Leadership styles and change

How do these 6 leadership styles help or hurt the change process?

• Coercive: This leadership style is one that I believe should be used sparingly. If this style is used too much, change will be virtually inpossible. When people are told to do something, they become resistant if they do not believe in the change.
• Authoritarian: This leadership style can help lead the way toward change, but I think it will be a slow change and one with many ups and downs.
• Affiliative: This leadership style will be very successful in implementing change. When there is a sense of harmony and community in a workplace, the ability to work together toward something becomes easier with less resistence and bumps in the road.
• Democratic: This leadership style will be the most successful, in my opinion, of implementing change. When people feel that they have a say so in what they are doing, they believe in the task. By having the people participate in the entire process, they have ownership, leading to buy in, and eventually to a smooth, successful road to change.
• Pacesetting: This leaderhsip style will cause an environment of anxiety and stress causing teachers to become less productive and more resistant.
• Coaching: This leadership style gives teachers the chance to take a risk while still being supported. Most teachers refrain from taking risks because they think they will not be supported if it fails. This leaderhsip style demonstrates the practice of growing and learning as teachers.

When would you use each of these styles in your work setting?

• Coercive: This is a leadership style that I would use with an incompetent teacher that I am having to work throught the improvement plan process. When it gets to this point, you are telling the teacher what they need to do in order to be offered a contract the following year. The teacher does not have a say so in the situation.
• Authoritarian: This is a leadership style that I would use with a timid faculty that are willing to change, but not sure how to go about it. This style would give them a path to follow.
• Affiliative: This is a leadership style that I would use, especially when there are many new members to the faculty. It is important to know and trust the people you work with. It is also beneficial to work with teachers who are willing to be a teamplayer.
• Democratic: This is a leaderhsip style that I would use when considering new changes (whether large or small). By allowing the teachers to come to the consensus together, they will have buy in and will work toward that common vision.
• Pacesetting: This is a leadership style that I am not sure I would use. I would like to see how others would use this.
• Coaching: This is a leadership style that I would use with those teachers that I want to be leaders in their grade level as well as the school.