The education system in Asia in general places far too much emphasis on academic achievement above everything else. This has led to an unhealthy pursuit of grades with mounting pressure on students to study just to get good grades. During this pursuit, the original purpose of education may have been lost as rote learning and memorizing answers simply to pass exams instead of seeking to understand how things work and learn how to problem-solve.
As a digital education leader, I see it as my mission to equip young learners today with 21st-century skills, beyond just academic knowledge, and to prepare them for the future workforce. This mission will call for transformational leadership to inspire and enable educators and families, bringing them along on the journey towards making that vision a reality.
Dvir et al. (2004) present empirical research evidence of the effects of transformational leaders on emotion‐ versus cognition‐focused aspects of their followers’ world. The traditional school of thought supports transactional leadership which focuses on the followers’ cognition. However, there is a new and growing leadership theory promoting transformational leadership which emphasizes the followers’ emotional attachment to the leader and organization as a result of being inspired by the leader’s vision. The authors’ findings “confirmed that vision formulation, the content of social‐oriented values, and assimilation were positively related to affective commitment to the organization, and unrelated to continuance commitment” to the organization.
To become a transformational leader who inspires innovation and positive change, I look to the most influential transformational leader that I know for inspiration – Jesus. What might I draw from the teachings of Jesus to identify the values that will become guideposts marking my leadership? I distilled these into 3 core values – integrity, responsibility, and humility.
Integrity
A person of integrity is honest and trustworthy. I view integrity as more than just something to strive for – it must become a way of life. The value of integrity addresses ISTE Coaching Standard 7c on supporting educators and students to critically examine the sources of online media and identifying underlying assumptions. It also aligns with Standard 7d on empowering educators, leaders, and students to make informed decisions to protect their personal data and curate the digital profile they intend to reflect.
The bible contains so many verses promoting integrity:
- Proverbs 10:9 – Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. (New International Version, 2011)
- Proverbs 11:3 – The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. (New International Version, 2011)
- Luke 16:10 – “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. (New International Version, 2011)
Trust plays a big part in any relationship. In the workplace, trust is the bedrock of successful teams. As a leader seeking the trust of those under me, nothing speaks louder than the integrity of my character. I particularly like the verse from Luke 16:10 advocating that if one cannot be trusted with the smaller things, neither can the person be trusted with bigger things (New International Version, 2011).
Responsibility
The second core value I have adopted is responsibility. In online environments, it is easy to shirk off responsibility by hiding behind digital identities. As a result, some people may feel like they can say things, including negative things, without needing to take responsibility. Teaching children to be accountable for their behavior from an early age is a way to counter irresponsible online behavior. Responsibility encompasses being reliable, dependable, and trustworthy. This value supports ISTE Standard 7a on inspiring and encouraging educators and students to use technology for civic engagement and to address challenges to improve their communities.
As a leader in education, the value of responsibility goes beyond simply teaching children to be responsible. A leader also has the responsibility to serve those under his/her care, to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly. This is encapsulated beautifully in Micah 6:8 (New International Version, 2011), “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
According to Tourish (2013), leaders wield enormous power but unfortunately, not all leaders use this power wisely. The author defines power as the “ability to influence other people and derives in part from our ability to control such things as resources, rewards, and punishments.” He warns that power can “adversely affect our ethics, perceptions of others, levels of testosterone, and our inclination to engage in risky behavior.” Without an “anchor” to hold leaders down and keep them grounded, it is easy to let the hunger for power lead leaders astray.
People’s behaviors are influenced by the presence or absence of power. People with bigger titles tend to feel more “responsible” for the outcomes of tasks than those with, say, the title of an “assistant”, possibly due to their feeling of being “less responsible” for the task. Tourish also posits that our sense of competence affects our consideration of using the power we have. A study of 90 subjects by Fast and Chen (2009) found that the harshest punishments were meted out by those who felt they had more power but also felt more incompetent. Paradoxically, the more incompetent we are, the more we allow power to get to our heads and the less caring we become.
Humility
Leaders who are humble have a teachable heart. They listen well and pay heed to wise counsel. They are not satisfied with the knowledge they have and constantly seek to improve themselves through lifelong learning and education.
I also believe that leading with a heart of humility will make me more resilient. My value as a person is not tied to my ability to do something. I recognize that I am fallible, yet I will not let failures define me. Instead, I shall take each failure as an experience to move forward and begin again more intelligently.
Philippians 2:3 (NIV, 2011) says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”. Living by this verse also breeds respectful behavior, both in speech and in conduct. This value ties in with ISTE Standard 7b on partnering with educators, leaders, students, and families to foster a culture of respectful online interactions and a healthy balance in their use of technology.
References
- Dvir, T., Kass, N., & Shamir, B. (2004). The emotional bond: Vision and organizational commitment among high‐tech employees. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 17(2), 126–143. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810410530575
- New International Version. (2011). BibleGateway.com. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/#booklist
- Tourish, D. (2013). Why the dark side? Why now? In The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership: A Critical Perspective (pp. 8–10). essay, Routledge.
