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Applying Leadership Theories

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Applying Leadership Theories
Quentin Rogers
Grand Canyon University: EDA-575
August 14, 2013

Applying Leadership Theories
In today’s education system there is a demand for good leadership in schools. Leadership has been described as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.” ("Leadership - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia", n.d., p. 1) With all the accountability, testing, and changing laws administrators seem to have an overwhelming job, and they must realize that they cannot do it alone. Successful organizations that have influenced the world have revealed leaders with successful leadership styles as it relates to follower influence. (Harper, 2012, p. 1) It is vitally important for administrators to creatively influence their staff to assist in accomplishing the goals set for their schools. Failure to do so may cause the administrators their jobs. In this essay, we will examine the different leadership styles and how they are applied within Plymouth High School. Plymouth High School is a relatively small school. It has a principal and two assistant principals. It houses roughly five hundred students. In this school, we will explore the four mostly used leadership styles, which are directive, participative, and coaching leadership. For the sake of privacy, the administrators will be referred to as administrator 1and administrator 2.
The first leadership theory that has been used at Plymouth High School is the directive leadership style. The Directive leadership style is a production-oriented, and focuses on telling people what to do and how to do it. ("Examples of Leadership Theories | eHow", n.d., p. 1) Directive leaders are adept at giving instructions, setting expectations, and establishing timelines and performance standards. ("Widener University |

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