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Margaret Hughes
Grand Canyon University
EAD 501-0101: Educational Administration: Foundations for the Developing Leader
Dr. Tammie Patterson
May 29, 2024
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Leadership Philosophy
Leadership entails being the forefront of an organization or group. One’s character and
actions are closely watched by other’s and affect’s those impacted by them. Having strong
morals and values builds the foundation of an effective leader. When it’s comes to my
philosophy, my values are equity, purpose, attainable goals, opportunity for continuous
improvement that will lead to effectiveness within the workplace. Alverà quoted in chapter 10 in
our Leadership text stated, “Purpose is in the intersection of what someone is really good at
doing” what his/her talents impact what the world requires of them (Northouse, 2022). The
center of decision making comes within one’s purpose. Researching several leadership styles, I
found I identify my leadership traits with authentic and transformational leadership. As I value
other’s needs, priorities, and perspectives into the decisions made to push for student
achievement and morale of staff. I also am driven in risk taking through trial and error to
determine what is effective vice versa.
Authentic Leadership
Authentic leadership values transparency, morals, and solution oriented to fulfilling the
needs of others. “People feel apprehensive and insecure about what is going on around them, and
as a result, they long for bona fide leadership they can trust and for leaders who are honest and
good” (Northouse, 2022). For example, during the pandemic of 2020, the world turned to leaders
of WHO on the next steps for preparedness and survival. In schools, children looked up to their
teacher for guidance/support, and teachers turn to leadership for the next steps in online learning
that was unfamiliar to millions. Pivotal points happen in the academic school year with testing,
weathering events, family dilemmas, etc. it is an authentic leader’s duty to recognize and endorse
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those to be safe and prepared (Silva, 2023). Creating a safe inviting atmosphere for staff will
transpire to students feeling safe at school.
Servant Leadership
Servant leadership prioritizes the needs of others and fulfilling other’s needs over
themselves. Greenleaf states servant leaders, “prioritize the fulfillment of others' (i.e.,
employees') growth needs and serving others above and before anything else” (He, 2024). In
education, our purpose is to serve students at the best of our abilities to grow them as scholars
and lifelong learners. After completing the questionnaire in chapter 10, I scored highest on
conceptual skills. The value of conceptual skills in the leadership role is essential in finding
solutions to problems that arise, getting ahead of issues to occur on decision making, and setting
the bar high with attainable goals driven towards student achievement. Holding true to strong
morals by being open, honest, and fair to others leads to the success in leadership (Northouse,
2022). Having the lens for seeking solutions based on observations, instinct, and evidence is
what makes an effective servant leader.
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership take more risks and aren’t discouraged to take chances. In
chapter 8 of Leadership, it related transformational leaders are like architects, pioneers,
visionaries, and optimists. As self-efficacy is an essential skill within students, teachers, and
administration to display integrity. It takes a transformational leader to build self-efficacy skills
up in subordinates to motivate them to obtain goals (Rais, 2024). When leadership at a school is
transparent in decision making and promotes risk taking. It creates a dynamic atmosphere within
a school to be creative and display ingenuity. Which will lead to students having a growth
mindset to learn from mistakes and take chances producing high quality work.
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Every leadership style has its pro’s and con’s. I found all styles correlate with the same
goal in mind of effectiveness in the workplace is crucial. Education is a broad term and what
every educator desire is for their students to succeed and to be heard by their administration. As
an inspiring leader, my mission is to make purposeful decisions from staff voices, and pin
pointing obtainable goals to be reach. As I embark in leadership, I will take along my
experiences, and listen to different perspectives to enhance my decision making.
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References
He, Y., Sheng, Z., Griffin, M., & Yao, X. (2024). A multilevel model linking altruistic
motivation to workplace safety: The role of servant leadership. Journal of Organizational
Behavior (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 45(4), 497–517. https://doi-
org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/job.2761
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership (9th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Rais Hidayat, & Yuyun Elizabeth Patras. (2024). Teacher Innovativeness: The Effect of Self-
Efficacy, Transformational Leadership, and School Climate. Journal of Pedagogical
Research, 8(1), 208–222.
Silva, V. H., Duarte, A. P., & Oliveira, J. P. (2023). How Does Authentic Leadership Boost Work
Engagement? Exploring the Mediating Role of Work Meaningfulness and Work–Family
Enrichment. Administrative Sciences (2076-3387), 13(10), 219. https://doi-
org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.3390/admsci13100219
