Blazing New Trails - Connexions

62 CRITICAL ISSUES IN SHARED LEADERSHIP
Create a shared sense of purpose in the school;
Develop a climate of high expectations and a school culture focused on innovation and
improvement of teaching and learning;
Shape the reward structure of the school’s mission as well as goals set for staff and
students;
Organize and provide a wide range of activities aimed at intellectual stimulation and
the continuous development of staff;
Are a visible presence in the school, modeling the desired values of the school’s
culture. (p. 4)
Reflecting on differences, Hallinger (2007) noted that the transforming leaders
emphasize individualized support and development of goals that involve personal and
professional goals, and community membership rather than top down directives emphasized
in the instructional model. Differences that were identified included the:
Target of change (i.e., first order or second order effects)
Extent to which the principal emphasizes a coordination and control strategy vs. an
‘empowerment’ strategy for change in school. (p. 4)
Transformational and instructional leadership practices emphasize elements of change
through ideas and innovation working in a clear direction.
Hallinger (2007) further concluded that leadership studies should reference school
context. Student background, community, organizational structure, school culture, teacher
experience, fiscal resources, school size, etc., are all variables that affect leadership behavior
and practice. As Hallinger (2007) emphasized, “Leadership must be conceptualized as a
mutual influence rather than as a one-way process in which leaders influence others” (p. 5).
Organizational Learning and the Superintendent
Leaders of complex social systems are aware that successfully addressing the goals of
school reform and adjusting to a turbulent policy and financial environment require strategic
actions. Organization members must be provided with the opportunity to continuously learn
and adapt behavior through self organization and reflection. Schein (2004) indicated that the
effectiveness of an organization lies in the ability of the organization to develop a culture of
learning. This ability demands that the resources of individual organizational members be
employed, processes and relations rather than structure and rules are practiced, and
conversations are understood to be imperative for creating meaning and change.
Organizational learning is not about an individual’s ability to process information
(Easterby-Smith & Lyles, 2003; Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995) learning in organizations has
been defined as a group process and occurs through communication among members of an
organization (Fiol & Lyles, 1985; Garvin, 1993; Hanson, 2001; Leithwood & Aitken, 1995;
Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995). When information takes on a “social life,” it becomes knowledge.
As Fullan (2001) stressed, “If you remember one thing about information, it is that it only
becomes valuable in a social context” (p. 80). The result of this group learning process is the
creation of knowledge among individual members of an organization. As personal insights
and knowledge of individuals are shared and made available to others, knowledge is created
(Nonaka, 2007). Changes in practices, new understanding, and increased commitment occur