Chapter 5
Enhancing Leadership Effectiveness Through Communication
Chapter Overview
The purpose of this chapter is to emphasize the importance of communication in schools and the
need for school leaders to be effective communicators. In so doing, the communication process is
described, and removing barriers to effective communication is discussed. The ethics of
conversation are explored, and the relationship of communication to select ISLLC Standards is
demonstrated.
Learner Objectives
After reading this chapter, completing the prescribed activities, and addressing the discussion
questions, students should be able to:
❖ Understand that communication is a process that links individuals and groups, with the
organization.
❖ Explain why in areas of school leadership, there is no talent more essential than one’s
ability to communicate.”
❖ Realize the importance of acknowledging the receiver’s frame of reference.
❖ Realize the importance of being sensitive to cultural differences.
❖ Realize the importance of obtaining feedback from the receiver of the message.
❖ Understand that barriers can interfere with the effectiveness of the transmittal process and
cause a breakdown in communication, reducing the agreement that exists between the
sender and the receiver.
❖ Realize that in schools, for communication to be as effective as possible, the act of
receiving information must be separated from the act of judging information.
❖ Realize that if the act of receiving information is not separated from the act of judging
information, the flow of information may be discontinued or altered, and important
information could be lost.
Chapter Outline
Introduction
The Importance of Effective Communication
The Communication Process
The Flow of Communication in Schools
Communication: The Rise and Fall of School Leaders
Leadership for Today’s Schools
Scenarios
Chapter Summary
Suggested Readings
Professor’s Presentation
• Hold a Conversation with Students On Enhancing Leadership Effectiveness
through Communication using the Power Point of the same titled.
✓ Cognitive Dissonance Theory
✓ Communication Accommodation Theory
• Conduct Two or Three of the In-Class Activities
• Discuss Assignments for the Next Class Session
• Critique Writing
Discussion Questions
1. Serving in the role of principal, discuss some approaches that you would use to develop a
constituency for educational renewal of a school located in a large highly diverse
community.
4. What are some barriers that surface in your current work assignment that inhibits
communication effectiveness?
Key Terms and Concepts
➢ The Communication Process
➢ The Transmittal Process
➢ The Formal Communication Network
➢ The Informal Communication Network
➢ The Direction of Communication
Key Theories
There are a number of concepts that explain the process of communication. In this chapter some
of the concepts that are essential to effective communication in 21st century schools are analyzed.
The concepts analyzed are:
✓ Groupthink
✓ Staying Connected
✓ Active Listening
In-Class Activities
1. Select one of the communication concepts, define that concept and align it with an
ISLLC Standard. Then, discuss how the principles of the concept and the functions of the
ISLLC Standards can be applied to communication in today’s schools. In your
presentation highlight the key information.
2. Putting Communication Concepts to Work
You are the new principal of Clark Middle School. On any given day, there are 3 to 8 teachers
out of the building. The reasons they noted are, attending professional development sessions, and
a. Which communication concepts would you use to direct your behavior?
b. Justify your selection by aligning the principles of the concept with the facts in the
scenario.
3. Describe the characteristics of three (3) communication concepts and place each in the
context of a school situation.
1. Which of the following is most closely associated with paralanguage?
a. voice qualities
b. time
c. space
d. body language
2. Nonverbal communication can be defined as:
a. Non-word human responses such as gestures and facial expressions.
b. The perceived characteristics of the environment through which human verbal
and nonverbal messages are transmitted.
c. Both A and B
d. Neither A nor B
3. The space shuttle Challenger tragedy can be viewed as an example of:
a. Backward technology.
b. Communication breakdown.
c. Vindictive behavior.
d. Problems that can result from downward communication.
4. Communicating effectively means:
a. Telling people what you want them to do.
b. Telling people how you want them to behave.
c. Telling people what you think of their performance.
d. Articulating your message in a way that your listeners can easily understand
and accept.
5. The leader’s perceptions are important to effective communication because:
a. The leader must be able to determine the needs, problems, moods, or levels of
interest of the follower (s).
b. The leader must understand the feedback coming from followers in order to
adjust the message.
c. The leader must be able to determine the non-verbal signals that followers
find acceptable.
d. All of the above
6. If a leader is concerned with communication effectiveness, he/she must realize that:
a. Meaning is not transmitted.
b. The receiver gives meaning to the message.
c. Both meaning and feelings are important.
d. All of the above
7. Which of the following statements is true?
a. In the process of communication, the message can pass through “filters.”
These filters can occur as a result of both the sender’s and the receiver’s
perception of the message.
b. An individual’s leadership style is the behavior pattern the person exhibits
when attempting to influence the behavior of others.
c. Both A and B are true.
d. Neither A nor B is true.
8. Which of the following is true relative to defensive communication?
a. Defensive arousal prevents the listener from concentrating on the message.
b. Control, evaluation, and empathy are all characteristics of a supportive climate
in a small group setting.
c. Problem orientation, neutrality, equality, and control are all characteristics of
a defensive climate in a small group setting.
d. None of the above
9. The communication process can be motivational when school leaders:
a. Provide feedback on the results of faculty performance.
b. Provide flextime.
c. Provide monetary incentive.
d. Do not discuss the performance of faculty members.
10. Position power can be a barrier to effective communication because:
a. Followers will filter information being sent to school leaders if the
information is negative.
b. School leaders are in a position to reward or punish.
c. The power that is associated with the position could invoke fear in followers.
d. All of the above
11. Which are the following is important to effective communication?
a. The leader must be able to determine the needs, problems, moods, or level of
interest of followers.
b. In order to understand if the message was received as intended, the leader
must understand the feedback coming from followers.
c. The leader must be knowledgeable of non-verbal signals that followers find
acceptable.
d. all of the above
12. Active listening enhances communication effectiveness because when school leaders
are active listeners they:
a. Assist the sender of a message in conveying the total meaning of the message.
b. Do not have to assist the receiver in getting a clear understanding of the
message.
c. Have to struggle to acquire the meaning of the message.
d. Do not have to be sensitive to verbal and non-verbal clues.
13. Which of the following is likely to be the outcome when a school leader avoids
having a difficult conversation?
a. The school leader looses an opportunity to improve the situation
b. The situation will get worse
c. Feelings will fester
d. All of the above
14. When communicating a message, to be most effective, the school leader must indicate
to the receiver that:
a. Feedback is important and desired.
b. Both the meaning and the feeling behind a message are understood and
appreciated.
c. Body language and voice tone is not important.
d. Both A and B
15. As the use of the electronic mode of communication escalates, it is important for
school leaders to realize that:
a. The equipment used in this mode of communication belongs to the school
organization.
b. Using the communication for personal use is ok if it is used on school time.
c. Once information is deleted it can never be retrieved.
d. The use of electronic communication has shortened the work day.
16. The process of electronic communication that allows a school leader to write passages
and send those passages to individuals and groups via the internet is defined as:
a. Photocopying.
b. E-Mailing.
c. Video Conferencing
d. Electronic Meetings
17. Which of the following is not considered a professional practice when using
electronic communication?
a. The sender of a message should always make an attempt to respect the
feelings of the receiver.
b. When a message is less than positive the sender should consider other modes
of communication.
c. The receiver of a message should respect the sender of the message by
accepting and discussing the issue regardless of the time or his/ her location.
d. Cell phones can be used to increase the accessible of school leaders.
18. Which of the following is true?
a. Nonverbal behaviors are very important to the communication process.
b. Nonverbal behavior is not important if the verbal message is clear.
c. Regardless of the situation, the leader is always sending a message.
d. Both A and C
1. What is communication and why does it play such an important role in the effectiveness
of a school organization.
2. Outline a set of action steps that a school leader might take to establish an effective
system of organizational communication.
3. How might a school leader use the communication process to build positive interpersonal
relationships in the schoolhouse?
Power Points
The Power Point on the web that supports this chapter is “Can Talk Make Us Better?”
Professor’s Scenario
Communicating with Barbara Miller
Barbara Miller is a first year teacher in a suburban high poverty school in the southern
part of the United States. She acquired her teaching certificate from a university in upstate New
York and obtained her position as a result of being highly recommended by a very good friend of
the principal. After taking the job, she was advised by members of the faculty that Principal
Austin has high expectation for teachers and is punitive in his evaluation methods.
conversation she is not attentive and is more concern with instructional activities than improving
classroom management.
Course of Action
There are a number of communication challenges in this scenario. Students can be asked to
identify instances in the scenario that are aligned with the lack of effective communication.
Then, identify content from the chapter that would offer a solution to the challenge. Key points
for discussion are:
Linking the individual, the faculty, and the school
Establishing trust
School leadership and effective communication
Chapter 5