Chapter 2
Establishing a Framework for Leadership
Chapter Overview
The purpose of this chapter is to provide the reader with an opportunity to review some of the
major theories that address traits or characteristics of leaders, patterns of leader behavior, and the
styles leaders use to acquire the support of followers. In addition, the relationship between
historical leadership theories and the ISLLC Standards is identified. The chapter also includes
scenarios that offer the reader an opportunity to analyze the practical aspects of characteristics
and traits, behaviors, and styles of leaders. To assist the reader in relating the ISLLC Standards
to the behaviors exhibited in the scenarios, the standards are referenced throughout the chapter
and most specifically within the discussion of each scenario.
Learner Objectives
After reading this chapter, completing the prescribed activities, and addressing the discussion
questions, students should be able to:
❖ Define leadership as it applies to promoting the success of every student.
❖ Describe the importance of collaborative leadership in today’s schools.
❖ Identify contingency theories and align leader behavior with the readiness level of
followers.
❖ Specify leader behavior that can be used to influence followers with diverse skills and
attributes to assume responsibility for effectively completing assigned tasks.
Chapter Outline
Introduction
Leadership Defined
Collaborative Leadership
Leadership: A Historical Perspective
The Personal Characteristics and Traits of Leaders
Traits and Leader Effectiveness
Studies of Leader Behavior
Contingency and Situational Leadership Theories
Fiedler‘s Contingency Model
Vroom and Yetton’s Normative Model
Power and Authority
Bridging the Past and the Present
The Scenario
Chapter Summary
Moving into Practice
Acquiring an Understanding of Self
Suggested Readings
Professor’s Presentation
• Review the Historical Perspective of Leadership Using the Power Point titled,
“Establishing a Framework for Leadership.”
• Review Leadership Definitions
• Have Students Reflect on Select Discussion Questions
• Conduct In Class Activities
Discussion Questions
1. What Do You Believe About Self and Others?
2. What Do You Value?
Key Terms and Concepts
➢ Leadership Traits
➢ Leadership Behavior
➢ Leadership Styles
➢ Collaborative Leadership
➢ Participative Leader Behavior
➢ Power and Authority
Key Theories
There are a number of theories that attempt to explain why individuals behave as they do in
organizations. In this chapter, some of the theories that are essential to leading 21st century
schools are analyzed. The theories that will be analyzed are:
✓ John French on Power
✓ Hersey and Blanchard’s Theory of Situational Leadership
✓ Path-Goal Theory
In-Class Activities
1. Describe at least five (5) theories that have informed the foundation upon which
leadership for 21st century schools is built. Be very definitive in your explanation, giving
practical school examples for each theory identified.
a. Name the theories.
2. Situational contingency theory advocates that group effectiveness depends on an
appropriate match between a leader’s style and the demands of the situation. Describe a
situation that evidences this assumption.
1. A leader who addresses a school issue from a Scientific Management perspective:
a. Is not concerned with the wants and needs of the faculty.
b. Maintains that teachers who do things most efficiently are happier in their jobs.
c. Believes that happy teachers find effective ways of doing their jobs.
d. None of the above
2. An educational leader:
a. Influences the activities of individuals or groups toward goal achievement.
b. Convinces the faculty to do something they may not want to do.
c. Identifies what individual faculty members do best and adjust organizational goals
to fit their strengths.
d. None of the above
3. It may not be wise for an individual to try to acquire the traits of a successful principal in
as much as various trait approach studies have concluded that:
a. There is no set of traits that clearly predicts leadership success or failure.
b. Certain traits may hinder or facilitate leadership success.
c. Insensitivity to others is a common flaw in a leader, and betrayal of trust is
generally considered unforgivable.
d. All of the above
4. Studies conducted at the University of Michigan revealed how:
a. Task, relationship, and participative behavior of leaders influence followers.
b. Initiating structure and being considerate influence followers.
c. Scientific management and human relations behavior influence followers.
d. Employee orientation to the organization influence followers.
5. According to the studies conducted at The Ohio State University, a leader who is
considerate displays:
a. Behavior roughly equivalent to the relationship behavior described in the
Michigan studies.
b. Behavior roughly equivalent to task behavior described in the Michigan studies.
c. Friendly, trusting, warm, and respectful behaviors.
d. Both A and C
6. The Ohio State Leadership studies:
a. Determined that a leader either tells subordinates how, when, and where to do the
job, or engages in friendly and supportive behavior with them, but not both.
b. Showed clearly that being friendly and supportive toward workers was better than
telling them what to do.
c. Indicated that a leader could have high scores in one or both dimensions.
d. None of the above
7. Situational approaches to leadership:
a. Combines the best of trait and behavioral approaches.
b. Was developed because neither trait nor behavioral approaches provided
satisfactory answers to the puzzle of effective leadership.
c. Examines the interaction between leader, follower, and other situational variables
to find casual relationships that will assist in predicting behavior.
d. Both B and C
8. All situational approaches call for the leader to:
a. Exhibit a specific set of skills and strengths.
b. Behave the same way in every situation.
c. Exhibit flexibility in his/her leadership style.
d. All of the above
9. According to Path-Goal theory, organizational goals are likely to be achieved if the
leader:
a. Sets the goals and allows subordinates to chart the path.
b. Has excellent communication skills.
c. Uses specific behaviors to influence the perception of followers regarding their
work goals, personal goals, and paths to goal attainment.
d. None of the above
10. A school leader should understand that position power is:
a. Awarded by followers.
b. The same as charismatic power.
c. Power that is vested in a particular position or role.
d. The extent to which followers respect, feel good about, and are committed to their
leader.
11. If a school leader is of the Theory X persuasion, his/her behavior is likely to reflect the
notion that:
a. Most people would rather be directed and do not want to take responsibility for
issues that surface in the work environment.
b. Most people are reliable and responsible employees.
c. When properly motivated, people become self-directed and creative at work.
d. The organization should be structured without consideration for employees.
12. If a school leader is truly a situational leader, he/she will place emphasis on:
a. Task and relationship variables.
b. His/her behavior in relationship to follower’s readiness level to perform a task.
c. Task behavior.
d. Relationship behavior.
13. A school leader should understand that expectations are:
a. Perceptions of appropriate personal behavior.
b. What a teacher hopes to hear at the next performance evaluation.
c. A teacher’s assessment of his/her job performance.
d. None of the above
14. A school leader’s style is:
a. How he/she feels about his/her faculty.
b. The behavior he/she uses, as perceived by the faculty, when he/she is attempting
to influence their behavior.
c. The behavior he/she uses, as he/she perceives it, when he/she is attempting to
influence the activities of the faculty.
d. Both B and C
15. According to House’s Path-Goal Theory:
a. The school leader should set the goal but the faculty should chart the path.
b. The faculty should set the goal but the school leader should chart the path.
c. The school leader’s effectiveness is determined by the degree of faculty goal
attainment and clarity of the path to those goals.
d. Without a path there can be no goal.
16. Leadership is:
a. The process of influencing the behavior of an individual or group toward goal
achievement.
b. Convincing someone to do something he/she does not want to do.
c. Finding out what people do best and adjusting organizational goals to fit their
strengths.
d. None of the above
17. Collaborative leadership is:
a. The influential behavior of the leader that persuades followers to go over and
above routine policies, procedures, and directives, replacing compliance and
conformity with commitment.
b. An explanation of how organizations function as theorized by Getzels and Guba.
c. An explanation of how organizations function as theorized by Blake and Mouton.
d. A leadership model theorized by Fielder.
18. A two-dimensional theory of leader-orientation that focus on concern for production and
concern for people was:
a. Theorized by Getzels and Guba.
b. Theorized by Blake and Mouton.
c. Theorized by Fielder.
d. Both A. and B.
1. Strong leadership by the principal is essential in achieving an effective school. Describe
your leadership style and state how you measure the effectiveness of that style.
2. Identify and describe three (3) approaches that researchers have used to define leadership.
In your discussion relate each approach to a research source.
3. In this chapter, three (3) major studies of leader behavior were discussed. These studies
4. Write a 100-word essay describing a situation in which a school leader would be well
Power Point
The Power Point on the web that supports this chapter is titled, “Condition Requisites for
Effective Leadership.”
Professor’s Scenario
The Leadership Framework of Principal Williams
Donielle Williams has just been appointed principal of one of ten high schools in the city of
Bolton. The high schools in Bolton divide themselves almost equally among those fostering
excellence in student achievement, exceeding state and local standards and those failing to meet
state and local standards.
Like many inner-city high schools, Foster was built in the early 1950s and has an over–
crowded population of students consisting of 500 males and 900 females. The grade structure is
9-12. As Ms. Williams reviewed current conditions in the school, she observed that average daily
attendance for students was at 85% and about the same for teachers. Teacher retention was below
90%, and the graduation rate for students was 40%.
During her first faculty meeting, wherein she participated in open dialogue with the
faculty, requesting their opinions on the state of current conditions. Statements from the faculty
focus on the following:
1) Student readiness to function at the high school level.
2) The independent manner in which teachers operated was not motivating to them.
3) Parents and community leaders showed little or no interest in the school.
4) Ministers and business leaders in the community wanted too much involvement in
school related matters.
After Principal Williams reflected on comments made by several members of the faculty and
coupled them with the other information she had collected, she began to think about her
leadership framework.
Directions
Complete the chart below for use in advising Ms. Williams in the development of her leadership
Establishing a Framework for Leadership
Critical Issues
in the Scenario
Leadership
Action Needed
Type of
Leadership
Behavior
Needed
Theory
Informing the
Leadership
Behavior
Anticipated
Results
LEADERSHIP DEFINED
KNOWLEDGE OF SELF
A leader needs to have a firm idea of what he/she believes and realize that he/she
VISION
A leader with a vision is able to communicate effectively with all individuals.
He/she is able to form a cohesive group with the main focus being the attainment
of the goals of the organization.
INFLUENCE
Effective leaders need deep familiarity with the organization and must be able to
influence others to work in innovative ways. This influence not only goes beyond
routine compliance, but it has direction and order.
TRUST
Leaders should create an environment of mutual trust and respect and maintain
Effective leaders are willing to examine the interpersonal styles of the members of
COMMUNICATION
Communication is one of the most critical elements of effective leadership. Using
ACKNOWLEDGES ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
Effective leaders develop an understanding of the culture of the organization and
respect that culture as organizational decisions are made.
FOCUS ON THE HUMAN SIDE OF MANAGEMENT BUT HAVE A
CONCERN FOR TASK COMPLETION
Effective leaders choose a leadership style that reflects a concern for people while
focusing on task completion.
Leadership
True effective leaders share a common vision with their followers. Their vision
A Leadership Framework
A summary of your primary beliefs and attitudes regarding leadership
1. PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION – Describe your philosophy of leadership, learning,
and teaching. (Your basic beliefs about the purpose of education and the importance of
schools to society)
2. PHILOSOPHY OF LEADERSHIP – What approach do you take when you are providing
leadership? (Your beliefs about effective leadership and its impact on the organization).
3. VISION FOR LEARNERS – What do you believe about schools? Actually, what are your
expectations, practices, and norms? What do you believe about how children and
adolescents learn? What role should the leader play in promoting this learning? How is
your leadership role essential to the development of student learning?
4. VISION FOR TEACHER – Who are you, what do you stand for, and what do you expect
5. VISION FOR THE ORGANIZATION – What is your vision for an organization for
which you provide the leadership? Include climate, community, collaboration, and
communication in your response.
6. VISION FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH – How important is professional
development to you and the individuals that you lead? How should professional
development needs be determined and addressed?
7. METHOD OF VISION ATTAINMENT – What is your leadership style? What strategies
Answer Key
Chapter 2
