In this section, the only ‘voice’ heard is my practitioner voice.
My practitioner voice
In an effort to analyse further the element of leadership, both in my career and in my research, I devised over time a framework consisting of a list of matching pairs, partly stimulated by the Bryman framework, (in the presentation from his doctoral thesis by Gurr at University of Melbourne in my class lectures in 2000 regarding Values in Principal Leadership), and partly by my reflective practice. These pairs, contained in Table 4.29, below, identify the differences in thinking, skills, behaviours, knowledge, and wisdom levels. To understand this construct, it is necessary to read each set
TABLE 4.29 A LISTING OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEADERSHIP ELEMENTS
FORMAL LEADERSHIP
The formal leader is using (or may be, or will use) the following:
INFORMAL LEADERSHIP
The informal leader is using (or may be, or will use) the following:
• visible, with designated title and incumbent responsibilities.
• less visible or somewhat invisible in normal daily processes
• collaborative or non-collaborative
behaviours • operates out of collaborative modes
• sees always the overall picture • attends to detail with care
• may miss significant detail • is concerned with reading the particulars in
processes
• operates in universals • is concerned with implementation of policy
• initiator of ,responsibility for, policy • operates almost continually in a mentoring mode
• uses consultative processes • implements and consults and facilitates
when change is in progress
• balances existing mores with change • looks at options and response-ability levels
• reaches decisions, uses responsibility • representing sectional concerns
• represents the whole organisation • is legally designated a follower
• is the legal face of the organisation, CEO • uses a curriculum rather than an administrative focus
• uses an administrative focus • operates out of a transformational/
transactional/ transparent behaviour set
• operates out of transactional and transformational frameworks as appropriate
• is concerned with focus and meaning when addressing vision and mission
• is taken up with organisational vision and
mission • has a concern for analysis of initiatives
• has a concern for political and strategic development
• is concerned with implementation of purpose, rather than defining it
• has a central role in defining purpose • uses empowering skills continually
• exhibits some facets of charismatic behaviours
• translates inspiration into consultative language and process
• is expected to display inspirational approach
• eases processes for consultation and collaboration
• is expected to display individualised consideration
• has abilities to counsel and empathise and so support without endangering balance in the organisation
• is able to identify contrary behaviours likely to destroy organisational balance
• exhibits a regular pattern of personal professional development and empathy with other followers
• promotes a regular pattern of affirmation and opportunity for staff personal development
• operates within the organisation, identified as part of the organisation
• is often an import from elsewhere, with attendant need to learn local organisational mores
• accepts the challenge of new goals and sets about methods of analysis and
implementation
• needs those who carry out well the
informal leadership role to achieve goals. • shows worthiness of trust regularly
• has to earn the trust of all staff • uses the myriad yet invisible opportunities
to demonstrate integrity
FORMAL LEADERSHIP
The formal leader is using (or may be, or will use) the following:
INFORMAL LEADERSHIP
The informal leader is using (or may be, or will use) the following:
• must learn prevailing present organisational cultural norms
• recognises apparently doomed initiatives and mediates
• often, specially at first, has insufficient channels to identify apparently doomed initiatives
• may, or usually may not be, part of the existing team leadership
• may be supported by team leadership
• identifies and eases difficulties in time lag before team leadership has become efficient
• must accept time lag involved with development of team leadership complementarity
• facilitates processes for equity/ excellence/ effectiveness/ efficiency at many levels
• is expected to initiate processes to attain equity/ excellence/ effectiveness/ efficiency at all levels
• facilitates networking internally and externally
• institutes organisational networking
structures • has subtle attributed authority
• has prescribed, attributed and proscribed authority
• eases barriers existing between many cells of responsibility within organisation
• enhances interconnectivity of the many cells of responsibility within the organisation
• explains and enhances historical context to ensure continuity of organisation
• recognises and enhances tradition to facilitate continuity in the organisation
• facilitates best practice methodologies and technologies to integrate and maintain balance
• introduces best practice methodologies with maintenance and innovation balanced
• provides curricular access for adaptation within innovation
• promotes adaptation within innovations • translates innovative leadership into identifiable ethical behaviours for staff
• exhibits ethics as an element of innovative leadership
• exhibits skills for transmitting framework of existing cultures accurately
• exhibits skills of reading organisational culture accurately
• encourages diversity as a contribution to organisational wholeness
• enhances unity while respecting diversity
• conducts a mediating role in contra- cultures and sub-cultures within the organisation
• is aware of contra-cultures and sub- cultures existing within the organisation
• eases the processes existing when consensus causes potential conflict
• recognises the limits of consensus • helps handle ambiguity and confusion
• identifies ambiguity and confusion • recognises dissent and works to ease
consequences for refusers
• recognises that organisational members may actively resist innovation
• uses explanatory processes to aid innovation and is distant from mind games
• does not play mind games to aid innovation processes
• provides curriculum support and development when external turbulence forces organisational change
• recognises and communicates when external turbulence forces innovation in the organisation
• empathises and supports those coping with innovative fatigue
• recognises and respects innovation fatigue
• engenders interest in and possible acceptance of steps needed for potential
FORMAL LEADERSHIP
The formal leader is using (or may be, or will use) the following:
INFORMAL LEADERSHIP
The informal leader is using (or may be, or will use) the following:
• recognises the steps of development needed to effect change
• makes the changes necessary to encourage steps of development.
• is concerned with the external considerations of image and appearance.
• is concerned with internal considerations and consequences regarding image and appearance.
of descriptions to develop the whole perspective of each form of leadership – formal and informal. The second step is to consider each pair together to allow an easier comparison.
At the end of such a creative process, I believe it is apparent that informal leadership is practised by those with sufficient experience, professional development and current knowledge to recognise the realities, to read the strategic intent needed, as staff came to terms with the detail of changes: modelling thinking skills and consequent behaviours already identified in the prosecution of this enterprise.
Informal Leadership, I realise, is a separate area of organisational responsibility which emerges when existing staff with sufficient understanding and experience within the organisation of school find themselves in roles supporting many initiatives in the life and growth of their educational organisation. In direct comparison to the descriptive list of Formal Leader behaviours and responses, the Informal Leader shows different conceptual responses.
Having compiled these lists in tandem over a long period, I realised that in my pedagogical practice, motives of transparency were central in my personal educational theory as it was evolving. By modelling to both faculty members and class members, I seemed to be developing a deeper understanding of the processes that were embedded in the teaching- learning process. I undertook my M Ed thesis (Heasly, 1995) and other studies concurrently, all of which would contribute to my growing maturity as a practitioner. My learning in the work place was a necessary step in
contributing to my new knowledge, which I have endeavoured to critique as I developed this study.
No responses pertaining to the informal and formal leadership question was given by teachers as this was not a significant question to investigate within the Questionnaire. Experts did not comment, and my researcher voice is not heard, because the extensive grid on the two forms of leadership was composed over many years in my practice as teacher.