A633.4.3.RB - Changing Dynamics of Leadership Clark_A


Changing Dynamics of Leadership

     I feel like the shift in leadership to more of a bottom-up approach is related to leaders realizing the actual value in the knowledge and opinions of lower-level employees.  Obolensky stated, “So the fact is those at the top do not know the solutions to the problems faced by the organizations they lead. And generally speaking they know that they do not know (2014).”  Therefore, considering this leadership charade leaders have shifted their leadership approach from directing to guiding and leading.



     This shift to a more bottom-up approach to leadership is not indicative of what is happening at my organization as the leadership approach at the school district as a whole is very much a top down approach.  However, I have seen a shift in the leadership strategies within various departments which correlates to the leadership tending shift and utilizes the bottom-up approach with the department.  Assistant Superintendents within the district try to show their team members, at every level that they value their input and contributions to the organization by requesting their opinions about methods to follow through with strategic changes. 



     The Superintendent has a cabinet the supports his strategic efforts and it is the cabinet’s responsibility to follow through with the assigned task. The lower level staff does not have any input regarding the action plan what so ever. With decisions being made from the top this allows the Superintendent to be clear about what the goals and expectations (Duverge, 2015).  However, the lower level managers often conduct question and answer sessions to get their input in order to facilitate the required task. 



     Another positive aspect of the school district having a top down approach to leadership is that all aspects of the organization can be taken into consideration when conflict arises, especially how a decision will affect employees and in this case the children of our community (Duverge, 2015).  Lastly, the lower level manager and district employees have more time to focus on work duties instead of attending meetings discussing potential directions of the company in this leadership approach.  As the show must go on even though major changes and chaos could be in the near future of the organizations path (Duverge, 2015).  We have a strong leader at the forefront; therefore the managers can take charge, assign specific tasks their teams, and set deadlines to assure that the goals are met. 



      The leadership dynamics of my organization would have to change to include everyone in the process if it were to adopt a bottom-up approach to leadership. Although this is not likely to happen as the bureaucracy that comes along with operating a public organization will not accommodate complete transparency.   One thing we could do is have a succession plan with includes hiring within the district for management positions, that way future executives will be aware of the intricate details of what transpires at the work level of the departments.  This knowledge is invaluable to the support that is given to the Superintendent and will create a sense of loyalty to the success of the district as a whole.


References



Duverge, G. (2015). Top-down vs Bottom-up Management Styles. Retrieved from http://www.tuw.edu/business/top-down-vs-bottom-up-management/.


Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex adaptive leadership: embracing paradox and uncertainty, 2d Edition. Burlington, VT: Gower Publishing Limited.

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