Collective Knowledge about Transformational Leadership

Your Group's Assignment: When you have completed your reading and web search, collectively respond to the questions below in preparation to "teach" your concept with your original "home group."

Using This Wiki

1. Select a recorder.
2. Recorder will enter in the space below the group's collective knowledge in each category. While the recorder is entering text into the wiki, group members stand behind, providing input!
3. To add text, click on the "Edit Page" button at the top left. You will be prompted to enter a password. The password is the name of our program. You will also be asked to enter your name so we can know who edited the page.
4. After you have logged in with a password and your first name, insert your cursor where you want to begin typing, and begin!
5. Don't forget to click the "Save" button at the bottom of your screen occasionally!
6. When you are finished, click on the Log Out link in the upper right hand corner of the page.

NOTE: Feel free to delete these instructions once you have read them!

Define the Theory

 Energy and enthusiasm/passion to motivate others to follow.  Inspirational leader.  Charismatic, role model.

 Using a clear vision, enthusasim, and commitment to transformation people and organizations.

What are the outcomes? When might this leadership style be used?

 Transforms people and organization.  Develops and sustains a vision that is not altered, even if the path toward that mission is changed.

Evidence of the effects of transformational leadership, according to Leithwood, is "uniformly positive." He cites two findings from his own studies:

1. transformational leadership practices have a sizable influence on teacher collaboration, and 

2.significant relationships exist between aspects of transformational leadership and teachers' own reports of changes in both attitudes toward school improvement and altered instructional behavior.

Sergiovanni suggests that student achievement can be "remarkably improved" by such leadership. Finally, Sagor found that schools where teachers and students reported a culture conducive to school success had a transformational leader as its principal.

However, Mitchell and Tucker conclude that transformational leadership should be seen as only one part of a balanced approach to creating high performance in schools. Leithwood agrees: "While most schools rely on both top-down and facilitative forms of power, finding the right balance is the problem. For schools that are restructuring, moving closer to the facilitative end of the power continuum will usually solve the problem."

What are the critical skills an administrator would need to be able to demonstrate this leadership style?

 Big picture thinker, integrity, trust, high-energy, motivational, flexible and adaptable, committed, willing to take the difficult route, people oriented, clear communication skills, political leaders