Situational Leadership

in education management
Ross Thorburn
April 28th 2021
What is it
Tell followers:
• what to do
• how to do it
• where to do it
• when to do it
then closely monitor
what they do
• Listen to follower
• Support and
encourage their
efforts
• Help with problem
solving
• Lead decision
making
• Actively listen
• Give follower more
control
• Encourage them to
do the task
• Celebrate their
successes
• You take
responsibility
• Discuss problems
with follower
• Let follower make
decisions
 Your preferred
management style?
Case #1 (Example): Maria’s writing lesson
Maria is has been teaching at your school for a year and a half. Prior to that she was a teacher
in the UK for fifteen years. She generally gets few complaints from her students and is a
confident teacher (at least outwardly).

Maria’s supervisor pops in to observe one of her classes. Afterward she tells Maria that Maria
students shouldn’t spend so much time writing in an your school lesson and that instead the
focus of the class should be on developing students’ ideas.

Afterward, Maria complains to her colleague that the supervisor is disrespectful and doesn’t
understand teaching. Maria continues to spend much of her class time working on writing.

1) What developmental level is Maria at?

2) What leadership style does her manager use?
3) What is the consequence?
4) What could Maria’s supervisor have done differently?
Case #2 (Example): Thom’s first classes
Thom has newly arrived at your school. Prior to your school he taught in another training
school in China. Prior to that he was a corporate trainer in the US. Thom is excited about
developing students’ critical thinking skills, but has little experience of doing this. He
observes a few colleagues teaching during his induction, although their approaches to
teaching vary considerably.

Thom’s supervisor observes one of his lessons during his first month at your school. In the
feedback session afterwards, his supervisor tells him that he’s doing a good job. The
supervisor gives some tips on giving clearer instructions to the students and on managing the
mixed ability students in the class.

Afterward, Thom complains to colleagues that he’s still not sure how he should be teaching.

1) What developmental level is Thom at?

2) What leadership style does his manager use?
3) What is the consequence?
4) What could Thom’s supervisor have done differently?
Case Studies
Case #3 (Example): study abroad camp
You serve as the academic team leader in your department and have been assigned
responsibility to design and implement a new initiative to take students to an educational
camp abroad. You have recruited a Project Team within the school. They are eager to begin
work with you in developing and implementing the study camp. You have scheduled a series
of planning meetings with your Team. At these first meetings of the Team, YOU WOULD. . .

a) Make sure that you define the responsibilities of the team, present an overview of the design
process you are going to use, direct the work of the team in developing the new project, and
closely monitor progress in implementing the project.
b) Direct the work of the team in designing and implementing the new project and encourage
team members to work together by recommending ideas, making decisions on the final
design, and implementing the project.
c) Facilitate the work of the team by encouraging cooperation and involvement of all team
members as they design and implement the new project.
d) Allow the team to design and implement the project on their own with your support and
with the resources that you have given them.
Case #4: drama teachers
You are the leader of the your school drama teachers. Your team has been working well
together over the past year to design and implement the organization’s plans and projects for
deliver drama courses. As the new year begins a number of new projects are being
introduced from HQ and several new teachers are being added to the team who do not have
previous experience with teaching in China. YOU WOULD. . .

a) Use several Team meetings to direct the work of the team in creating the new programs,
while teaching the new members about the organization’s work and their new role. Then
work to closely monitor the performance of the entire team as they introduce the new
projects.
b) Guide the entire team in creating the new projects, incorporate the ideas and suggestions of
all team members, encourage effective teamwork, and take time to introduce the new team
members.
c) Welcome the new members to the team, put them with other members of the team who can
help them learn how to design and implement the organization’s projects, while you
facilitate team development and teamwork.
d) Ask if there is anything you can do to help the new members and support their excitement
about being new team members.
Case #5: new assignment from regional managers
As team leader in your school, you have worked closely with the teachers in your school for
two years. Their work is excellent and the team gets along well together. Recognizing their
abilities, you feel they can now work more on their own. You have begun this semester to
redirect your energies to other projects, and they have continued to work effectively.
However, a new project has been handed to you by your regional managers. You must now
ask the teaching team to accept additional tasks and responsibilities. YOU WOULD. . .

a) Assign them the new responsibility, make sure they know what to do, and supervise them
closely.
b) Give them the new responsibility. Tell them that you are pleased with their past performance
and that you are sure they will do well with this new responsibility. Facilitate the team’s
meetings.
c) Make sure they know what you want them to do, but incorporate any helpful suggestions
they have.
d) Let them determine how to complete the new responsibility and be available to support them
and provide the information and resources that will be needed.
Case #6: writing student feedback
You have just been appointed regional manager. One of the teaching teams in a city near you
that you are about to lead has worked together for several months. The outgoing regional
manager told you this team is beginning to write better feedback for students. However,
they are somewhat overwhelmed by the volume of work during summer course and the
demands of working together with the service staff in the school. You are unsure about how
you fit into the group and what your role should be. YOU WOULD. . .

a) Assume the leadership of the team, direct the design and implementation of its projects and
tasks, and closely monitor their performance.
b) Facilitate the planning and implementation of the team’s work and develop the ability of
team members to work together.
c) Do what you can to make the team feel important and involved, and support their continued
work.
d) Attend the team meetings, but let the team continue to work as it has in the past year.
Case #7: new teachers
You are the team leader of a small your school school. All the teachers in this school left to
go back to their home countries at the end of the last semester. You now supervise three new
teachers. All have teaching experience in their home countries, and seem enthusiastic about
working at your school. How would you work with these new teachers?
Case #8: ES communication
You are academic team leader at an your school school. Several of the service staff (ES) in
your school have complained about one of your teachers. This teacher has worked in China
for six years and at your school for two. During the first year, this teacher worked well with
the ESs. Recently he has received more and more complaints about his communication. ES
have trouble finding him, he sends feedback late and when pressed, says he’s too busy.
 your examples
• Think of a
challenging
supervisory • What leadership
situation you’ve style did you use
been in recently in the situation?

• What task was • What happened?

your follower
struggling with? • What leadership
style could have
• For your follower, been more
what effetive?
developmental
level were they at
for the task?
Teachers I lead Their My current leadership style Changes you want to make in
development with these teachers. Does it your leadership style
level on different match their development
tasks level?