Today’s leaders in education will need a vast and continues knowledge base of information on which to gather traits in order to sustain organizational excellence. For example, leaders who aspire to create and maintain quality improvement within their organizations will need to adapt and change to both internal and external factors. According to Guthrie and Schuermann (2010), the “gathering and analyzing of information about an institution’s external environment and its internal performance are critical functions for a strategic leader” (Guthrie & Schuermann, 2010, pg.402). Leaders in education more than ever, will need to have traits from a broad knowledge base to lead effectively (Guthrie & Schuermann, 2010).
The need for leaders to have traits that include the awareness of historical, cultural, political, and art-based knowledge can assist when conversing with constituents from diverse fields (Guthrie & Schuermann, 2010). By having this broad knowledge base, leaders can make informed judgments by what others are influenced or motivated by. When stakeholders observe a leader who is willing to adapt and take on new traits in this manner, the potential to build dialogues based on meaning, rather than data analytics, can create new mental models (Senge, 1990).
Another trait that I find central for leaders to embrace is the cultivation of having split vision (Guthrie & Schuermann, 2010). Globalization is changing the landscape of education and the need to implement diversity through quality improvement is paramount for sustainability (Argosy Online). As mentioned in Module 7, leaders need to be accessible to all stakeholders therefore necessitating the need for a global, more convergent style of leadership (Argosy online). By having traits based on split-vision and globalization, leadership will be effective at long-term planning and continuity for an organization.
Argosy University Module Readings. (2016) www.argosy.edu
Gutherie, J. & Schuermann, P. (2010) Successful School Leadership: Planning, politics, performance, and power. Gutherie, J.(Ed).Boston, MA: Pearson Education
Senge, Peter M. (1990) The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization New York, NY: Doubleday Publishing