https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wd8mA6DfI8TEgvKuI7din-ajnj8M3Qg8/preview
Thursday, January 6, 2022
Topic 9: Leading Self – Managed Teams
Weekly Reflection
Week 10
2 January 2022
Assalamualaikum and bismillah.
As for this week's presentation, the group members who presented on the topic of Leading Self – Managed Teams did an outstanding job. Excellent definition, benefits, and drawbacks of self-managed teams and actual experiences by Mr Lim Thou Chun, one of the group members. During the presentation, Mr Adam posed a series of questions for the remainder of the class to contemplate and discuss. Those are the sort of things that I'm going to attempt to answer in my weekly reflection. Insha Allah.
Whenever I searched for self-managed teams, prominent names such as Google and Facebook showed up in the search engines, indicating that they had embraced self-managed teams focused on efficiency, flexibility, recruiting young people, and fostering creativity. We could observe how effective these organizations have been so successful all over the globe. Then why and how can self-managed teams have the possibility of failing since they are such a popular trend in organizations today? Self-directed teams are becoming more common in organizations, and they are often established since it has been shown that they are associated with greater productivity, career satisfaction, and commitment to the organization, among other things. Self-managed teams are sometimes referred to as self-directing teams, self-regulating teams, or autonomous teams, depending on their role in the organization.
Questions shared by my fellow coursemate that I wish to reflect:
a) What are the challenges of applying a self-managed team in our organization?
b) What are the factors that affect the self-managed team?
c) What are the weaknesses of a self-managed team?
d) In your opinion, will a self-managed team have a positive impact if applied in your organization? Yes/ No And why?
e) As a team member in an organization, how do you apply SMTs in education.
What are the challenges of applying a self-managed team in our organization?
From my point of view, forming a self-managed team is complicated and challenged by the need to distribute management power and duty among the team members. Leaders don't want their employees to bear responsibility for choices they've already made. Self-managed teams may face difficulties when having each team member specialize in a single activity. When any team member is absent from the group without a replacement who can carry out his responsibilities, the team's productivity may deteriorate. Furthermore, the issue of specialization in self-directed teams may affect the level of shared commitment among team members.
What are the factors that affect the self-managed team?
Many of the factors of having a great leader are shown through well-managed teams. To eliminate barriers and keep focused on the common goals, these teams frequently adopt more effective decision-making methods that include several points of view, more natural cooperation and give-and-take, and a shift toward action. From my 18 years of experience as a school teacher, it has been observed that younger generation teachers who are just starting the teaching profession are more concerned with acquiring competence than with advancing through the ranks, which might be seen as an opportunity. Self-managed teams are an excellent approach to expose this younger generation of teachers to a wider range of experiences while also allowing them to experiment with and master new skills via rotating responsibilities and learning from other team members.
What are the weaknesses of a self-managed team?
Despite their many advantages, self-managed teams are far from being a solution for increasing overall production levels. Self-managed teams are no exception when it comes to the difficulty of implementing and adjusting to a new organizational structure. Self-managed teams can require a significant amount of time to set up and perform well. The right and perfect people may not be available, and the correct combination of rapport, dedication, and competence is required for the success of the self-managed team. Furthermore, self-managed teams might become disorganized and demotivated without the necessary training. In schools, I believe that one of the most significant concerns of self-managed teams is inequality. A bias and a perception of favouritism have been seen in certain self-managed teams when compared to conventional teams. This discrepancy may result in suppressed creativity if team members are afraid to share ideas and the team falls prey to groupthink. Tons of meetings schedules, such as the Curriculum meeting, Co-Curriculum meeting, Panel meeting, Staff Club meeting and other similar gatherings, may cause a separation from overall goals and put a self-governing team on the incorrect path.
In your opinion, will a self-managed team have a positive impact if applied in your organization?
When it comes to self-managed teams, most teachers usually question whether they are prepared to go beyond their comfort zone and do something more challenging. Then I learned that it relies on becoming a teacher leader, both from the outside and those from inside the group. SMTs are used in schools to strengthen teachers' leadership abilities. SMTs operate on democratic principles inside the school organization. The teachers are given the power to make all decisions regarding their team. Each team member has a say in decision-making, and members agree on everything from the Takwim Tahunan to the teacher evaluation, such as Borang Keberhasilan.
As a team member in an organization, how do you apply SMTs in education?
If I were to apply self–managed team in education, it would be beneficial to offer the team members some basic guidance since self-managed teams are used to operating independently. I would suggest setting a few objectives for the team and recommending some best practices.
Self-managed teams often do their best when their members have a high level of confidence in one another and communicate well with one another. Consequently, if I were to use self-managed teams in education, I would start by forming a new self-managed team, which would allow me to plan some team-building activities at the outset of every project. It is possible that teams may feel more comfortable speaking with one another after participating in team-building activities to get to know one other better.
After my self-managed team has begun their work, I would consider defining the tools that they will be needed to interact with one another in order to be successful. When my team members all work in the same teachers' staff room, I may establish a specific space where they can all get together. I may install new team communication applications for teams that work online, such as WhatsApp groups, telegram groups, and other similar tools.
To conclude, it is a good idea to periodically examine the performance of my team members to verify that they are on track to accomplish project objectives. My team's performance can be improved by implementing strategies to enhance the functionality, such as providing an alternative approach for them to work or communicate, which will help them perform better. Depending on the nature of the project, I could do a progress review with the team. Providing positive comments to my team to support their great results is something I would do if they made significant improvements.
~ end ~
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Topic 8: Team Leadership
Weekly Reflection
Week 9
19 December 2021
Assalamualaikum and bismillah.
My coursemates shared an insightful presentation on 'Team Leadership' this week.
Imagine this; when people are in the same elevator and are going to their destined floor, they are just a group; however, they become a team when the elevator is stuck. Individuals who ride in the same elevator probably have some characteristics, such as working in the same building and on the same level, or working for the same employer and having comparable hobbies. The sheer fact that they have a similar interest qualifies them as a collective. If, on the other hand, the elevator malfunctions and they get stranded, the shared aim of "getting out of there" transforms this group into a cohesive unit.
What Is the significant distinction between a group and a team?
A group is a collection of mutually autonomous people with distinct purposes who are pulled together by their shared interests and experience to form a larger whole. Even though everyone in the group shares knowledge and resources, each member is ultimately accountable for their task. Each team member is assigned a unique set of duties, which only one person often carries out. The responsibilities are distinct and unrelated to one another. Passengers on a plane are an excellent illustration of this. Even though they all have different motives for being on the same aircraft, they are still a group.
On the other hand, a team is a collection of persons who work together to achieve a similar objective by working together as a group and sharing responsibilities. People who work in a team share a common understanding with their colleagues. They tend to emphasize one other's strengths and minimize their flaws when collaborating. Instead of the individual contributions expected of group members, the essential quality of a team is connection: the whole is larger than the sum of its members. Each member of a team contributes to the group's success as a whole. The duties and responsibilities of team members might overlap. For example, cabin personnel on an aircraft are just there to ensure that the passengers have a pleasant experience.
In my opinion, in school organizations, collaboration and teamwork are essential. Some school organizations may benefit from a professional loner, but collaborating with colleagues can yield superior outcomes in the long term. Working as part of a team is often essential to a project's success. An important soft skill is the capacity to collaborate with others. In addition to boosting your chances of acquiring a position and retaining it, it has a substantial impact. The administration and the teachers should strive to be excellent team players to succeed in the workplace. Having a team to help you achieve your personal goals is vital. Teachers' most excellent resource is each other. Fortunately, teamwork and collaboration are as common in schools as they might be. I've been a teacher for 18 years, so I'm familiar with the way things operate.
My first year as a secondary school teacher was etched in my mind. I began by adopting the same habits of preparation and working alone. I was an alone superhero who went home exhausted every day without the support or encouragement of my more experienced senior colleagues. Even though I was directly in front of people who could have provided me with valuable information, I was afraid to ask for it. I was only able to realize what I had been missing because of the compassion and grace of a few of my colleagues. When I asked for help, they went above and beyond, creating a friendship, and sharing a few inspirational stories with me. The assumption that I could be more efficient while planning and working alone turned out to be incorrect! When dealing with others, efficiency is rarely actually successful. The realization that I could accomplish far more and be far more productive and energetic if I was ready to share insights, ask for assistance, and trust in people took me a long time to realize. As I was a new teacher, the ability to collaborate and share ideas throughout the school year had a tremendous impact on me. Since then, I've shared and sought out others who need inspiration or ideas. Undeniably, some teachers have a history of shutting doors and doing things their way made it even more vital for teachers to collaborate, as the nature of teaching is so solitary.
All I'm saying is that having the title of professional and, more precisely, a teacher does not imply that you can operate alone. On the contrary, professionals from virtually every other industry are obliged to work in a team to increase performance. Professionals that achieve success in their fields rely on and share ideas with others in their area, whether they be doctors, psychologists, or salespeople. Working together to minimize stress is the most effective method available. Helping each other form meaningful connections that make people feel like they are a valued part of something bigger than themselves is the most effective strategy to alleviate workplace stress. Effective administrations will guarantee that teachers can collaborate on planning, sharing ideas, and supporting one another. Once teachers have had the opportunity to profit from collaborative efforts, they will undoubtedly value the camaraderie and creativity that it fosters.
~end~
Friday, December 17, 2021
Topic 7: Dyadic Relationships, Followership and Delegation
Weekly Reflection
Week 8
12 December 2021
Assalamualaikum and bismillah.
When my coursemates gave a presentation on dyadic relationships, the visual that sprang to me was a young graceful couple dancing the tango in the same room together. The man is in charge, while the lady is following after him. Even though they play diverse roles, they are in sync and work effectively as a team. However, dancers who are out of rhythm tend to step on each other's feet and move uncomfortably. So much so the graceful dancers must move in sync with one another; leaders and followers are also necessary to communicate effectively with one another for the relationship to be successful. When it comes to achieving a goal, the relationship interaction between the leader and the follower is very critical. Northouse (2018) refers to this as the "Leader-Member exchange," in which the "dyadic interaction between leaders and followers" is emphasised. This connection is centred on the leader's contact and mutual support with his or her followers. According to Northouse (2018), a leader and a member would have two sorts of relationships: in-group or out-group.
During my time as a coordinator (Penyelaras) for an event, it was easy for me to "clique" with specific teachers whose personalities matched mine, mainly when we collaborated. These people become a part of my 'in-group'. As a planner and event leader at that time, I worked hard to involve everyone and make them feel like they were a member of my in-group for the time I was in charge of the 'Majlis Persaraan Pengetua' event. It was challenging to do this since I had varying amounts of connections and relationships with each team member. Those teachers who were members of my in-group were the ones who stayed back after school to assist me in finishing off the job that I had set to prepare for the occasion. They took the initiative to accomplish things in a way that was beyond our imagination and fill in the gaps, even though they were not responsible for them.
At moments, some teachers from my in-group took the effort to get packed food for the whole committee members, even though it was already late evening and we were still decorating and arranging the background, stage, and other props. I had several encounters with members of my in-group who took on additional tasks and went above and beyond their work description and expectations. They developed a strong working connection with me, as a consequence of which I can provide further knowledge and concern for them. I discussed thoughts and decisions that we would make throughout the event's preparations. I truly cared about their personal life to ascertain their general well-being.
On the other hand, committee members who were from my 'out-group' would only remain and contribute at certain times of the event. When their assigned duty had been completed, they would go, even though there were many more things need to be completed. The out-groupers were those members who did precisely what was required of them by the responsibility agreement I had with them. I wished to establish a stronger connection with members of my out-group. I occasionally joined them at recess in the canteen, which enabled us to be more casual and get to know one another better. As Northouse (2018) puts it, the second phase is about "improving our career-related social exchanges" to enhance our interactions with one another as we carry out our tasks and obligations. Some members, on the contrary, were determined about avoiding becoming part of the in-group and preferred to stay in the out-group instead. They merely wanted to complete their job at certain hours and just return home without staying back after school. As a result, they continued to be considered an out-group.
As a leader, I'd want to cultivate more connections and develop a rapport with my members that further than just the stranger phase. This avoids conflicts and biases between in-groups and out-groups. The dyadic theory's flaw is its tendency for out-groups to be treated unjustly. As a leader, I think I should devote more time, effort, acknowledgement, and give recognition to members within the in-group and learn not to outcast the out-group.
Besides the Dyadic theory of leadership, I'd like to reflect on followership. The absolute opposite of leadership is that of following. Given the importance of leadership in terms of performance, it is reasonable to assume that followership is also significant. Followership is a simple notion that everybody can understand. It is the capacity to follow directions well, to fall in line behind a project, to work as a member of a team, and to deliver on the responsibilities that are placed on your shoulders. To be a follower does not imply mindlessly following commands or being a 'puppet' in the hands of others. As opposed to this, followership is all about connecting with your leadership competently to benefit both you and your organisation. Furthermore, mastering the art of being a great follower is a prerequisite to being a genuinely great leader in any field.
In the context of school, being a good follower entails relinquishing control of a situation and recognising that your contributions are vital to the success of any particular school project. When a leader is also a good follower, they will recognise when it is appropriate to step aside and allow others to take the lead. This is how a leader develops emotional intelligence. In conclusion, leadership and followership are intertwined, like the two wings of a bird, and form an indivisible system. Failure-safe followership strategies may help you be more successful in your career and better prepare you for leadership positions later on. Insha Allah.
Reference
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: theory and practice (8th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Sunday, December 5, 2021
Topic 6: Communication, Coaching and Conflict Skills
Weekly Reflection
Week 7
28 November 2021
Assalamualaikum and bismillah. The topic for this week is leadership, which includes communicating, coaching, and dealing with conflicts and disagreements. There is no one-size-fits-all style of leadership; a great leader can adjust their approach to the circumstances. Additionally, these types also need communication skills. One of the definitions of communication, as we all know, is:
'The sharing of information between individuals or groups to reach a common understanding to accomplish organizational goals and objectives.'
Nevertheless, communication is a critical component of leadership, which means that a successful organization and effective communication are inextricably linked. A successful leader must be an excellent communicator, able to communicate effectively at all levels, speak in broader communities, and perhaps worldwide. One of the most common occurrences in education is that we often encounter miscommunications between colleagues and the administrations. When an individual delivers one message, but the recipient gets something very different. Several factors need to be considered to get effective merely one-on-one communication. That includes (all three sides; sender, receiver, and message), the tone of voice, improper listening, missing information, presumptions about the message, and confusing explanations. Luthra and Dahiya (2015) have proposed a conceptual model of effective leadership communication. According to this concept, successful communication and leadership, when combined, contribute to greater understanding among team members and the leader.
Coaching is the next sub-topic of my journal reflection. Imagine your school principal saying this to you:
"You're never on time, are you?" This is a really reckless act. Without getting your act together, you will be kicked out of this institution."
Some school principals believe that this is a practical kind of performance coaching. However, in actuality, it is criticism and not particularly helpful criticism at all! Teachers who have received such criticism are unlikely to be strongly motivated to change; instead, they are more likely to be depressed or dissatisfied. They will most likely declare they will improve only to get the principal off their backs and out of their way. And although things may seem to be improving for a brief period of time, the issue will come back and resurface. To have a more productive discussion, coaching rather than criticism is recommended. The contrast between coaching and criticism is that coaching is intended to enhance performance, but criticism is often used to vent anger. Coaching may include having a difficult conversation about a problem; criticism, on the other hand, typically involves having a difficult conversation about the person. Coaching is a two-way discussion of performance in pursuit of answers, while criticism is a one-way negative discussion of performance intended only to alleviate the manager's irritation.
Well, the last issue that I would like to write about is conflict. The first thing we must recognize is that workplace conflict is a reality that must be dealt with. There are just three options: accept the situation, ignore the problem, or deal with the situation. We are often confronted with conflict from the beginning of our professional lives, yet effectively managing conflict is a critical ability for effective management and may make the difference between being a successful leader or failed leader.
Schools may be a fertile place for conflict.
Schools and other educational institutions are particularly conducive to conflict. For one reason, schools are made up of diverse groups of students engaging with classmates and adults of varying ages, for example, junior and senior teachers and administrators. If we encounter conflicts among our colleagues or the school principal, we, as professionals, may act as mediators, bringing order and charting a path to resolution. Numerous mediators use role-playing, which helps alleviate tensions by injecting laughter into the conflict resolution process. It can develop a greater capacity for empathy for both conflicted colleagues.
When I was 'Ketua Panitia' for English Panel, we had an English teacher who retired, and we got a young teacher to replace her. I was looking forward to this young teacher's new ideas for the classroom. She served as an excellent role model for our students, and she participated in after-school activities with them. I paired her with a senior teacher that would be a great mentor for her to learn from. It seemed to me that the senior teacher may provide her with some helpful classroom management advice (which is always challenging for new teachers). Little did I realize my so-called formula caused a catastrophe. The senior teacher was uninterested in mentoring the newbie. The new teacher was displeased with being regarded as a student. Consequently, some student behaviours were allowed in the class of this new young teacher but were deemed improper in the mentor's eyes. The mentor believed the young teacher was more concerned with popularity than academic achievement, while the junior said that the senior instructor was too harsh.
I planned a meeting with them separately but finally decided that it would be best to meet them all together and lay everything out. None of them wanted to accept that they were incapable of cooperating. Finally, both recognized the conflict between them and realized they could have accomplished a more effective job. It was humiliating to have to refer them to the principal and speak with them about their behaviour. They became close friends after that and continued working together.
When you are in an administrative position, it is your responsibility to assist your teachers in resolving problems. These circumstances may deteriorate to the point where they might jeopardize the students' education, which is the last thing we want as educators. The most important thing is that you have a good rapport between your colleagues and your staff/teachers, then you can guarantee that any issue can be resolved smoothly, promptly, and thoroughly.
Reference
Anchal Luthra & Dr. Richa Dahiya. (2015). Effective leadership is all about communicating effectively. International Journal of Management & Business Studies vol.5, Issue 3
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Topic 5: Contingency Leadership Theory
Weekly Reflection
Week 6
21 November 2021
Assalamualaikum and bismillah. To begin my reflection on this week’s group presentation, I would like to start with a story of Walter Elias Disney. I believe everyone knows him. We even grew up with all his masterpieces. Walter Elias Disney is most famous for being the creator of the Walt Disney Company. Did you know he was also a visionary, an innovator, and a remarkable leader? Disney's adaptive leadership approach enabled the company to grow into one of the world's most profitable entertainment empires. Disney was a believer in involving his employees in decision-making. He would sometimes gather everyone in the studio and recreate scenes to show his ideas. He hoped that his staff share his enthusiasm as well. The leadership style used by Disney is a part of the larger
Contingency Leadership Theory.
Well today, I would like to discuss Contingency Theory in my blog. What the group presenters have discussed in their PPT slides was very clear cut. The definition and the types of Contingency Leadership Theory. So what are those?
From the above image, when it comes to identifying distinctive leadership styles, contingency theory emphasises three critical variables. They include the following: traits, behaviour, and situation. From my point of view, the efficacy of a leader is not contingent on their talents only. External elements such as the environment, culture, and interpersonal interactions all affect the leadership process. Regardless of how good leaders they are, there will be moments they certainly struggle to satisfy expectations at some level. As an example recently our country Malaysian was and is still hit by the pandemic of Covid 19. Many successful leaders of companies need to shut down their businesses no matter how established they were before. For example chains of hotels in Penang have been closed due to Covid 19 such as Hotel Equatorial Penang, Holiday Inn, etc. That is the contingency action taken by the manager/leader to cease the operations although it’s a difficult decision to make.
The other crucial part to discuss in Contingency Leadership Theory is the types of its theory. Back to the school context, I've seen several school principals in school apply the same type of leadership style to all scenarios, which is ineffective since all situations are unique and must be addressed individually. When they apply comparable styles to all scenarios, it may result in poor outcomes and performance from the teachers since a default style will not operate efficiently in all situations.
There are two types of Leadership Models in Contingency Leadership; prescriptive and descriptive. But I’m very much interested to reflect on the prescriptive type of leadership. ‘Prescriptive tells users exactly which style to use in a given situation. It guides or directs the activities and behaviours of others toward goals, opportunities’. Without reading attentively, you may conclude that prescriptive leadership functions by prescription, telling others what to do. That is just false. As you continue reading, you'll see that prescriptive leadership requires the leader to follow a prescription from the book when deciding how to consult with his or her team. I have encountered a few school principals who are ‘by the book’; by following the official rules very strictly and insist on doing everything by the book. The funny thing is, many teachers will run away screaming when they bump into the prescriptive type of leadership. They will imagine a nasty principal pointing finger giving instructions on what to do. But actually, it’s not that bad. It just means the leader is following the rules and deciding how to make it work with his team members that’s all.
Last but not least, another issue I would like to reflect on is about Normative Decision Model. It was talked over during the open discussion session. A normative decision-making model is a leadership approach that enables leaders to choose the extent to which their team members should engage in decision-making. Victor Vroom, in collaboration with Philip Yetton and Arthur G. Jago, developed this model, which is frequently referred to as the Vroom-Yetton-Jago model. My first reaction to this approach is that we make hundreds of choices every day. Some are little, such as what to prepare for lunch, while others are major, such as whether to purchase a new car or home. Often, before a choice can be made, we must first decide how the decision will be made. Are you the one who decides what to prepare or do you consult your family first? My decision is always decided by my children. Having three grown-up daughters makes me less decision-maker. The Normative Decision model defines five distinct management techniques characterised by differing degrees of leader and team members’ involvement. Imagine that I am the project leader, my family is my team members, and tonight's dinner is my ultimate project. Here are the decision-making styles I may use, ranging from the most autocratic, in which the management makes the choice, to the most democratic, in which the team makes the decision.
In conclusion, people are hard to be managed. Managing team members are even difficult. The leader has the same objective - to encourage and interact with team members - but not every team member responds to the same approach, type and style. However, if the leader treats each team member differently, this might be seen as partiality, resulting in conflict. Perhaps in the school context, a teacher gets special treatment compared to other teachers. probably the teacher has a problem adapting to a certain style of leadership approach. Thus, the issue is: How can a leader encourage and apply theories and styles successfully with his or her team members while simultaneously being and seeming fair?
Sunday, November 28, 2021
Topic 4: Influencing: Power, Politics, Networking, and Negotiation
Weekly Reflection
Week 5
14 November 2021
Assalamualaikum and bismillah. This week’s group presentation discussed Leadership with Influencing Power, Politics, Networking, and Negotiation. Having to sit and listen to the presenters talking about politics, influence, tactics, etc. chilled me to the bones. Well, everyone leads differently. The best leader will understand how to use their power to influence his team members and develop that connection power through politicking. First and foremost let’s look at some definitions.
„Influencing – The process of affecting others’ attitudes and behaviour to achieve an objective.
„Power - Leadership power is the influence that leaders have over their followers. It persuades others to support their efforts and do as they ask.
„Politics - The process of gaining and using power and it’s a fact of life in organizations.
After listening to the group presentation, I have gained knowledge of nine influencing tactics practised by the leaders in organizations, types of power in leadership, and behaviours that characterized politically skilled individuals as leaders. I was never brought up to think that employers/leaders could play major roles in influencing their employees. In the school context, when the school principal asks for a favour from the teacher to do something; let’s say becoming a coordinator to organize an event, then he promises you a reward (APC) but at the same time threaten to load you with more works if you fail to accomplish the mission. Would you do it? Maybe yes. But would you ‘be happy’ to do it? Maybe not! Now let’s look at another situation. Your principal persuades you to handle and become the coordinator for ‘Projek Taman Mini Rumah Hijau’ for an upcoming national level inter-school competition. Your principal somehow manages to change your attitude and beliefs about this little project. You could see the importance and the value of the task given to you. Now, not only you are willing to comply with your principal’s request, but you also be on board with his vision and feel so motivated to take action. So what is the difference between these two situations? Yes. One relies on power, and the other is mainly using influence tactics. In each given scenario, a competent leader knows which technique will be most effective. But, if we one day become a leader, how can we adapt to implement the influence strategies effectively?
What is an influence tactic?
‘Influence tactics are strategies that leaders can use to change their employees' attitudes, values, or behaviours’. These tactics can vary depending on the situation. For example in the school context, the middle leaders (Ketua Panitia) might use different tactics to influence their superiors (Ketua Bidang) and their subordinates (junior teachers). A very good and effective leader will know the best influence tactics to be used to achieve their desired mission. For example, a school principal may wish to influence his teachers to:
+ understand the importance of in-service training courses like coming to school on Saturday for LDP (Latihan Dalam Perkhidmatan)
+ recognize the significance of the SPM exam by staying back after school to organize ‘Teknik Menjawab Soalan SPM’ with all SPM candidates.
In terms of power, in a leadership context, I would suggest all leadership involves power. Leaders who fully utilize their power would be able to influence and engage their employees and motivate them to accomplish their mission. For example, the legitimate power acquired by the school principal. It is not written in the teacher’s service handbook that they must stay back after school to attend meetings. But with the teachers being absent, there are informal rules of conduct that teachers must comply with the display of legitimate power of the principal. Nevertheless, I would like to give credit to those leaders who have the reward power where they can give rewards to the team members. Rewards and positive reinforcement work best when it involves all team members such as ‘Jamuan Akhir Tahun’ where the school principal would treat all teachers after working so hard throughout the year.
From the politics in leadership perspective, the greatest foundation of politics in an organization is the ability of the leader to work well with other team members. Like money, politics in leadership is neither good nor bad. The common political behaviours in leadership are networking (the process of developing relationships to socialize), reciprocity (creating obligations and developing alliances and using them to accomplish objectives), and coalitions (it is developed for achieving a specific objective). I come to know that networking is all about effective communication. For example, a school principal who wants his teachers to complete the annual Self-Assessment (PBPPP), may want to enlighten the teachers and spend a little bit of time talking about the evaluation of excellence criteria.
In a nutshell, I have learnt a lot from the presentation inputs. There are several forms of influence tactics, some of which are more effective than others. We as teachers undoubtedly have seen some of them in action and may even have used them ourselves. I've also learned that, just as each school principal offers their unique set of abilities and talents to an organisation, each middle leader, such as Penolong Kanan, Ketua Bidang, and Ketua Panitia, brings their leadership style to the table. Every leader demonstrates at least one of the leading powers, regardless of how they lead a team.
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Topic 3: Leadership Behaviour and Motivation
Weekly Reflection
Week 4 (14 November 2021)
Assalamualaikum and bismillah. I would like to begin my weekly reflection with a quote,
‘The real power of a leader is in the number of minds he can reach, hearts he can touch, souls he can move, and lives he can change.’
by Matshona Dhliwayo
This week’s reflection is about leadership behaviour and motivation. The presenters touched on Leadership Styles as it indicates the combination of traits, skills, and behaviours leaders use as they interact with followers. One of the presenters did mention about three main leadership styles. Each effective leader establishes a leadership style based on their personality, goals, and culture, using one of three leadership styles: autocratic, democratic, or laissez-faire.
I remember two years back when the SPM result of my school was through the roof! My Pengetua was having a thought of planning a committee to put together a small ‘jamuan’ to thank all the teachers who have been pushing so much effort in getting such a result. It happened that I was the one to be in charge as coordinator (penyelaras) of leading this small event. In my mind, I kept thinking if I practised an autocratic style of leadership, I could demand things be done exactly to my specifications, but my teachers' committee may quit or end up disliking the event. If I laid back and operated in a laissez-faire style, then I would end up setting the event by myself as everyone would do their own thing. So one of the committees suggested we did a bit of port luck where teachers brought in food so we could have the feast together. Another committee member suggested we ordered desserts and some other committee planned to be in charge of the drinks. Because I was the coordinator and I knew very well the committee I have assembled were creative and competent and can be fully utilized so I applied a democratic style of leadership. And you know what, this democratic style of leadership brought out the best ideas and it ensured all aspects of the plan work in tandem so beautifully. So it was a successful event.
Then the other group member presented about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs which fascinated me to write my reflection. The definition has clearly stated that ‘people are motivated through levels of needs which begin a basic life-sustaining needs and progress to life and work satisfaction needs.’
In the context of leadership and engagement to the motivation, the hierarchy above may be applied to the five mindsets of employees (teachers). If Maslow’s hierarchy of needs were applied widely to schools, I would be the most excited person by the idea of having Maslow’s concept amongst the school administrators and the teachers. Maslow’s needs no doubt, remain as it is, but I would like to see how the administrators determine if they are providing the environment and experiences that will allow the school teachers to successfully meet their needs. This concept can be shifted from the view of teachers. And move to how the school culture could also give an impact on teachers’ ability to be successful. Well, what if a teacher who is lack self-esteem that could make him unable to perform his job well. For instance, a very young capable teacher who has successfully produced high achievers because of his hard work and his dedication. Yet, APC (Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang) is not awarded to him because he is ‘not-senior-enough’ or because he is ‘still new in the service’. That is the ‘culture’ that we are practising at the school level. Seniority. Well, that is something the administrators should be looking at to boost the employees’ self–esteem to achieve the uppermost stage of self-actualization.
Perhaps it is time for the administrators and teachers to work hand in hand to become partners exploring the educational realm together regardless of age, gender, or skin colour. Perhaps the administrators could also learn from the teachers and vice versa, finding new ways to communicate and connect. So what is the takeaway here? We may explore Maslow’s stages of progression as they could motivate teachers. However, these stages are not mutually incompatible from the administrators’ perspective. But in my opinion, if the lower level is significantly weak, it tends to divert attention away from the higher levels. Perhaps the lesson for administrators i.e, Pengetua, Penolong Kanan, Ketua Bidang, or even Ketua Panitia is to make sure that your teachers feel motivated, safe and integrate into their surroundings. They will be happier to concentrate on doing a good job and growing in their profession if they do not feel unmotivated, and they feel like part of the team. ~ end ~
Monday, November 22, 2021
Topic 2: Leadership Traits and Ethics.
Weekly Reflection
Week 3 (31 October 2021)
Assalamualaikum and bismillah. I would like to begin my weekly reflection with an anecdote. Imagine you are in a situation where you are teaching and your principal is at the back of your class observing you. Your students do not seem to cooperate and the session is far from what you have expected. It is very painful to watch but the lesson must go on. The principal is looking at you. One boy is hitting the desk as if he’s stirring the whole class against you. The other keeps yelling your name seeking your attention Your students’
crabbiness leads to petty annoyances, spiralling into disorder making you shake yourself into little sense. Perhaps, making eye contact with your favourite student (which I always did), would ease the sadness behind the soft smile. At this moment all the theories and principles of being a good leader come flashing and flickering in the corner of your eyes. You are well aware of all those traits and ethics of being a good leader in handling your class and they are at your fingertips. At that moment, you are thinking of adopting those traits into practise and how to change the traits accordingly to resolve the current and existing problem.
This is where leadership traits come into the picture. To adapt according to the situation, a leader must acquire the Big 5 Model of Personality. Group one who presented these personality traits has drawn me to reflect on them.
Gazing back on the anecdote earlier, these 5 traits have a strong relationship with teachers as it affects the quality of teachers’ instructions towards their students. Teachers appear to be particularly interested in listening to the problems of others (Openness), connecting with people, and caring for others (Agreeableness). So yes, the Big 5 Personality does make a good teacher/leader in whatever situation he is confronting.
The group also presented on Traits of Effective Leaders. If you encounter a situation as in the anecdote earlier, one of the traits of an effective teacher/leader is flexibility. An effective teacher/leader excels at being adaptable and being flexible, which means they can adapt to any kind of situation; hectic or stressful; yet still make the students feel attached and feel valued. As the teacher grows in his or her job and acquires more experience with each new challenge, this effectiveness in terms of flexibility emerges.
Other than that, the presenters also discussed Theory X and Theory Y approaches which I found fascinating. Two approaches (Theory X and Y) to encourage employees are described as this is also closely related to teachers in their teaching practice. At the school level, the use of theories X and Y might lead to the principal stigmatising the teachers. Thus, school principals who understand this theory well will use Theory Y that will guide them to have better outcomes in the teaching profession. Reflecting on the earlier anecdote, a good principal should and always support the teachers who are struggling with their students. Rather than criticizing, the school principal should motivate the teachers and not label them as not capable.
Last but not the least, I would like to pour my opinion on Pygmalion Effect. The group one presenters talked about how the Pygmalion effect occurs in leadership traits and ethics as well as in the teaching profession. According to the theory, the increased expectations of a person contributes to higher performance. The contrary is also true: if someone is held to low expectations, they are more likely to do poorly. This suggests that a teacher's belief in a student's skills may have an impact on the student's future accomplishment. This phenomenon has been demonstrated in the teaching field, particularly when it comes to teachers who intentionally and unintentionally push their students to meet their predetermined expectations. As a piece of advice, we as the teacher must know our students’ capabilities not to push them beyond the level they couldn’t achieve.
All in all, the third session with Dr Roslizam was fruitful and insightful. I have learnt a lot through discussions shared by classmates and Dr Roslizam himself. Sharing his experiences on Leadership Traits and Ethics was an eye-opener for my future reference.
Topic: Introduction to Leadership
Weekly Reflection
Week 2 (24 October 2021)
I would like to start my weekly reflection by stating the definition of leadership. Dr Roslizam shared with us PPT slides describing characteristics of world leaders such as Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, etc. As for me, leadership may be defined as someone who possesses certain characteristics and personalities which he enables to hold, move or direct certain group members to achieve a target or goal. A good leader can somehow control, or even instruct his group members to work ‘with’ not ‘for’ him. It is a skill to influence others that not everyone could acquire. According to Al-Shamsi et all (2018), leaders are a key source of influence on organizational variables as well as productivity. It is the ability to persuade others to achieve the targeted objective. I’m very much attracted by the slides shown by Dr Roslizam on Adolf Hitler, the chancellor of Germany. Although he had committed genocide by destroying a certain group of people, still ‘his people’ elected him to be their leader. I presume he had skills that enabled him to lead his country.
As I was a teacher; technically a leader in my organization; leading my students to accomplish what has been planned at the end of our journey. The concept of teachers being a leader is now widely accepted as the aim and goal is to enhance the teaching quality as well as students learning. Wenner and Campbell (2017) supported this concept as teacher leadership aims to promote student learning and achievement, including to develop the school organisation altogether.
Why leadership is important? Dr Roslizam mentioned the key elements why being a leader is crucial in our society. Some factors are :
■ For crises
■ For organizational performance
■ For employee job satisfaction
■ For successful management
To be precise, to handle a critical situation, a leader must develop a strong team because it does not work one way. To achieve top-notch performance, without trust and cooperation between the ‘captain’ and his ‘crew’, the ship will be doomed.
I was also fascinated with Dr Roslizam explanation of the characteristics of Manager vs Leader. It is very clear cut that managers and leaders possess slightly different personality traits
Managers ■ Administer ■ Maintain ■ Control ■ Short-term view ■ Ask “how & when” ■ Imitate ■ Accept status quo ■ Do things right
| Leaders ■ Innovate ■ Develop ■ Inspire ■ Long-term view ■ Ask “what & why” ■ Originate ■ Challenge status quo ■ Do the right things
|
In reflecting upon the differences between manager and leader, I remember back in 2003 just being posted as a new young teacher in one of the schools in Kuala Lumpur, I often denied the important role of being a teacher leader. I felt it was not important back then without realizing that it was the most crucial element regardless of how young you were. I was teaching the Upper Six students who were just 5 years younger than me. I kept my distance and had my own space. Shondrick, Dinh, & Lord (2010) proposed that, when leaders’ behaviours are not aligned with followers’ expectations (either higher or lower), followers may evaluate them as being laissez-faire. Technically I was a laissez-faire!
I could manage to control them but not inspire, maintaining the bond but unable to develop new rapport, and I always thought I did things right without knowing I must do the right things with my students by challenging or even motivating them. In a leadership context, Wills (2015) identified three main areas why leadership is important. Firstly, it is important for a leader to display his competence in working professionally with their colleagues; in my situation with my students which I did not demonstrate especially when handling the critical situation. Secondly, Wills emphasizes the importance of collaborating with colleagues and lastly, participating in decision making. These are the important elements that make a leader effective. If you don’t possess any of these then you are incompetent.
To sum up, towards the end of the lecture, Dr Roslizam asked a question for us to ponder. What is the best leadership style? People; teachers specifically; have their preference and style of leadership. For me, sticking to one style could be effective but not in the long term. As we grow and become more mature, we tend to change and broaden our leadership styles. I hope one day, I could find the style that enables me to make difference in someone’s life.
Reference:
Al-Shamsi, R., Ameen, A., Isaac, O., Al-Shibami, A. H., & Sayed Khalifa, G. (2018). The Impact of Innovation and Smart Government on Happiness: Proposing Conceptual Framework. International Journal of Management and Human Science (IJMHS), 2(2), 10-26.
Shondrick, S. J., Dinh, J. E., & Lord, R. G. 2010. Developments in implicit leadership theory and cognitive science: Applications to improving measurement and understanding alternatives to hierarchical leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 21: 959-978.
Wenner, J. A., & Campbell, T. (2017). The theoretical and empirical basis of teacher leadership: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 20(10), 1–38. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316653478
Wills, A. (2015). A case study of teacher leadership at an elementary school. Unpublished Certificate of Advanced Study Thesis. Sacred Heart University. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/edl/6
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