School Leadership and School Management

Abstract

This article seeks to understand the types of leadership for headteachers and how it impacts schools’ effectiveness. Increasing recognition is being made that headteachers’ leadership style is one of the key factors in attaining quality educational outcomes. A literature analysis is presented on the differing leadership styles for headteachers, where participative or collaborative leadership style is increasingly seen as the preferred model, instead of the top-down, hierarchical style of leadership common in the Malaysian context. Participative leadership encourages creativity and teamwork among teachers and the school community. It empowers educators in achieving educational goals by holding them responsible and accountable for the initiatives made, yet still providing additional support via a collegiate setting from fellow colleagues. Participative leadership places high demands on headteachers, requiring principals who have
superior human management skills, while being an agent of change in the school system. Transforming the paternalistic style of leadership, to a more collaborative style in Malaysian schools requires a large investment not just from the headteachers who manage and oversee the change, but also input from educators as well as the close involvement of parents.