Fullan chapter 1 leadership change 504

Fullan (2004) provides a comprehensive and insightful guide to the models of leadership for change - the 5 components of leadership (pp 3-9):

• moral purpose - making a positive difference. Leaders need to be guided by moral purpose to be effective in complex times and is critical to the long-term success of organisations. All organisations must have a HIGH moral purpose and be committed to communicating these through everyday activities.
• understanding change - innovation is not change; there will be early difficulties of trying something new (implementation dip); resistance is a potential positive force; reculturing is required; change is complex. Leaders recognise that change is inevitable and complex; and that they must be sensitive to others needs during times of change as well as motivating them to enact change.
• building relationships - leaders need to build relationships with diverse people and groups, especially with people different from themselves. Requires one-on-one interactions, knowing others interests, effective communication skills, recognising and rewarding achievements and leading by positive example.
• creating and sharing knowledge - leaders continually generate and increase their knowledge from within and outside the organisation. Turning information into knowledge is a social process - you need good relationships.Is essential to the growth and change of any organisation or individual. To do this you effectively you need to build trusting relationships with others, being open and honest in all communications, and sharing not only ideas but resources.
• making coherence - integrating, focusing amid complexity. Requires leaders to live in two worlds. They must create structure that eliminate contradictions and create sustained coherence but also not let those control change as this stifles creativity.

Effective leaders also possess:

• energy, enthusiasm & hope. They "cause" greater moral purpose in themselves, bury themselves in change, naturally build relationships and knowledge and seek coherence to consolidate moral purpose.
• effective leaders make people feel that even the most difficult problems can be tackled productively.

Leaders who possess the 5 capacities generate long-term commitment from their employees (or those under them). The leader feels committed and they engage others to tackle tough problems.

The outcome of effective leadership is that more good things happen and fewer bad things happen. This is an excellent concept as in schools, the good things that occur are enhanced student performance, increased capacity of teachers, greater involvement of parents and community members, engagement of students, satisfaction and enthusiasm about going further, and greater pride for all involved.

Such qualities are imperative to effectively managing the dynamic changes bombarding quality educational initiatives. Preparing TLs for leadership also begs the question to the understandings school Principals have in dynamic leadership in these everchanging times. Do they understand leadership or management? Do they really understand the powerful impact TLs and other staff can have in the school and how to harness it? I also see our TL leadership role impacting on our administrative leaders as they too grapple with the pace of change.

Change in schools, like in other organisations, does not happen overnight. It takes time and trust needs to be established. I like Fullan's views of the characteristics of effective leaders of change as it provides a good insight into the attributes that leaders should model and strategies they could implement to create a vision for school libraries, to motivate a team of staff and to work collaboratively with other teaching staff and school administration. Enthusiasm and energy from TLs is essential in their interactions in order to see change take place.

I must admit that this first chapter by Fullan introduced to me quite clearly the various aspects of leadership. I don't think that I had considered leadership in this fashion before reading this chapter. I have read little (prior to this study) on leadership, my understanding of leadership comes from my knowledge gained over the years though seeing leaders on the political stage, in sport and in life. I had certainly not read anything about leaders working towards change.