Introduction

In this E-Portfolio you will find artifacts from my courses and practicum in pursuit of a Master of Education in Educational Leadership degree from Grand Canyon University.

Name of Artifact: Leadership Philosophy
Date of Artifact: April 30, 2024
Course #: EAD501

LEADERSHIP STYLE AND PHILOSOPHY
Leadership has been a topic of academic research for decades. Through these decades of research, multiple theories or styles of leadership have been identified, studied, and promoted. Three significant theories were researched for this assignment: transactional leadership, transformational leadership, and servant leadership. Transactional leadership focuses “on the exchanges that occur between leaders and their followers” (Northouse, 2021). Transformational leadership is a process of engaging with and creating connections that raise motivation (Northouse, 2021). Servant leaders put the needs and development of their followers above and before their own (Northouse, 2021). These three leadership styles are the most reported leadership styles of school leaders and therefore create a solid foundation for establishing my leadership philosophy.

Through research of these models of leadership and leadership assessments, I discovered that I highly align with servant leadership and transformational leadership styles. According to Zuckerman and O’Shea (2020), using a combination of leadership styles will lead to more success than using just one leadership style. Rather than adopting just one leadership style, I will lead with a combination of these two styles. I have chosen these two styles as they align with my values of human dignity, potential, and responsibility.

Servant Leadership
The servant leadership principles of developing and promoting the well-being and success of those I lead align with my values and will remain a core value of my leadership.

Eva et al. (2019) describes that “Servant leaders focus on providing for followers so that they reach their full potential, become empowered to handle tasks and decisions on their own.” As an administrator, I believe in empowering my faculty, staff, and students with the tools and training necessary to achieve their full potential. I seek to be a servant leader who “supports the growth and development of the school and the community” (Zuckerman & O’Shea, 2020).

Transformational Leadership
The four factors of transformational leadership correlate with the role of an educational leader. As a school leader, I ought to set moral and behavioral standards, factor one, idealized influence. Factor two, inspiration, is how I intend to motivate followers to commit to the organization's (i.e., school's) shared vision. As Abbas and Raza (2023) write, “the ability of the transformational leaders to articulate their vision, encourage their followers toward shared goals, and convince them to prefer the group interests over their personal interests may yield a stronger effect on project success.” I can drive change and challenge the status quo by incorporating factor three, intellectual stimulation. Finally, being attuned to and supportive of individual team member’s needs is how I can utilize factor four, individualized consideration (Northouse, 2021). Each of these factors directly connects to the role of a school leader. Therefore, I plan to adopt transformational leadership in my administrative roles.

I plan to continue developing these styles as I become an educational leader. Some factors of these leadership styles come easily to me, while others need more attention. By understanding my strengths and areas for development, I can ensure that I am a well-rounded leader with a well-defined leadership philosophy.