We Need Resilient School Leaders in the face of Chaos and Complexity

Year 2017, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 17 - 25, 30.12.2017

Mustafa Ozmusul

https://doi.org/10.22596/erj2017.0201.17.25

Abstract

We experience
some rapid and unexpected changes especially within the incoherent and asunder
school policies and implementations that are unsuitable for the demands and
expectations of school stakeholders. Furthermore, the internal and other
external obstacles and non-ideal situations such as lack of resources, negative
school climate, less motivation, organizational conflicts, cultural matters,
depersonalization, or resist to change surround the schools today. All these tend
to produce serious organizational stress and turn into organizational viruses
at the school level. Exploring the non-ideal situations affecting today
schools, the present study conceptualizes a resilient leadership model with
reference to the school system in the face of chaos and complexity. Although
describing the resilient leaders seems difficult we can say that resilient
leaders do not seek pretext for struggling against difficulties, and when
non-ideal situations occur they can shake but stand up. Such leaders that we
expect like a tree which can withstand a storm run in downpour, like a dam
which can hinder strong waves, or like a flower which can blossom in the snow. They
may not be superman or supergirl but at least they are mentally, emotionally,
socially, ethically, and physically strong humans who beat the odds. In turn, resilient
leadership can be defined as displaying high level of endeavor to overcome the
both internal and external obstacles that the organization faces, and generating
different solutions despite the fact that many non-ideal situations affect the
organization. At the end of the study, in the face of such situations, some potential
characteristics of the resilient school leaders are suggested.

Keywords

resilient leadership, school leadership, leadership development, chaos and leadership

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