A transformational leader influences his members to follow him voluntarily. Image credit: pixabay.com.
And as experience has perhaps shown us on many occasions, the behavior and attitude of the person who assumes the leadership of an educational institution are fundamental elements that determine the quality and success of the processes of change in the institution. If we want to improve education, we need people who exercise leadership from within, who drive, facilitate and coordinate the processes of change, and who have a genuine commitment to education and society.
Education is not only an act of transferring knowledge, but it also is a simultaneous process of knowledge building and personal development, which requires a participatory educational management practice, where the person who assumes the management functions is the driver of constant innovation, and must actively intervene and take advantage of the human resources of the institution, seeking to adapt to the changing situations of their environment.
Traditionally we have understood the leader as a boss, but today the paradigms have changed, and educational institutions need a new style of leadership, and in this new style, the leader must be able to transform the philosophy of the institution toward new and better ways of thinking. Yes, I know that in the educational context of many countries there is too much demotivation due to low salaries, I am well aware of this reality, and precisely those of us who are in this situation need leadership that motivates us to perform our task. I have heard colleagues complain about the virtual modality, they argue that the traditional modality is better, but in their speech, they are only showing their resistance to change. At times like this, it is necessary that the person in charge facilitates the change process because sometimes we only notice the speech, those are the lines of the ministry! As if already with those words the teachers must execute an action with the best disposition.
At my university, I know managers who limit themselves to communicating the information emanating from the dean's office, as well as managers who are concerned about whether electricity or lack of connectivity has allowed them to develop the content, so we see better performance in some areas compared to others. Therefore, transformational leadership in education is precisely about transforming the way of thinking of the teacher and the organization, it is an approach that requires a behavior congruent with the beliefs and motivates staff to make the appropriate changes.
An education manager must have communication skills. Image credit: pxhere.com.
Therefore, as a transformational leader, the manager of an educational institution must have skills in the field of communication, constantly interact with teachers, superiors, and society, and act as a mediator to achieve the best way to channel the changes needed by the institution.
Motivating is a task of utmost importance in any organization, that is why the work of an education manager in this area is crucial, there are many autocratic leaders and their style may work in certain organizations, but in education, communication, mediation, and trust are essential to creating a work environment where staff can feel motivated to develop their work with the best disposition.
Well friends, I hope you enjoyed the reading, and remember that we must positively influence people, especially if we are in management positions. See you next time!
Nice reading this informative piece from you.
Like you noted, one of the major challenge educational sectors face in different part of the world is lack of adequate funding. While this is an issue on one side, having unqualified people in managerial position is also hurting the educational sector.
This transformational style of leadership can make a lot of difference in the educational sector.