Chapter 4
Organizational Influences on Leadership
Chapter Overview
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss how forces in the external and internal environments of
the schoolhouse affect the climate, culture, and structure of the school organization. These forces
also influence the behavior of leaders, swaying them to select a particular style or use one
To achieve the purpose of the chapter, we define an organization, characterize schools as
organizations, and discuss climate, culture, and structure as organizational characteristics that
make each school unique. Four organizational theories that explain the types of leader behavior
that might exist in schools with these types of organizations are presented. Finally, through
scenarios, a discussion is held on the principles that inform the type of school organization that
Learner Objectives
After reading this chapter, completing the prescribed activities, and addressing the discussion
questions, the student should be able to:
❖ Define an organization.
❖ Work with various individuals and groups for the purposes of developing a better
understanding of the social system, self, and other individuals.
❖ Set personal and organizational goals.
❖ Define organizational culture, climate, and structure, and explain how they influence the
behavior of individuals affiliated with the organization.
❖ Develop an Understanding of how forces in the external and internal environments of the
schoolhouse influence leader behavior.
❖ Explain how organizational theories inform different types of organizational behavior.
Chapter Outline
Introduction
A Definition of Organizations
Schools as Organizations
Organizational Climate of Schools
Theories Influencing Practice
Classical Theory
Social Systems Theory
Learning Organizations
The Influence of Perception
Leadership for Today’s Schools
The Scenarios
Chapter Summary
Moving into Practice
Professor’s Presentation
• Define Organizations
• Discuss Organizational Influences
o Culture
The Power Point titled, “Organizational Influences on Leadership” was developed to support
lectures on the topics listed above.
• Present the Key Elements of Dimension Two from the Companion Text
• Hold a Conversation with students on Schools as Open Social Systems
➢ It is critical that students understand that effective leaders of today’s schools develop an
understanding of the complexities of organizational life and create learning organizations.
Discussion Questions
5. Identify a topic that has had great meaning for you thus far in the course and elaborate on
that topic.
6. Review the contemporary theories in Chapters 3 that hold implications for 21st century
school leadership. Then, address the following questions:
a. What are the implications of these theories for structuring 21st century schools?
7. Viewing organizations from a system’s perspective, discuss at least four factors that
influence organizational effectiveness.
10. Have students use the contents of the chapter to offer a rational for the behavior exhibited
in the scenario titled “Understanding and Predicting Individual and Group Behavior.”
11. Describe the characteristics of a professional learning community.
12. Describe the process and procedures you would use (as principal) to create a professional
learning community.
Key Terms and Concepts
➢ Organization
➢ Organizational Climate
➢ Organizational Culture
➢ Collaborative Cultures
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 critical to leading 21st century schools
are analyzed. The theories that will be analyzed are:
✓ Classical Theory
✓ Social Systems Theory
✓ Open Social Systems Theory
In-Class Activities
1. Compare and contrast Classical Theory and Social Systems Theory. Make sure the
essential principles of each theory are identified.
2. Select three of the concepts listed below and operationally define each.
a. The Art Of Persuasion
b. A Learning Organization
c. Unethical Organizational Behavior
d. Using Influence Without Authority
3. Select one of the following and discuss it in the context of school leadership:
e. Scientific Management
f. Administrative Management
g. The Bureaucratic Structure
h. Open System Theory
4. Select two of the theories listed below and describe the guiding principles of each.
1. Social Systems Theory
2. Human Relations Theory
3. Theory X / Theory Y
4. Expectancy Theory
5. Path-Goal Theory
5. Read the scenario below and indicate the theory that best informs the appropriate action
to be taken in addressing the identified situation.
James Harris has been teaching at Lee Middle School for twenty years. He is pleased
with his salary and is extremely competent in his teaching assignment. He met last week
with his principal, Walter Miller, advising him that his job was not challenging and that
he had received an intriguing job offer from another school district. He further explained
that he wanted to stay at Lee Middle School, but would really like to be involved with
more challenging issues. Walter Miller offered him an assistant principal assignment to
stay. Theory: __________________
6. Identify some inappropriate behavior of an individual or group functioning in a school
organization and explain the reason for that behavior. Support your response with at least
two theories. Then, describe the most appropriate leader behavior to use in addressing the
inappropriate behavior.
1. In today’s schools collaboration is least likely to exist under a leader that advocates:
a. Scientific Management.
b. Administrative Management.
c. The Bureaucratic Structure.
d. Open System Theory.
2. A school leader who addresses a school issue from a Human Relations perspective:
a. Seeks to find the most efficient means of addressing the issue with little regard for
the faculty.
b. Maintains that an efficient faculty is a happy faculty.
c. Believes that if the faculty’s needs, wants, and feelings are taken into
consideration organizational goals are likely to be met.
d. None of the above
3. A school leader of the Classical persuasion believes that:
a. The “one best way of performing a job can be identified.
b. Leaders should perform certain basic functions.
c. The leader should have ultimate authority and responsibility over everything that
goes on in the school.
d. All of the above
4. It is important for leaders of schools to realize that individuals in organizations function
as: a. Members of a formal group.
b. Individuals.
c. Members of informal groups.
d. All of the above
5. If the leader is considerate, uses democratic procedures whenever possible, and maintains
open lines of communication, he/she is practicing the beliefs of a:
a. Social Systems Theorist.
b. Classical Theorist.
c. Human Relation Theorist.
d. Both A and B
6. If the leader is concerned with the way community attitudes and opinions are influencing
a particular decision he/she is likely aware of:
a. Social Systems Theory.
b. Open System Theory.
c. Classical Theory.
d. none of the above
7. A member of the faculty with self-esteem needs is experiencing a need:
a. For recognition from others.
b. For many friends.
c. For a good feeling about oneself.
d. Both A and C
8. A member of the faculty who has a need to affiliate with other members of the faculty is
likely interested in fulfilling the desire to:
a. Belong to a group.
b. Confirm personal beliefs.
c. Share misery with others “in the same boat.”
d. All of the above
9. Herzberg’s studies revealed that:
a. All workers are motivated by good pay and working conditions.
b. There are two categories of worker needs that operate independently.
c. All workers are dissatisfied if not given responsible, challenging work.
d. There’s no way to predict whether something will satisfy or motivate workers.
10. Which of the following is not true relative to the culture of the organization?
a. Culture is the glue that binds the organization.
b. Culture enhances stability in the social system.
c. Culture facilitates an individual’s commitment to the group.
d. Culture provides a basis for predicting the consequences and outcomes of school
activities.
11. A leader that understands Theory X-Theory Y can account for how:
a. He/she perceives that employees will behave in organizational situations.
b. Employees behave.
c. Effective and efficient employees will perform.
d. All of the above
12. 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
anything related to their job.
b. Most people are pretty reliable and responsible employees.
c. When properly motivated, people can be self-directed and creative at work.
d. The organization should be structured without consideration for employees.
13. Social Systems Theory is best defined as:
a. Input, transformation process, internal environment, external environment, and
output.
b. Input, transformation process, and output.
c. Input, transformation process, external environment, and output.
d. Input, transformation process, and external environment.
14. There are several ways to define organizational behavior and thus the organization’s
culture. Which of the following would be most problematic for the school leader?
a. Failure to understand self
b. Using an autocratic leadership style
c. Failure to examine organizational-environmental relationships
d. Failure to impose a vision on the organization
15. When a collaborative culture exists in the organization:
a. People are valued as individuals, they support one another, display collegiality,
trust, openness, and professionalism.
b. The capacity for change is enhanced.
c. Teachers relinquish their personal positions.
d. All of the above
16. Relationship theories address:
a. The competitiveness that must exists between members of the faculty.
b. The connections that have to be formed between leader and follower.
c. The importance of understanding the culture of the organization.
d. None of the above
17. A number of researchers and writer are advocating that schools become learning
organizations. In order for schools to become learning organizations, school leaders must:
a. Foster collaboration and sharing of leadership task.
b. Have a faculty that is committed to achieving individual goals.
c. Make decisions in an autocratic manner.
d. Avoid addressing external environmental influences.
18. Which of the following is true?
a. The perceptions of both school leaders and stakeholders have influence on the
behavior that exists in school organizations.
b. Biases and preconceived notions cannot be eliminated.
c. The behavior of stakeholders never influences the behavior of school leaders.
d. It is not important for school leaders to understand the perceptions of
stakeholders.
1. How does Social Systems Theory inform leadership behavior that fosters the
development of an effective learning community?
2. Select one of the organizational theories and describe the leadership practices informed
by that theory.
3. Write a 300 word essay describing school culture and explain why it is critical for school
leaders to acquire an in-depth understanding of the organization that they are leading.
4. Describe the processes and procedures you would use as principal to create an effective
school climate.
5. Describe the processes and procedures you would use as principal to structure the school
for effective teaching and learning.
Power Points
The Power Points on the web that supports this chapter are titled, “Leader Behavior in
Organizations,” and “Defining Culture and Climate in Schools.”
Professor’s Scenario
Creating a Professional Learning Community
An urban elementary school principal was assigned to lead a new school that was being
constructed in a middle to high socioeconomic status community. The school was being built to
relieve two neighborhood schools that were exceeding their capacity and to keep students in their
feeder pattern.
Given that student would be transferred from the two area schools, several teachers in
those schools needed new assignments. However, the unfilled positions in the new school were
advertized and interested teachers were interviewed. Vacant positions in the school were staffed
through the interview process.
The Intensive Training
Day 1 of the leadership training focused on team building. The principal explained her
vision and mission for the school and invited members of the team to share in that vision. Having
presented her vision, Principal Williams asked team members to look at both the vision and
mission statements and write out how each would be exhibited in classrooms, through
This extensive training exercise is an example of how school culture can be developed.
In, The Four Dimension of Principal Leadership: A Framework for Leading 21st Century School,
Green (2010) speaks about the elements of school culture. He describes the elements as:
(5) Internal Organization – structure, culture, and climate
Day 1 of the leadership team training focused on step 4 – the process. Each activity
fostered a desire to lead in each individual grade level and department. The exercise of
interpreting the vision and mission statements and applying them individually provided decision-
Day 2 of the leadership team training focused on how the mission would be received by
parents and the larger community. Strategies and procedures for effectively communicating with
parents and community leaders were shared and practiced. Attendance incentives and discipline
Day 3 the team participated in curriculum planning and scheduling. Each grade level
chair worked to create curriculum maps to chart the path for instruction. Textbooks were
selected, and instructional materials were identified, and reviewed. The team collaboratively
selected the materials that they believed would best meet the academic needs of the students that
Day 4 of the meeting focused primarily on the internal organization of the school. The
topics discussed included: 1) professionalism when communicating with colleagues, students,
and parents; 2) maintaining trust within those conversations by being confidential, and 3) attire.
Day 5 of the leadership team training was a physical day. The entire team went to the
“under–construction” school site dressed in hard hats, goggles, and jeans. The team walked
through the entire building to see where each grade level would be placed and the rooms each
individual would occupy. Day 5 ended with the entire team sweeping and picking up scraps in
After the extensive leadership training, it was time to bring the remainder of the staff on
board for two weeks of transformational leadership, expanding the collaborative team concept
and fostering the professional learning community. The leadership team could understand and
appreciate the system that had been established as they had been a part of the developmental
process. Now they could share the new born school program with commitment and conviction.
Directions: Hold a classroom discussion on the activities in the scenario and have students
identify:
1. Situations that they would change.
2. Situations that they would keep the same.
3. Situations that can be spported by content from the chapter.
Chapter 4