reap immediate benefits but future ones too. Although, most decisions are taken individually or by a small group of people, this leadership style opens the door wide for intellectual excitement, motivation through values and a shared vision by participation in leadership activities. A leader who follows transformational leadership fosters a sense of purpose and meaning to unite people for a better cause.
Facilitative: Facilitative styles are very similar to the strategies used in transformational styles, but more democratic as well as interactive in practice. A facilitative educational leader works with the entire management, offering them partnership in preparing for the future, and by promoting collective ideas by being a part of the crowd, rather than being at the center. Empowering the entire education system is the primary goal of the leader practicing facilitative style.
What works best for which institution and how it needs to be, is based on careful strategic planning and consideration of its vision. Ideally, a leader should use strategies and options flexibly to balance both; short-term and long-term goals, and above all, must serve the institutional values. To ensure that leadership style is delivered in the best manner, and the way it has been designed to be imparted by the teachers and perceived by students, policy makers and educational leaders are providing state-of-the art programs for leadership courses that help in learning to do service towards the field of education.
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