Unit 7, Learning Activity 2

As a manager, it is important to try and implement transformational leadership skills. In this article, the research shows that transformational leadership results in positive performance across all levels of an organization. It was also found that transformational leadership has stronger effects in certain environments. It has a stronger impact where employees have to work together as a team and also it was not as effective in an employment situation where task performance is the most important outcome. (Wang et. al, 2011, P 249-250)

The implications for a manager within an organization, is that you have to motivate your employees and followers to feel that they are valuable members of a team. The manager has to function well as a role model so that the followers are intrinsically motivated. This results in greater cooperation, commitment and performance. Another implication is that as a manager, you have to care about your employees and appeal to them at an emotional level. You have to provide many opportunities for the employees to feel like valuable members of the organization. This is an example of creating community as defined by Northouse, or creating a closeness or a synergy as described by Wang et. al (Wang et al., 2011, P 251) This provides organizations with valuable information. Leaders need to be a part of training and experiences that will enhance their transformational leadership styles. “Leadership development is an “ongoing processes where leaders and followers gain self-awareness and establish open, transparent, trusting and genuine relationships, which in part may be shaped and impacted by planned interventions such as training (Avolio and Gardner, 2005 P 322). Also, when selecting leaders, people that exhibit some of these skills should be considered. An organization would have the most benefit where people work together as a team. (Wang et al., 2011, P 253)

To become a better leader, I need to make sure that I am providing my students with the opportunity to feel respected and valued. I need to be a good role model and treat students fairly. “Leaders must be willing to be follower centered, must place others’ interests foremost in their work, and must act in ways that will benefit others.” (Northouse, 2016, P 344). I believe that abiding by these words, will help me to become a more successful leader.

“Ethical leadership is about being a good person and doing the right thing in the right way.” (Northouse, 2016). Ethical leadership is about the choices that leaders make and how they respond to their experiences.

Northouse states, “ Leadership is a process of influencing others; it has a moral dimension that distinguishes it from other types of influence, such as coercion or despotic control. Leadership involves values, including showing respect for followers, being fair to others, and building community. It is not a process that we can demonstrate without showing our values. When we influence, we have an effect on others, which means we need to pay attention to our values and our ethics.” (Northouse, 2016, P 348).

Northouse summarized the principles of ethical leadership as: respect, service, justice, honesty, and community. (Northouse, 2016, P 341).

I believe that respect is one of the most important principles. In my own practice, I am constantly trying to teach and model respect. It is one of our main classroom rules. I often ask the students to reflect by asking themselves these questions, “Am I respecting others? Am I respecting myself? Am I respecting property?” I explicitly teach listening skills, empathy and tolerance which Northouse suggests as a deeper definition of respect. (Northouse, 2016). I believe that respect makes other people feel valued. If you want someone to follow you as a leader and look up to you, they need to feel valued and feel like their voice and opinions matter. (Northouse, 2016).

I feel that honesty is also a very important principle. I was torn between honesty and community, however I have come to the conclusion that it is hard to develop a sense of community without first having established the value of honesty. A specific example in my classroom relates to a bullying situation. The student that was being accused of bullying had never been accused of something like this. She denied all of the accusations which made it very difficult to deal with. In this situation, it is clear that it is essential to establish honesty. When a student is nervous about a situation, I always start by reminding them of the importance of honesty. I start by telling them that everyone makes mistakes, however it is important for us to learn from our mistakes. I tell them that when we make a mistake, we have one problem that we need to fix, but when we are not honest and lie about our mistakes, then we have two problems that need fixing; the lying and the original mistake. This is clear to the students as they are able to identify that one problem is better than two problems. I believe that without honesty and respect, the other principles would be difficult, if not impossible, to establish.

References

Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 315-338. doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.03.001

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership – theory and practice – seventh edition. Los Angeles: Sage.

Wang, G., Oh, I., Courtright, S. H., & Colbert, A. E. (2011). Transformational Leadership and Performance Across Criteria and Levels: A Meta-Analytic Review of 25 Years of Research.Group & Organization Management, 36(2), 223-270. doi:10.1177/1059601111401017