Leadership Preparation - ASCD

1 Curtis Paul Ramsey Leadership Preparation Can we see actual progress? Leadership is not a new ex The bitter truth is that the literature perience for any of us; we have been on Leadership since 1945 has been volumi influenced by Leadership from the begin nous regarding teacher, student, military, ning of man's plural existence on this and community Leadership . Relatively planet. The best Leadership which has little, however, has been published about emerged has always led man to a higher Leadership Preparation for the principal, plane of humanitarian existence. supervisor, or school executive. The influence of an inept, evil, un Parley and Santosuosso reported in timely or insensitive leader ranges from their study that "inadequately trained moderate group discomfort to possible personnel in educational Leadership ap human annihilation.

2 While the possible pears to be the greatest lack and a major effects of educational Leadership are not handicap to effective supervision."2 Why fraught with disaster to the above magni should this lack exist, particularly in light tude, the consequences of good or bad of the great amount of writing, theory Leadership are very important indeed. building, and research activity related to A large body of research evidence and Preparation for Leadership ? philosophical writing exists in the field of Is adequately trained educational Leadership . Much of this research is ap Leadership of marginal importance after plicable, in varying degrees, to problems all?

3 Eight years ago only slightly more of educational Leadership . 1 What have we than one-half of the states required learned that we can turn to good account? specialized certification to perform as an instructional supervisor.* Yet on 1 Recent reviews of Leadership research and philosophy are: Curtis Paul Ramsey, "Some every side we experience the dismal Implications of Leadership Studies and Man effects of inadequate or misapplied edu agement Development Projects for a Program cational Leadership on the part of the of Preparation for the Elementary School Prin- cipalship," Unpublished dissertation, principal, supervisor or superintendent.

4 George Peabody College for Teachers, Peabody Contributions to Education, Second Series, No. * Genevieve J. Parley and John J. Santosuosso. 569, 1959; Roald F. Campbell and Charles F. "The Effect of Training in Leadership on a Faber, "Administrative Behavior: Theory and Supervisor." Education 78: 365; 1958. Research," Review of Educational Research 3 1: * Virginia W. Richard. "Certification Require 353-67, 1961; and Robert Dubin, "Human Rela ments for Supervision in the United States.". tions in Formal Organizations," Review of Edu Educational Leadership 1 2: 173; December cational Research 24: 357-66, 1959. 1954. December 1962 151. CartU Paul RunM7 it Director, Learning is informal organization within any Resource* Center, George Peabody College group; and (b) Leadership success is for Teacher*, Nathmlle, Tennettee.

5 Contingent upon expressed and active concern for the individual in the group. Is Leadership such a personal and in Such "scientific" Leadership became so tangible art that it cannot be taught popular and "efficient" that Hobbs was or prepared for? Ample evidence exists compelled to warn: to suggest that it can. Baum, in her dis The psychologist, the educator, the busi sertation, reported that Waders can be ness man, the industrialist, as they gain in trained to develop insight and perform creased technical knowledge of how men creatively in the act of guiding, direct may be manipulated, are faced with in ing or influencing people."4 Mendenhall creased ethical and moral responsibilities and Larson have reported similar suc which require more than technical compe cess in Leadership training,8 as have tence.

6 '. many others.* Surely this answer suggests a major focus that Leadership Preparation must Leadership : Science or Art? take. However, Campbell and Faber' cite DeGrazia's work and lament that it is Scholars date the "scientific tech much easier to train people to study ad niques in Leadership " movement from ministration than it is to train people to the classic management studies con be good administrators. ducted at Western Electric's Hawthorne In retrospect, it appears that a leader plant. It was "here" that the nameless, is successful not so much because of what faceless individual was officially dis he knows, as for what he does, , Far- covered and marked as important for ley and Santosuosso10 found that the the leader's consideration.

7 Roethlisber- actual effect of a Leadership act is more ger and Dickson concluded that one of important than either the knowledge the leader's primary functions was leading to the act, or the nature of the .. maintaining the equilibrium of the so act itself. Successful Leadership , there cial organization so that individuals through fore, appears to be more an art of appli contributing their services to this common cation, and less an exercise in scientific purpose, obtain personal satisfactions that techniques. What a leader knows about make them willing to cooperate. 7. his speciality, and about the structure of It is imperative to consider two sub his group is of prime significance,11 but ordinate findings related to the impor the effect of what he knows and does re tance of individuals in groups: (a) there mains the crucial test of success.

8 4 Celia F. Baum. "Developing Competencies * Nicholas Hobbs. "Critical Requirement for in Democratic Group Leadership ." Journal of Leadership Roles." Reprinted from: Proceed Educational Sociology 30: 282; 1957. ings of Texas Personnel and Management Asso C. B. Mendenhall and Ruth Larson. "An ciation 1955. Austin, Texas: University of Evaluation of Leadership Training." Ohio Texas, Hogg Foundation, 1955. p. 12. Schools 34: 14-15; 1956. "Roald F. Campbell and Charles F. Faber, ' Hollis A. Moore, Jr. Studies in School Ad op. cit., p. 363. ministration. Washington, D. C.: American 10 Genevieve J. Parley and John J. Santosu Association of School Administrators, 1957.

9 P. osso, op. cit., p. 363. 202. 11 Richard O. Carlson. "Informal Organization T F. J. Roethlisberger and W. J. Dickson. and Social Distance: A Paradox of Purposive Management and the Worker. Cambridge, Mas Organization." Educational Administration and sachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1939. Supervision 4 . 366-74; 1958. 152 Educational Leadership Findings of many studies now support Leadership phenomena have been sug the view that Preparation for successful gested;1' Leadership styles (the art of Leadership involves not so much the cog Leadership ) have been studied; 1* and the nitive element of the potential leader as dynamics of conflict in role expectations it does the affective elements, , to be have been researched extensively.

10 " The come a truly effective and successful major dimension interwoven in almost all leader, the attitudes of the leader must be of these activities has been the human changed. Unfortunately, most prepara interaction factor. tion programs for Leadership in all ave As we have become more sophisticated nues and enterprises seem to focus most in group dynamics, the dangers Hobbs sharply on the academic, cognitive ap and others warned of have become more proach to Preparation . real. Striking evidence exists to suggest Many executive development programs that educational leaders constantly are have been instituted in business and in faced with the problems of balancing dustry.