Runninghead:LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN

LeadershipActionPlan:
ANewLeaderinaSpecialEducationSchool
RobinderKahlon
UniversityofOntarioInstituteofTechnology

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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN

TheContext

ASpecialEducationprogram,consistingofapproximately100teachers,4viceprincipals
andaprincipal,operatesinalargeurbanschoolboard.Itservesstudentswithvariousissuesthat
requirethemtobeoutofthemainstreamschoolsystem,inspecialclasseswheretheyreceive
treatmentfromanagencyoutsideoftheschoolboard,e.g.amentalhealthagency,ahospital,an
agencythatspecializesindevelopmentaldelays,agenciesforyoungmothers,etc.Whileina
treatmentprogram,whichmaytaketheformofgroupsessionswithaChildandYouthWorker,
theyarealsoenrolledinaneducationalprogramstaffedbyteachersfromtheschoolboard.The
programisspreadacrossthecity,indozensoflocations,withoneortwoclassroomsateachsite.
Thisprogramisoftenconsideredaplacetosendstudentswithwhomprincipalsdont
knowwhatelsetodo,thereforeteachersinthisprogramcanfacegreatchallengesinteaching
thesestudents.Becausethestudentsaresochallenging,classsizesarekeptsmall,about6to8
students.Manyteachersrisetothechallenge,carefullycraftingindividualizedprogramsto
meettheneedsoftheirstudents,supportingthestudentsemotionallyinordertobetterteach
them.Otherteacherstakeadvantageofthelackofdirectsupervisionofaprincipalanddolittle
fortheirstudents.
Tomakemattersworse,eachyear,manyteachersfromtherestoftheboardarebumped
intothisprogram,thatis,theyarepushedoutoftheirteachingpositionsinthemainstream
systembysomeonewithhigherseniorityandaplaceisfoundforthisspecialprogram.They

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mayhavenointerestorexperienceinteachingstudentswithspecialneedsandareoftenineptor
resentful.
Anewprincipalbeganherrolethreeyearsago.SheisanexpertinSpecialEducation
withapassionforservingneedsstudents,shesought:
tomaketheteachersmoreaccountablethroughamorerigorousinspectionprocess
togivetheteachersmoreprofessionaldevelopmentthroughfrequenttrainingsessions
tomaketheschoolmoreofacommunitythroughscheduledstaffmeetingseverytwo
weeks,forcingtheteacherstotravelfromalloverthecitytoasinglelocation
Herreformshavebornefruit.Sheschoolhasbecomemoreofacommunity,with
disparateteachersformingrelationshipswitheachotherandsharingwitheachother
professionally.Becauseoftheprofessionallearningsessions,someteachershavegainednew
skills,gainingaccesstoknowledgeregardingneweducationalinitiativesthattheyneverhad
before.Thegreaterlevelofaccountabilityhasmadeteachersdoabetterjobintheclassroom.
Despitethebenefits,however,manyteachersarefeelingpressuredbythesereforms.The
principalisperceivedasautocratic,domineering,critical,andnotappreciativeoftheirefforts.
Whiletheprincipalhashadapositiveimpactonteacherpractice,teachers,viceprincipals,and
supportstaffarenothappyintheirjobs,feelingthatnothingthattheydoisgoodenough.
Theprincipalhadcomein,seenaprogramindireneedofanoverhaul,anddespitea
greatdealofresistance,mademanypositivechanges.Itisnowtheendofher3yearterm.How
shouldanew,incomingleaderhandlethesituation?

SituationalLeadership

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Inthesituationalapproach,theleaderadjustshisorherapproachdependingonthe
characteristicsofthestaff.
ifthestaffislowcompetence/highcommitment,theleaderwillemployadirecting
approach
ifthestaffhassomecompetence/lowcommitment,theleaderwillemployacoaching
approach
ifthestaffhasmediumtohighcompetence/lowcommitment,theleaderwillemploya
supportingapproach
ifthestaffhasahighcompetence/highcommitment,theleaderwillemployadelegating
approach
(Blanchard,2015)

Inthiscase,theoutgoingprincipalemployedadirectingapproach.Sheassumedthather
stafflackedtheskillstodoabetterjob,soshefacilitatedplentyofprofessionaldevelopmentfor
them,andsheassumedthattheyhadacommitmenttotheirjobthelowcompetenceand
highcommitmentledtothedirectingapproach.Instead,herstaffwouldhavebeenbetter
characterizedashavingsomecompetencebutlowcommitmentabletodoagoodjobbutnot
motivatedenoughtodoit.Theincomingleadershouldemployacoachingapproach,offering
bestpracticestothestaff,butnotforcingthesenewideasuponthem.

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Infact,concurrentlywiththeprincipalsdirectingapproach,oneoftheviceprincipals
usethecoachingapproachwithgreatsuccess.Thisviceprincipalhadanextensivebackground
incoaching,havingservedinanothercapacityasaliteracycoachwiththeschoolboard.The
portionofteachersthatwereunderthisviceprincipalsmentorshipreceivedpersuasive
coaching,neverforcedtoimplementnewideasbutshownthevalueofthemintheclassroom.
Theviceprincipalwouldactuallycoplanandcoteachaclasswiththeteacher.Thisapproach
workedverywell,influencingmanyteachers.
Theincomingleadershouldthereforesetagoaltocoachtheteachersinbestpractices,
modellingthesepracticesintheclassroomduringvisits.

TransformationalLeadership

Theprinciplesoftransformationalleadershipare:

idealizedinfluence
inspirationalmotivation
intellectualstimulation
individualizedconsideration
(Cherry,2015)

Howdidthecurrentprincipalfarewhenmeasuredagainsttheprinciplesof
transformationalleadership?

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idealizedinfluenceShecameinwithastrongvisiontoimproveconditionsforstudents.
Shewasexceptionallyclearaboutthisvision,however,duetohercoarsemannerwiththe
teachers,manypeoplemisinterpretedheractions,perceivingherassimplyexerther
poweroverthem,notperceivingheridealizedmotivesofdoingthebestforthestudents.
inspirationalmotivationWhileherpassionforherworkmotivatedsometeacherstorise
tothechallenge,other,lesstaskorientedteachersfeltoverwhelmedandinadequate,
leadingthemtoresentherreforms,andtoresistthem.
intellectualstimulationAllteacherswerestimulatedbytheregularprofessional
developmentseminars,butmanyfeltliketheywerebeingoverloadedwithinformation.
Manyreportedfeelingconfusedbyallthevariousdirectionsinwhichtheywerebeing
pushed.
individualizedconsiderationShedidnotconsulttheteachersonwhattheirprofessional
growthgoalswere.Shesimplyimplementedhervisionregardlessofindividualneeds.

Whatwouldatrulytransformationalleaderdotorepairthissituation?

IdealizedinfluenceThenewleadershouldclearlycommunicatehisorhervisiontothe
staff.However,thisshouldbedonewithahighlyrelationalstyle.Iftheprincipalis
aimingtopromoteanimprovedlevelofserviceforthestudentsoftheprogram,the
principalherselfshouldmodelthisbydemonstratingaserviceorientedattitudetowards
theteachersintheprogram.

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InspirationalmotivationThenewprincipalshouldsharehisorhervisionwiththe
teachersinamannerthatinspiresthem.Manyexamplesofinspirationalleadersexist,
notablySteveJobs,whothroughsimpletalkswithhisstaffandbyrolemodellingthe
valuesthathebelievedin,wasabletoinspirethem.
IntellectualstimulationTeachersarereceivingplentyofnewideaswhenattending
professionallearningsessions.Thisreformthattheoutgoingprincipalhasmadehasbeen
asuccessfulone,thoughmoreteacherinputshouldbesoughtonthecontentofthe
professionallearningsessions.
IndividualizedconsiderationTheteachersvoicesshouldbevaluedbythenewleader.
Teachersshouldbeconsultedontheirprofessionalgoalsandtheleadershouldfacilitate
theachievementofthesegoals.Theleadershouldnotimposeprofessionalgrowthgoals
ontheteachers.

SMARTGoals

BasedonideasfrombothSituationalLeadershiptheoryandTransformationalLeadership
theoryexplainedabove,thefollowinggoalswouldbeadvisableforaleadertopursue:

1. Coachteachersinbestteachingpractices
2. Haveteacherscreateprofessionalgrowthplans,outliningwhatareastheywouldliketo
grow,howtheyplantoachievethisgrowth,whatresourcestheyneedfromthe
administration

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3. Establishavisionfortheprogram

Theschoolboardusesaparticularframework,intheformofatable,fortheexecutionof
SMARTgoals.Thetableconsistsoffourcolumns:

Goals:ThisistheSMARTgoalitself.
Actions/Activities:Whatactivitiesdoestheindividualordepartmentplantoundertaketo
meetthegoal?
Measures:Whatmeasureswillbeusedtodetermineprogressontheattainmentofthe
goal?
Impact/Evidence:Whatistheevidencethatthegoalwassuccessfullyachieved?

Forthethreegoalslistedabove,thefollowingActions/ActivitiesandMeasuresareappropriate:

Goals

Actions/Activites

Measures

Impact/Evidence

1.Coachteachersin
Visitwithteachers
bestteachingpractices individually.Coplanalesson
withateacher.Coteachthat
lessontodemonstratethevalue
ofanewteachingtechnique.

Createanenvironment
whereateacher
comfortablyexpressa
dissentingopinion.Ina
debriefingsessionafterthe
lesson,allowtheteacherto
expresshowheorshefelt
thatthelessonwentand
whatimprovementscould
havebeenmade.

2.Haveteachersset
theirownprofessional
goals.

Attheendoftheyear,have
teacherssubmitasummary
ofwhatprogresstheyhave
madeinachievingtheirgoal
andrevisethesegoalsfor
nextyear.

Haveteacherscreate
professionalgrowthplans,
indicatinghowtheyplanto
achievethesegoalsandwhat
resourcestheyrequirefromthe
administrationtoachievethem.

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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN

3.Establishavision
fortheprogram

Incollaborationwiththe
teachers,developand
communicateamission
statementabouttheoverall
purposeofthisprogram.
Conductprofessionalactivities
thatalignwiththismission
statementtoreinforcethese
valuesonanongoingbasis.

Atregularcheckpoints
duringtheyear,facilitate
discussionsduringstaff
meetingsaboutthemission
statementandhowitis
impactingteacherpractice.

TheImpact/Evidencecolumnofthistablecanonlybefilledoutoncetheleaderhasexecutedthe
actionsandmeasuredtheoutcomes.

References

Blanchard,K.(n.d.).KenBlanchardTheSituationalLeadershipModel.RetrievedJune12,
2015,fromhttp://www.mftrou.com/kenblanchard.html

Cherry,K.(n.d.).WhatisTransformationalLeadership?RetrievedJune11,2015,from
http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership/a/transformational.htm