A Review of Leadership Theories, Principles and Styles PDF

Management 2015, 5(1): 6-14 DOI: 10.5923/j.mm.20150501.02 A Review of Leadership Theories, Principles and Styles and Their Relevance to Educational Management Rose Ngozi Amanchukwu1, Gloria Jones Stanley2, Nwachukwu Prince Ololube1,* 1 Department of Educational Foundation...

Management 2015, 5(1): 6-14 DOI: 10.5923/j.mm.20150501.02 A Review of Leadership Theories, Principles and Styles and Their Relevance to Educational Management Rose Ngozi Amanchukwu1, Gloria Jones Stanley2, Nwachukwu Prince Ololube1,* 1 Department of Educational Foundations and Management, Faculty of Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Nigeria 2 School of Public Health Nursing, Rivers State College of Health Science and Technology Abstract This study was motivated by the premise that no nation grows further than the quality of its educational leaders. The purpose of this theoretical debate is to examine the wider context of leadership and its effectiveness towards improving school management. This academic evaluation examines recent theoretical developments in the study of educational leadership in school management. It begins with a concise overview of the meaning and concept of leadership in terms of research, theory, and practice. This is followed by an examination of the theories of leadership, principles and styles of leadership. Each section ends with an identification of contemporary issues and possible means of amelioration. This article concludes that success is certain if the application of the leadership styles, principles and methods is properly and fully applied in school management because quality educational leadership tradition offers great opportunity to further refine educational leadership and management policies and practices by accepting and utilizing the basic principles and styles of educational leadership. Keywords Education, Leadership, Theories, Styles, Principles, Methods, Management, Policies and Practices Leadership involves a type of responsibility aimed at 1. Introduction achieving particular ends by applying the available resources (human and material) and ensuring a cohesive and coherent To many, leaders are not born, but made. It is increasingly organization in the process (Ololube, 2013). Northouse accepted, however, that in order to be a good leader, one (2007) and Rowe (2007) described leadership as a process must have the experience, knowledge, commitment, patience, whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to and most importantly the skill to negotiate and work with achieve a common goal. This article contends that effective others to achieve goals. Good leaders are thus made, not born. leadership is crucial to the proper operation and very survival Good leadership is developed through a never ending of a non-profit organization. process of self-study, education, training, and the Leadership is arguably one of the most observed, yet least accumulation of relevant experience (Bass & Bass, 2008). understood phenomena on earth (Burns, in Abbasialiya, According to Boulding (1956) in book “The Image: 2010). Over time, researchers have proposed many different Knowledge in Life and Society”, outlined the general styles of leadership as there is no particular style of transdisciplinary theory of knowledge and human, social, leadership that can be considered universal. Despite the and organizational behaviour. He stated that the basis of a many diverse styles of leadership, a good or effective leader good leadership is strong character and selfless devotion to inspires, motivates, and directs activities to help achieve an organization (Jenkins, 2013). From the perspective of group or organizational goals. Conversely, an ineffective employees, leadership is comprised of everything a leader leader does not contribute to organizational progress and can, does that affects the achievement of objectives and the in fact, detract from organizational goal accomplishment. well-being of employees and the organization (Abbasialiya, According to Naylor (1999), effective leadership is a product 2010). Trustworthiness is often key to positions of leadership of the heart and an effective leader must be visionary, as trust is fundamental to all manner of organized human passionate, creative, flexible, inspiring, innovative, groups, whether in education, business, the military, religion, courageous, imaginative, experimental, and initiates change government, or international organizations (Lamb & McKee, (see figure 1). 2004; Ivancevich, Konopaske, & Matteson, 2007). This study was enthused by the premise that no nation grows further than the quality of its educational leaders and * Corresponding author: [email protected] (Nwachukwu Prince Ololube) or educational managers. In this theoretical debate, the Published online at http://journal.sapub.org/mm authors presented a moderately detail analysis of a Copyright © 2015 Scientific & Academic Publishing. All Rights Reserved theoretical research conducted on the need for African  Management 2015, 5(1): 6-14 7 countries especially Nigeria to reform. This debate focus not contemporary theories can fall under one of the following simply on what educational leadership is, but the impact it three perspectives: leadership as a process or relationship, has on school management, teachers and students and the leadership as a combination of traits or personality part it plays in meeting the challenges facing education characteristics, or leadership as certain behaviors or, as they institutions. The overall purpose of this theoretical debate is are more commonly referred to, leadership skills. In the more to examine the wider context in which leadership is made on dominant theories of leadership, there exists the notion that, effectiveness and improved school management. at least to some degree, leadership is a process that involves influence with a group of people toward the realization of goals (Wolinski, 2010). 2. Theories of Leadership Charry (2012), noting that scholarly interest in leadership increased significantly during the early part of the twentieth There are as many different views of leadership as there century, identified eight major leadership theories. While the are characteristic that distinguish leaders from non-leaders. earlier of these focused on the qualities that distinguish While most research today has shifted from traditional trait leaders from followers, later theories looked at other or personality-based theories to a situation theory, which variables including situational factors and skill levels. dictates that the situation in which leadership is exercised is Although new theories are emerging all of the time, most can determined by the leadership skills and characteristics of the be classified as one of Charry’s eight major types: leader (Avolio, Walumbwa, & Weber, 2009), all The manager Rational From the head Consulting Persistent Problem solving Tough-minded Positive power Analytical Structured Deliberate Authoritative Stabilising The leader Visionary Passionate Creative Flexible Inspiring Personal power Innovative Courageous Imaginative From the heart Experimental Initiates change Source: Naylor, (1999, p. 524) Figure 1. Qualities of the leader and the manager 8 Rose Ngozi Amanchukwu et al.: A Review of Leadership Theories, Principles and Styles and Their Relevance to Educational Management 2.1. "Great Man" Theory people can learn to become leaders through training and observation. Naylor (1999) notes that interest in the Great man theories assume that the capacity for leadership behaviour of leaders has been stimulated by a systematic is inherent, that great leaders are born, not made. These comparison of autocratic and democratic leadership styles. It theories often portray leaders as heroic, mythic and destined has been observed that groups under these types of to rise to leadership when needed. The term great man was leadership perform differently: used because, at the time, leadership was thought of  Autocratically led groups will work well so long as the primarily as a male quality, especially military leadership leader is present. Group members, however, tend to be (See also, Ololube, 2013). unhappy with the leadership style and express hostility. 2.2. Trait Theory  Democratically led groups do nearly as well as the autocratic group. Group members have more positive Similar in some ways to great man theories, the trait feelings, however, and no hostility. Most importantly, theory assumes that people inherit certain qualities or traits the efforts of group members continue even when the make them better suited to leadership. Trait theories often leader is absent. identify particular personality or behavioural characteristics that are shared by leaders. Many have begun to ask of this 2.6. Participative Theory theory, however, if particular traits are key features of Participative leadership theories suggest that the ideal leaders and leadership, how do we explain people who leadership style is one that takes the input of others into possess those qualities but are not leaders? Inconsistencies in account. Participative leaders encourage participation and the relationship between leadership traits and leadership contributions from group members and help group members effectiveness eventually led scholars to shift paradigms in to feel relevant and committed to the decision-making search of new explanations for effective leadership. process. A manager who uses participative leadership, rather 2.3. Contingency Theories than making all the decisions, seeks to involve other people, thus improving commitment and increasing collaboration, Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular which leads to better quality decisions and a more successful variables related to the environment that might determine business (Lamb, 2013). which style of leadership is best suited for a particular work situation. According to this theory, no single leadership style 2.7. Transactional/Management Theory is appropriate in all situations. Success depends upon a Transactional theories, also known as management number of variables, including leadership style, qualities of theories, focus on the role of supervision, organization and followers and situational features (Charry, 2012). A group performance and the exchanges that take place contingency factor is thus any condition in any relevant between leaders and followers. These theories base environment to be considered when designing an leadership on a system of rewards and punishments (Charry, organization or one of its elements (Naylor, 1999). 2012). In other words, on the notion that a leader’s job is to Contingency theory states that effective leadership depends create structures that make it abundantly clear what is on the degree of fit between a leader’s qualities and expected of followers and the consequences (rewards and leadership style and that demanded by a specific situation punishments) associated with meeting or not meeting (Lamb, 2013). expectations (Lamb, 2013). When employees are successful, they are rewarded and when they fail, they are reprimanded 2.4. Situational Theory or punished (Charry, 2012). Managerial or transactional Situational theory proposes that leaders choose the best theoryis often likened to the concept and practice of course of action based upon situational conditions or management and continues to be an extremely common circumstances. Different styles of leadership may be more component of many leadership models and organizational appropriate for different types of decision-making. For structures (Lamb, 2013). example, in a situation where the leader is expected to be the most knowledgeable and experienced member of a group, an 2.8. Relationship/Transformational Theory authoritarian style of leadership might be most appropriate. Relationship theories, also known as transformational In other instances where group members are skilled experts theories, focus on the connections formed between leaders and expect to be treated as such, a democratic style may be and followers. In these theories, leadership is the process by more effective. which a person engages with others and is able to “create a connection” that results in increased motivationand morality 2.5. Behavioural Theory in both followers and leaders. Relationship theories are often Behavioural theories of leadership are based on the belief compared to charismatic leadership theories in which leaders that great leaders are made, not born. This leadership theory with certain qualities, such as confidence, extroversion, and focuses on the actions of leaders not on intellectual qualities clearly stated values, are seen as best able to motivate or internal states. According to the behavioural theory, followers (Lamb, 2013). Relationship or transformational  Management 2015, 5(1): 6-14 9 leaders motivate and inspire people by helping group others. Analyze the situation, take corrective action, members see the importance and higher good of the task. and move on to the next challenge; These leaders are focused on the performance of group Set the example: Be a good role model for your members, but also on each person to fulfilling his or her employees. Employees must not only be told what is potential. Leaders of this style often have high ethical and expected of them, but see leaders embodying moral standards (Charry, 2012). organizational qualities and ethics. Leaders must embody what they wish to see in their employees; 2.9. Skills Theory Train as a team: Do not focus on just your department, This theory states that learned knowledge and acquired section, or employees, but envision the whole skills/abilities are significant factors in the practice of organization as an entity that must learn and succeed effective leadership. Skills theory by no means refuses to together; and acknowledge the connection between inherited traits and the Use the full capabilities of your organization: By capacity to lead effectively, but argues that learned skills, a developing a team spirit, you will be able to employ the developed style, and acquired knowledge, are the real keys to abilities of your entire organization towards leadership performance. A strong belief in skills theory often organizational goals. demands that considerable effort and resources be devoted to Effective educational leadership is very essential to leadership training and development (Wolinski, 2010). school effectiveness and improvement (Ololube, Egbezor, Kpolovie, & Amaele, 2012). To sustain educational leadership, leaders must develop sustainability on how they 3. Principles of Leadership approach, commit to and protect teaching and learning in schools; how they sustain themselves and followers around In addition to leadership theories, the principles of them to promote and support teaching and learning; how leadership are a commonly studied phenomenon. The United they are able and encouraged to sustain their vision and States Army (1983) has identified eleven basic principles of avoid burning out; and how they consider the impact of leadership and the means for implementing them: their leadership in school management. Most leaders want Be technically proficient: As a leader, you must know to do things that matter, to inspire others to do it with them your job and have a solid familiarity with the tasks of and to leave a legacy once they have gone (Hargreaves & your different employees; Goodson, 2006). To a large extent, it is not leaders who Develop a sense of responsibility in your workers: Help mismanage their schools; however, it is the systems in to develop good character traits that will help them which they lead (Mulford, 2003). Questionably, sustainable carry out their professional responsibilities; leadership certainly needs to become a commitment of all Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and school leaders. Therefore, to sustain effective educational accomplished: Communication is key. A leader must be leadership, Hargreaves and Fink (2004) presented seven able to communicate effectively. Leaders should spend principles of sustainable leadership vis-à-vis: most of their day engaged in communication. Older Sustainable leadership creates and preserves sustaining studies, in fact, noted that organizational leaders learning (managers) spent 70 to 90 per cent of their time each Sustainable leadership secures success over time day on communication and related activities (Barrett, Sustainable leadership sustains the leadership of others [n.d]); Sustainable leadership addresses issues of social justice Keep your workers informed: Know how to Sustainable leadership develops rather than depletes communicate with not only junior staff, but senior staff human and material resources and other key people as well; Sustainable leadership develops environmental diversity Know your people and look out for their well-being: Be and capacity well versed in basic human nature and recognize the Sustainable leadership undertakes activist engagement importance of sincerely caring for your workers; with the environment Know yourself and seek self-improvement: In order to know yourself, you have to understand what you are, what you know, and what you can do (attributes). 4. Leadership Styles Seeking self-improvement means continually strengthening your attributes. This can be accomplished Leadership styles are the approaches used to motivate through self-study, formal education, workshops, followers. Leadership is not a “one size fits all” phenomenon. reflection, and interacting with others; Leadership styles should be selected and adapted to fit Make sound and timely decisions: Use good problem organizations, situations, groups, and individuals. It is thus solving, decision making, and planning tools; useful to possess a thorough understanding of the different Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your styles as such knowledge increases the tools available to lead actions: Search for ways to guide your organization to effectively. Below are a number of leadership styles new heights. When things go wrong, do not blame articulated in the Toolkit (n.d): 10 Rose Ngozi Amanchukwu et al.: A Review of Leadership Theories, Principles and Styles and Their Relevance to Educational Management 4.1. Autocratic Leadership Style valuable time gathering input. Another potential danger is Autocratic leadership is an extreme form of transactional team members without the knowledge or expertise to provide leadership, where leaders have complete power over staff. high quality input. Staff and team members have little opportunity to make 4.5. Laissez-Faire Leadership Style suggestions, even if these are in the best interest of the team or organization. The benefit of autocratic leadership is that it Laissez-faire leadership may be the best or the worst of is incredibly efficient. Decisions are made quickly, and the leadership styles (Goodnight, 2011). Laissez-faire, this work to implement those decisions can begin immediately. French phrase for “let it be,” when applied to leadership In terms of disadvantages, most staff resent being dealt with describes leaders who allow people to work on their own. in this way. Autocratic leadership is often best used in crises Laissez-faire leaders abdicate responsibilities and avoid situation, when decisions must be made quickly and without making decisions, they may give teams complete freedom to dissent. do their work and set their own deadlines. Laissez-faire leaders usually allow their subordinate the power to make 4.2. Bureaucratic Leadership Style decisions about their work (Chaudhry & Javed, 2012). They Bureaucratic leaders follow rules rigorously, and ensure provide teams with resources and advice, if needed, but that their staff also follow procedures precisely. This is an otherwise do not get involved. This leadership style can be appropriate leadership style for work involving serious effective if the leader monitors performance and gives safety risks (such as working with machinery, with toxic feedback to team members regularly. The main advantage of substances, or at dangerous heights) or where large sums of laissez-faire leadership is that allowing team members so money are involved. Bureaucratic leadership is also useful in much autonomy can lead to high job satisfaction and organizations where employees do routine tasks (Shaefer, increased productivity. It can be damaging if team members 2005). The drawback of this type of leadership is that it is do not manage their time well or do not have the knowledge, ineffective in teams and organizations that rely on flexibility, skills, or motivation to do their work effectively. This type of creativity, or innovation (Santrock, 2007). leadership can also occur when managers do not have sufficient control over their staff (Ololube, 2013). 4.3. Charismatic Leadership Style 4.6. Transactional Leadership Style Charismatic leadership theory describes what to expect from both leaders and followers. Charismatic leadership is a This leadership style starts with the idea that team leadership style that is identifiable but may be perceived members agree to obey their leader when they accept a job. with less tangibility than other leadership styles (Bell, 2013). The transaction usually involves the organization paying Often called a transformational leadership style, charismatic team members in return for their effort and compliance. The leaders inspire eagerness in their teams and are energetic in leader has a right to punish team members if their work motivating employees to move forward. The ensuing doesn't meet an appropriate standard. The minimalistic excitement and commitment from teams is an enormous working relationships that result (between staff and asset to productivity and goal achievement. The negative managers or leaders) are based on this transaction (effort for side of charismatic leadership is the amount of confidence pay). placed in the leader rather than in employees. This can create the risk of a project or even in an entire organization 5. Factors That Determine Leadership collapsing if the leader leaves. Additionally, a charismatic Style leader may come to believe that s/he can do no wrong, even when others are warning him or her about the path s/he is on; There are a number of factors that can help to determine feelings of invincibility can ruin a team or an organization. which type of leadership style is most effective and/or when to draw on a different or combination of leadership styles. 4.4. Democratic/Participative Leadership Style Listed below are a number of these factors as outlined by Democratic leaders make the final decisions, but include Ibara (2010, pp. 74-76): team members in the decision-making process. They encourage creativity, and team members are often highly 5.1. Size of an Institution/Organization engaged in projects and decisions. There are many benefits Many organizations have the tendency to grow, and as of democratic leadership. Team members tend to have high they grow, to divide into subgroups where the real decision job satisfaction and are productive because they are more making power lies. As institutions or organization grow, involved. This style also helps develop employees’ skills. problems arise which may become more difficult to address Team members feel a part of something larger and at a macro or senior management level. At the same time, as meaningful and so are motivated to by more than just a institutions and organizations grow larger and become more financial reward. The danger of democratic leadership is that multifaceted, there is a propensity for decision making to be it can falter in situations where speed or efficiency is centralized (Naylor, 1999). This situation leads to limited essential. During a crisis, for instance, a team can waste employee participation or no participation at all. Leaders  Management 2015, 5(1): 6-14 11 may, if inclined, present ideas and invite input from that none of these limit or inhibit the ability to achieve employees (Ibara, 2010). organizational goals. In a situation like this, there is a unity of direction as everybody (individuals, departments and 5.2. Degree of Interaction/Communication divisions) is working towards the attainment of a common Organizational interaction or communication in this goal. Different leadership styles may be called for depending paradigm refers to a relational approach between two or on the degree of existing goal congruence in an organization. more individuals on the basis of social and organizational 5.5. Level of Decision Making structures aimed at achieving goals (Ololube, 2012). Given that uncertainty surrounds many situations in organizations, Differentiating effective leaders from ineffective leaders leaders need to be involved with their staff. In this way, is a major management concern. One means of leaders can keep focused on key issues and ensure that differentiation may be the quality of decision making and organizational learning takes place. The quantity and quality that effective leaders make good decisions or choices that of interaction in an organization tends to influence the style yield favourable outcomes for the organization (Schoderbek, of organizational management with the main issue being that Cosier, & Aplin, 1988). In addition to leadership ability, employees must work together in order to accomplish tasks. employee perception often plays a big role in the According to Naylor (1999), for organizations to be implementation and outcome of decisions (Weddle, 2013). effective: In a centralized organization, there is little or no provision  Managers must constantly share information; for decisions or input from lower level staff. Directives are  Managers must have open channels of communication; handed down and strict obedience is expected. Leadership in  There must be information of sufficient potential to these organizations tends to be directive rather than demand regular attention from leaders at all levels; participative or laissez-faire. Hence, the location of  Interpretations of complex data/information should be decision-making, which is the functional specialization of done in face-to-face discussions with staff the organization, determines the style of leadership that is  Managers must debate the nature of the data/information called for (Ibara, 2010). and the possible assumptions and actions that results Weddle (2013) identified five levels of decision making in from it (1999, p. 825). organizations. With each level the amount of time and the Organizations can operate as open or closed systems. An decision making involvement increases: open system receives information, which it uses to interact  Level One: Leader makes the decision alone & dynamically with its environment. Organizations are open announces the decision. This level requires little time systems. Openness increases the likelihood of better and no staff involvement. This is particularly useful in communication and in turn the functioning and survival of crisis situations where immediate action is needed. organizations (Ololube, 2012).  Level Two: Leader gathers input from individuals and makes the decision. The leader seeks input, 5.3. Personality of Members usually to cover blind spots and enhance the depth of The personality attributes of employees and other understanding of the issue at hand. Key individuals managers/leaders can influence the leadership style of an hold important information and not consulting is seen to organization. Some people tend to react more to certain be irresponsible. styles of leadership than others. Individuals who like to  Level Three: Leader gathers input from team and depend on others generally do not like to participate in makes the decision. The leader holds a team meeting organizational affairs since their need for security and and solicits input from the team, listens to the team’s direction is better served by a rigid organizational structure. ideas and then using that information, makes a decision. Those with an understandable sense of direction wish to  Level Four: Consensus building. At this level, the advance in their careers and enjoy participating in leader is part of the team and s/he is just one vote/voice organizational decision-making processes tend to be more among many. The group processes all possible options inclined towards open and collaborative leadership styles. and compromises until everyone is in agreement. Leaders should adapt to such situations by providing  Level Five: Consensus and delegation with opportunities for participation to those who desire them and criteria/constraints. The leader delegates decision directing those who find it more difficult to participate in making to the team and is not a part of decision making organizational decision-making (Ibara, 2010). discussions. This requires the leader to be very clear with the team as to the criteria/constraints that must be 5.4. Goal Congruency met for their decision to be able to move forward. The term goal congruence is applied to an organization Failure to meet these criteria could result in the need for that ensures that all its operations and activities support the the team to reconsider their decision or the need for the achievement of its goals. Organizations with high goal leader to choose a default and/or use another level congruence review their operations and activities to ensure (from above) for moving the decision forward. 12 Rose Ngozi Amanchukwu et al.: A Review of Leadership Theories, Principles and Styles and Their Relevance to Educational Management 6. Educational Leadership and organisation members are learning, and that they are Management Processes competent. Good leaders make people feel that they are at the very heart of things, not on the periphery. Leadershipis the process of influencing employees  Creates flat, adaptive, decentralised systems and towards the achievement of organisational goals and organisations: Bureaucracy does not create leaders, organisational excellence (Naylor, 1999). Outstanding bureaucracy creates managers and bureaucrats. leaders have a vision for their institutions. They have a Managing change is perhaps the ultimate leadership picture of the preferred future, which is shared with all in the challenge. Strong leadership can often be seen in institution and which shapes the programmes of learning and organisations based on a network or flattened hierarchy teaching as well as the policies, priorities, plans and model — a more centralised model where the key procedures pervading the day-to-day life of the institution words are acknowledge, create and empower. (Beare et al., 1997). Leadership in the educational context is also the ability to anticipate the future. Through words and On the whole, vision and constancy of purpose are central examples, leaders in education inspire the whole system by concerns of leaders in educational management and planning. effectively influencing the behaviours, thoughts, and They seek to establish the best educational policies and feelings of those working within it, and ensure their vision by strategies, which involves the improvement of educational creating a strategic alignment across the whole system programmes and administrative services aimed at creating (Peretomode, 1991). However, no matter how effective competent graduates capable of entering significant leaders are, they are faced with numerous obstacles which positions in society and, in turn, improving educational they must manage and contain in order to succeed. practices and procedures (Ololube, 2013). Wallace and Hoyle (2005) argue that effective leadership and Warren Bennis in Anyamele (2004) argued that leadership is management of the education systems require a shift of a creative enterprise, involving all in innovating and direction away from current orthodoxies of radical initiating. Leadership looks at the horizon and not just at the transformation promoted by reform policies towards a more bottom-line. A leader makes good decisions which imply a temperate approach. goal, a direction, an objective, a vision, a dream, a path, and a Educational management processes involve the reach. According to Bennis, a leader does the following: arrangement and deployment of systems that ensure the  Creates a compelling vision: Leadership has to get implementation of policies, strategies, and action plans people in the organisation to buy into a shared vision throughout a set of integrated practices in order to achieve and then translate that vision into reality. Leaders educational goals. Process performance can only be motivate people by helping them to identify with the optimised through a clear understanding of how different task and the goal, rather than by rewarding or punishing units of work fit into the whole. Process performance ensures them. Leaders inspire and empower people; they pull that a fit for purpose management system of the education is rather than push. developed, implemented and constantly improved. It looks at  Creates a climate of trust: Leaders must know how to how management gathers information to inform educational generate and sustain trust. In order to do this, leaders policy and strategy and involves the application of systems must reward people for disagreeing, reward innovation, standards covering quality management systems (Lewis, and tolerate failure. For a leader to create trust he or she Goodman & Fandt, 1995). Process performance, when must be competent so that others in the organisation can documented and analysed scientifically and compared with rely on the leader’s capacity to do the job. To create desirable outcomes, generates facts on the basis of which the trust a leader must behave with integrity. Finally, to processes in question can be effectively managed and generate trust (and be an effective leader) a leader must continuously improved. This factual information supports achieve congruency between what he or she does and decisions at all levels that in turn improve educational says and what his or her vision is. process performance further (Schoderbek, Cosier & Aplin,  Creates meaning: A leader creates meaning by 1988). maintaining an environment where people are reminded Quality management indicators involve the ways in which of what is important. A leader helps to define the educational leaders ensure that academic and non-academic mission of the institution and models the behaviour that staff are continually trained to operate in the innovative and will move the organisation towards goals. Leaders are ever-changing educational process and that they are building people who can eloquently use words to express the professional learning communities (Harris & Muijs, 2005; collective goals of the organisation. Ololube, Dudafa, Uriah & Agbor, 2013). According to  Creates success: Effective leaders perceive and handle Wallace and Hoyle (2005), effective leadership and ‘failure’ differently – they embrace error and vow to management mean less leadership and management. learn from it. Teachers have now become caught up in specific managerial  Creates a healthy and empowering environment: roles and distributed leadership, relieving teachers of Effective leadership empowers the workforce to non-teaching tasks where possible would enable them to generate commitment, and developed the feeling that concentrate more on their teaching means less leadership and  Management 2015, 5(1): 6-14 13 management in school systems. to provide exploration of dominant leadership strategies to The authors of this article suggest that the benefits of give school leaders a solid basis in theory and practical accepting effective leadership principles and styles in school application. School leaders are encouraged to discover the management are immediate and real because effective most appropriate leadership strategy, or a combination of leadership provides a number of key characteristics which strategies that will best enable their school achieve results. have been proven to be of momentous worth: Effective educational leadership style in school management is relatively fast, easy and cost effective if Effective educational leadership provides educational applied appropriately. The results of the effective institutions with a holistic approach to coherently run educational leadership style applications are feasible for a the affairs of school management; number of purposes, which include improve administrative Effective educational leadership styles must be based on performance, team-building, and enhanced individual and objective criteria. 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