Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to examine the use of “influence” in the context of leadership standards and practice. As “leadership” has supplanted management as the focal point of school reform, much has been written, pro and con, about the effectiveness of school leaders in affecting school improvement. To help, leadership standards (In America, ISLLC: 1996, 2007) were crafted to frame knowledge, practice, & dispositions that would guide the successful administrator; critics decry the dearth of evidence supporting effectiveness of that frame.
The use of “influence” is increasingly present in education literature. It is explicit in American leadership standards: administrative leaders are expected to promote student success by “influencing the political, social, economic and cultural context”. Yet the question of how one “influences” these external constituencies, and the measurement of effectiveness is absent.
Recent studies suggest that looking at the cognitive skills and abilities of school leaders may provide clues to effective leadership practice. By looking at the thought processes guiding one’s behavior, clues may be found in understanding how proven effective leaders, and their schools, achieve success.
This paper attempts to build on that discussion by examining empirical data drawn from the behavioral sciences, specifically in the area of social psychology. As the use of “influence” is introduced and expanded in education studies, the connectivity between the two sciences needs to be examined for maximum benefit. This paper will attempt to look at “influence” in a specific context, that is, the impact of influencing skills by educational leaders in the school setting.

Keywords:

leadership standards organizational change shared leadership .