3.4 The Transformational Leadership Theory
3.4.3 Efficacy of Invitational and Transformational leadership on resource demand Although most authors are of the opinion that Invitational Leadership Theory and
Transformational leaders stimulate the intellectual capabilities of teachers by encouraging them to deal with surfacing problems using new strategies (Warrilow, 2012). The transformational school head therefore gives autonomy to teachers to freely explore strategies that can be used to do away with surfacing problems in the organisation. However the leader is prepared to absorb both positive and negative outcomes from teachers since this is regarded as a learning process. This connotes that the school head creates an environment that is tolerant of mistakes in the school. The school head respects all the views that are proposed by the teachers, but constructively corrects while work is done amicably. Transformational leaders always have positive approaches to addressing team member contributions in decision-making. When the ECD teachers are given the obligation to make decisions that are later backed by the school head, they can even bring more new ideas into the school system.
Finally, a Transformational leader considers individual uniqueness among teachers; each teacher is treated as an important contributor in the school (Cranston, 2009; Warrilow, 2012).
In individualised consideration, challenges and professional development opportunities are provided by the leader through coaching in various areas where skills and knowledge are developed. The hallmark of the Transformational leadership theory is in the professional development and growth of the teachers (Fulton & Britton, 2011; Greer, 2012).
3.4.3 Efficacy of Invitational and Transformational leadership on resource demand
The important advantage of the Invitational Leadership Theory is that it has shifted from emphasising power differential between the leaders and the followers and focuses on working together as a team pursuing one common goal (Purkey & Novak, 2008; Steyn, 2014). It is a blend of leadership qualities, values, and principles which invite all interested stakeholders to succeed (Stillion & Siegel, 2005; Purkey, 2006; Purkey & Novak, 2008). Burns (2007) proclaims that is the right time when present leaders in practice should acquire skills and knowledge that are effective. Invitational Leadership Theory emphasises the need to invite all the people who are interested to work together and achieve common educational goals. Thus having an open door policy where everyone; learners, teachers, parents, local and international communities are invited to work together for the development of the school. The collective vision of the leader and followers is to work together in harmony and protect the pursuance of the agreed decisions (Greer, 2012). Invitational Leadership Theory removes the negatives that inhibit learners and teachers from effective teaching and learning. Most importantly, Invitational Leadership Theory was designed to be useful in harsh work environments where people are incompetent, underpowered and disengaged (Reimer, 2010;
Haigh, 2011).
Like any other theories, Invitational Leadership Theory has few conceptual weaknesses that reduce its capacity to be used alone in total effective leadership. Invitational Leadership Theory is criticised for using soft strategies and ideas for inviting those who are interested (Haigh, 2011). It needs to be more than an excuse for the status quo (Steyn, 2010; Shaw, et al., 2013). It is not clear as to how the leaders practically co-ordinate change among the invited.
Transformational Leadership Theory has more advantages than disadvantages. The overall evidence establishes that Transformational leadership is strongly correlated to high teacher retention, maximum individual and group performance, and high teacher satisfaction (Robbins, et al., 2011). Transformational leadership is geared to teacher motivation for maximum performance in organisational outcomes (Robbins & Coulter, 2007; Warrilow, 2012). Transformational Leadership Theory puts emphasis on supporting professional development that creates skill and knowledge improvement in the teachers (Weihrich et al., 2008; Warrilow, 2012). The Transformational leader role models and inspires teachers to take ownership of the school and take the initiative of working as a team for the common good (Kouzes & Posner, 2010; Shields, 2011). This Transformational Leadership Theory to the
transformation of the remote rural ECD schools can make the resource demand challenges possible to overcome. The idea of inspiring the teachers to keep them working is to create an environment to develop powerful additional ideas for harmonising high resource demand to low resource supply in remote rural ECD schools.
Like any other theory, Transformational Leadership Theory is also liable for some „potholes‟.
Fulton and Bilton (2011) and Warrilow (2012) opine that Transformational Leadership Theory forces followers to work very hard but at the end they lose more than what they get from their work. Followers are encouraged to work more than their stipulated hours for the good of the organisation (Kouzes & Posner, 2010; Shields, 2011). Transformational Leadership Theory doesn‟t consider the interests of the workers, the vision which is pursued is set by the leaders, however, the workers are compelled to buy it because the leaders disguise it with trust and respect (Pieterse, Knippenburg & Stam, 2010; Katz & Earl, 2010;
Shields, 2011). In this instance, individual interests are sacrificed for organisational enhancement. Although the theory states that work-related over commitment by the teachers is of paramount importance, there is need for a balance between the efforts and rewards.
Transformational Leadership Theory omits the need by the leader to interact with higher officers and the outside communities who are appreciated for their participation in the survival of the school; for example, networking, consultation for assistance, partnering with stakeholders in school projects (Yukl, 2008; Pieterse, et al., 2010).
The use of these theories in giving direction to this study was impounded by the theoretical capacities in transforming school cultures, becoming more relevant to the study because of the current economic situation in Zimbabwe. These theories have vital principles of transforming teachers and the school heads to be optimistic, committed and hard-working under economic harsh conditions for the betterment of the disadvantaged ECD learners in the remote rural areas.
The most needed motion for transforming ECD schools in remote rural areas is by having ideas from intellectual giants in the world linked to the world of moral determination, teamwork and collective identity (Fulton & Bilton, 2011; Warrilow, 2012). The intellectual capacity, moral devotion and unity of purpose are essentials for this situation if ECD learners in remote rural areas are to benefit from the education system. The moral and intellectual aspects of human qualities are much needed in this transformational process. It needs
patriotic, committed, dedicated and united intellectuals who can make use of the available resources in their environment in order to transform the ECD programme in remote rural areas. The status quo of the education system needs transformation of the ECD sector alone.
Intellectual resourcefulness and intensified cohesive team work will support the school‟s transformation (Stillion & Siegel, 2005; Burns, 2007; Pedder & Opfer, 2011). Under the influence of these two theories, the school heads inspire cohesive teams in such a way that the impossible will be made possible for resource mobilisation. In this respect, school heads send invitational messages to all stakeholders to cultivate and inspire wisdom to allow easy resource mobilisation in the schools.
The school leader seeks to develop and maintain skills and knowledge that are needed to improve leadership effectiveness in current educational organisations. It is apparent that no one leadership theory can achieve leadership excellence; but a combination of these.
Substantiating this idea are Bush and Middlewood (2013) who affirm that, effective leadership is not related to any one leadership theory. With the same perspective Burns (2007) acknowledges that there are many pathways pointing to effective leadership. Two theories of leadership are stronger in combination than one, in changing how school heads work together with stakeholders to improve resource provision to enhance effective ECD learning in remote rural schools (Bush, 2007). The critical task was for me to get augmenting leadership theories with consistent principles that provide school heads with the skills and knowledge to become effective in difficult times in the remote rural ECD schools.
Invitational and Transformational Leadership Theories; when combined, have proven to form effective leadership. Therefore, this study is underpinned by these two effective leadership theories.