Effective School Leadership in Challenging Times

A Practice-First, Theory-Informed Approach

Liz Browne

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9780429589201
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Education leadership has been subject to a period of turmoil with rapid social change, political demands for excellence, economic pressures for austerity and the influence of technology impacting on leadership roles in multiple ways. This book draws on real examples of practice to identify the key challenges facing educational leadership and how these might be overcome drawing on recent research and interventions that have impacted positively on learner outcomes and teacher retention.

Covering all aspects of leadership including school improvement, vision and values, working with partners and leading change, the book launches the concept of atomic leadership, advocating small steps to change for maximum momentum and large-scale impact. It reveals how leaders can cooperate to trial new ways of learning and disseminate their successes and failures with a new honesty and openness about what works in our schools.

With reflective tasks in every chapter, this text will inspire debate and inform discussion at staff meetings and is essential reading for all school leaders as well as those undertaking master-level courses in educational leadership and or pursuing the National Professional Qualifications in leadership.

Part I

Leadership as influence

1 What is educational leadership?

This chapter sets the context for educational leadership in challenging times. It draws on theories past, present and proposed whilst highlighting the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) in a fragile world attempting to achieve universal education, peace, harmony and environmental sustainability. This first chapter explores the linguistic association of the words ‘leadership’ and ‘management’. A number of respected academic theories are introduced and a reference grid is provided to illustrate the relevance of leadership theory to all aspects of a range of educational contexts. The concept of ‘atomic leadership’ is introduced in terms of its relevance for today.

Setting the context

It is clear that educational leadership is experiencing challenging times. It may be that theoretical models, which might support leaders dealing with new challenges, are sadly lacking as new unprecedented times are upon us. In advocating what has been labelled ‘atomic leadership’ this text supports action, whether small-scale or larger in approach, which is regularly practiced and continued over a period of time. Atomic leadership is based on the mantra that success comes when small efforts, repeated in a systematic way, every day, day in, day out, coupled with the expectation of success and effort can lead to positive change. Based on a model advocated by James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits (Clear, 2018), Atomic leadership proposes a model which advocates reducing leadership issues down to the smallest scale possible. The idea is that by impacting on a small, irreducible unit in a larger system in a persistent way, with courage, enthusiasm and determination, change will happen. An atom can produce immense energy and power and so can small interventions in leadership strategy. Small-scale interventions may well be the best way forward given the situations leaders find themselves in today.

The issues faced by leaders trying to chart changing and unknown times can be characterised by the dominance of, in Johansen’s words, ‘volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity’ (VUCA). In such circumstances a speedy response, proactive engagement and future vision are essential if organisations are to survive (Johansen, 2007).

The term ‘VUCA’, as used in business planning, is believed to have been first applied in the early 1990s by the American Army College to refer to the multilateral world that appeared after the Cold War and is characterised as:

• Volatile: In terms of the type, speed, volume and scale of change.
• Uncertain: With our ability to predict the future very much restricted.
• Complex: Elements of social media interventions, multiple activities, fear of litigation and confusion and concerns over fake news with no clear connection between cause and effect.
• Ambiguity: With a lack of precision and accuracy further hindered by the existence of multiple meanings and interpretations (Raghurampatruni and Kosin, 2017).
• These four categories together give voice to the term VUCA to describe a world where change is ever-present, the future is less certain and multiple versions of action are given credible voice with options and choices increasing exponentially in rapid succession (http://www.oxfordleadership.com/leadership-challenges-v-u-c-world/).

In such time of uncertainty, we look to our educational settings to be places of calm and security, and indeed with the turbulence that impacts on the unstable lives of many young people today, schools should be safe places. It is the role of leaders to create, where possible, secure environments where learners and fellow teachers can thrive. At the same time, they have to address some of the turbulence and volatility that impacts on their ability to lead. Leadership of any kind is difficult, but in VUCA times, educational leadership is even more difficult (Dale and James, 2015). Here we examine some of the challenges facing those in leadership roles; we explore a range of appropriate and accepted theories whilst also advocating an atomic leadership style which promotes small-scale action to stimulate change.

Defining terminology

The term ‘educational’ is applied here to make clear the institutional context for management and leadership. That context could be a school, a college, a university or a virtual learning programme. It might be operating in the UK, or further afield. The area of focus here, then, is a place, in the widest possible perspective, that is legitimate as an educational institution (Bunnell et al., 2016).

In common usage the word ‘leadership’ is linguistically an abstract noun; that is, a noun denoting an intangible rather than a concrete term, fluid in nature and subject to change as a result of context, time and association. The term ‘management’ is often used interchangeably with ‘leadership’, and the resulting ambiguity has led to confusion in the academic literature and in situations where the processes are described. The terms ‘leadership’ and ‘management’ are foundational concepts in the description of educational institutions, so clarity of definition and agreed understanding is crucial for theoreticians, writers and those working in educational institutions.

In common usage the words ‘leadership’ and ‘management’ may be used interchangeably but in the academic literature the former reflects influence and control, and requires the skills of envisioning, having a major impact, commanding, swaying, cajoling and initiating and introducing new ideas whilst also inspiring others. The term ‘leadership’ implies the ability to see future needs, to plan and drive change and to direct the organisation’s vision. Leadership then is aspirational and directional. Management, in contrast, is operational. Simply described: Leadership is awe-inspiring, management is achieving that vision.

This might be illustrated by reference to the founder of one of the most famous shops in Oxford Street in London, who gave his name to Selfridges. He is famously reported to have said: ‘The manager says “go”; the leader says, “let’s do this together”’.

Mr Selfridge saw the need to identify the direction of travel and take others with him to achieve it. His definition implies the ability to inspire others, to have emotional understanding and a personality type which encourages what theorists call ‘followership’. It requires a willingness to be involved in what might be described as the ‘sharp end’ of the core activity. The ability to inspire confidence and motivate others is relevant still today in all organisational settings and none more so than in educational contexts. Today leaders may face issues of organisation size and external pressure which make leadership based on personal contact and knowledge of the individual somewhat difficult to achieve. However, the expansion of social media and technological interconnectivity can help to overcome issues of size; this is explored in the chapter on new technologies.

The term ‘management’ appears to be disappearing from much of the literature concerning schools. Rooted in the ideas of Weberian ideology the term tends to conjure up connotations of power, with the delegation of tasks and responsibility for the operational running of the educational institution (Bendix, 1977; Lumby, 2017). Managers are often given responsibility to enact the changes required by their leader(s) with managers held responsible if change does not occur (Barker, 2001). The position of manager can be an uncomfortable place to inhabit (Fitzgerald, 2009). In schools, colleges and universities, where new challenges occur on a daily basis and external requirements are perpetually in fluctuation, bureaucratic processes are required, but so also is a visionary and adaptable approach which allows for strategic change and the speedy implementation of new initiatives.

In response to criticism of the rigid ideas of bureaucratic theory, UK educational policy has moved away from using the term ‘management’ and ...