[Ous-lp-rp13] EDAD 6010 Answer to Question #3

[Dustin Tyler]

*I expect there to be many challenges as an administrator.  Some having a
clear answer but more often than not a decision will not have a clear
answer.  That’s why as an administrator it is going to be a constant
balancing act of the different learning behaviors to integrate task,
relations, and change oriented behaviors as best as I can.  Task-oriented
behaviors are described as the focus on the process of accomplishing tasks,
including communicating clearly, planning and organizing, maximizing
resource.  The change occurs incrementally. Task-oriented behaviors most
closely relates to the rational systems because it deals with the
instruments to attain a certain goal. The communication comes from the top
down so that everyone learns and knows the expectations.  This type of
behavior is the transactional side of leadership due to the compliance it
takes for task orientation. At my school this happens by having our Teacher
Based Team (TBT) Building Leadership Team (BLT) meetings and DLT (District
Leadership Team). This framework allows for every level of our district to
participate in task-oriented behaviors. The task-oriented behaviors are
challenged everyday with educators not believing or not ¨buying in¨ to an
idea. As a coteaching school next year we have attempted to match up
teachers that have different views to become more effective with
task-oriented behaviors. Relations-oriented behaviors are described as
having a focus on the people including their individual needs.  This takes
a focus on the human resource portion of the four perceptual lenses. During
this orientation decisions can be made more laterally.  This type of
behavior is transformational because the leader works with a team to create
a vision, identify what needs changed, and executing change with people.
We as a district have been working on equity training. CCSD has made it a
mission to open the eyes of teachers about what it means to be equitable.
Through this process teachers have come out of their shells and talked
about their viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. The challenge is to
get some staff members to do the same, some introverted staff members are
hesitant because they do not have the trust in other colleagues and
administrators. I have gained relationships and insight to a lot of my
colleagues from this process. Change-oriented behaviors are described as
the focus on making major changes in order to achieve a vision and to gain
commitment to the vision.  Change oriented behaviors relate to the open
system. Decisions tend to be made by a leader and the people commit to the
task at hand. This type of behavior is transformational much like the
relations-oriented behavior.  At CCSD there has been a lot of change and
more than likely more will come. Taking four neighborhood schools into one
school is a ¨you don´t know what you don´t know¨ being one of few schools
that have done it, but our administration has done everything that they
could in order for this change to be as smooth as possible.  Some teachers
have a hard time with change and it came very apparent during our TBT
meetings on who those teachers were. The challenges are great and we are
hoping to instill teacher´s that are disbelievers of our vision to
believers. Looking at what makes these behaviors so different I realize
there must be an intersection of all three in order to be a good leader.
The biggest barrier for me as a principal would be if I only consider one
orientation or to leave out a third; not allowing them all to work
harmoniously.  The ability to have all three orientations considered is
imperative to being a good leader and the success of a school. All three
levels change-oriented, relation-oriented, and task-oriented must be
applied and work together to create an effective learning environment.
Leadership and decision making as a principal is not always black and
white. Important decisions that affect a community of stakeholders could
happen everyday. *
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