Educational Leadership

Abstract

The quality of education provided in schools and colleges is commonly thought to be influenced by the quality of the leadership directing these organizations. But the meaning of leadership, how it differs from everyday management and administration, and how it is manifested in educational organizations are matters of considerable dispute. Differing views of the forms and effects of leadership in education are central to this article, as is the question of what, if anything, is distinctive about ‘educational’ leadership. Issues of power, ethics, democracy, and the consent and empowerment of organizational participants are central to the exercise of leadership. They are particularly salient in educational organizations, because of their formative and symbolic role in shaping a society's future. Such issues lead to disagreements about how educational leadership should be conceived and researched, and ensure that it will remain a highly contested concept. Thus, some scholars and schools of thought argue that leaders, in education as elsewhere, tend to abuse their power. These critics call for constant scrutiny of leaders and, if possible, their replacement with more democratic, shared or collective governance arrangements. Advocates of educational leadership, while recognizing the possibility of negative leadership, call for an emphasis on democratic, facilitative leadership. Emphasizing the importance of leadership for organizational change and improvement, they extol the value of leaders capable of communicating an inspiring vision of a more dynamic and effective organization. Further, they contend that ‘continuous improvement’ and movement toward a ‘learning organization’ are likely to require effective educational leadership. Increasingly, however, experts believe that the effectiveness of schools is maximized when educational leadership is a shared and collaborative feature, rather than the exclusive prerogative of one or a few people.