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Strategic Leadership for School Change

Nicholas Pang, ProfessorChinese University of Hong Kong

nskpang@cuhk.edu.hk

• John Pisapia, ProfessorLeadership Studies

Florida Atlantic Universityjpisapia@fau.edu

Paper presented at The ICSEI Congress 2012 January 5-8 Malmo, Sweden

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Research Grant Council of Hong Kong for the support of this research (RGC Ref. No.: 452710)

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Problem and Purpose Complexity and continuous change is one of the most important challenges in preparing school leaders. Hong Kong is not exceptional in this regard. Wave after wave of reform initiatives have led to complexity and sometimes ambiguity and chaos which required that Hong Kong school leaders think and act differently than before. These conditions while challenging also create opportunities for leaders with skills to take advantage of them – how they think and act and how they help their members prepare themselves for school change (Pang, 2006b).

The purpose of this study was to assess school leaders’ use of strategic thinking and leader influence actions and to examine the relationship among these variables. The study was framed by three questions:1. What is the level of school leader’s use of strategic thinking skills?2. What is the level of school leader’s use of strategic influence

actions? 3. Was there a link between school leaders thinking skills and actions?

Research StreamsStrategic Thinking 1. Thinking Skills of Leaders –Argyris and Schön,1978; Baron ,1994; Bolman and Deal ,1994; Cohen, et al. ,2000)

Daghir & Zaydi, 2005); Dewey , 1933 Halpren,1996; Morgan,2006; Pisapia, Reyes-Guerra & Coukos-Semmel ,2005; Schön, 1983); Senge ,1990).

2. Strategic Thinking as a way of thinking about strategic issues.- (Ginsberg, 1994; Goia & Chittipeddi, 1991; Hansen, 1991; Hax & Majluf, 1991; Porter, 1980; Mintzberg (1994; Raimond, 1996; Tregoe & Zimmerman, 1980 )

3. Strategic thinking as a way of overcoming the limitations of planning models (Bonn, 2001, 2005; Graetz, 2002; Heracleous, 1998; Laurence ,1999;Liedtka ,1998; O'Shannassy, 2003; Mintzberg, 1994).

Leader Influence Actions Leadership requires horizontal leadership approaches = distributed leadership theory (Cox, Pearce, &

Perry, 2003; Gronn, 2002; Pearce & Conger, 2003); Leadership requires vertical leadership approaches suggested by hierarchy = command and control

behaviors. Leadership occurs in complex environments = complexity science (Goldstein, Hazy, & Lichtenstein,

2010; Lichtenshein et al., 2001; Uhl-Bien, Marion, & McKelvey, (2007); and Leadership is about the relationship of leaders and followers = relational theories (Drath, 2001,

McName & Gergen, 1999; Uhl-Bien, 2006). (Den Hartog et al., 1999; Dorfman, 1996; House et al., 1997)PPang & Pisapia (2012) 3

Pisapia et. al. (2011) 4

Strategic Thinking Skills Pisapia’s Strategic Thinking Frame (2009)

Systems Thinking

Systems thinking refers to the leader’s ability to see systems holistically by understanding the properties, forces, patterns and interrelationships that shape the behavior of the system, which hence provides options for action.

 

Reflecting

Reflecting refers to the leader’s ability to weave logical and rational thinking, through the use of perceptions, experience and information, to make judgments on what has happened, and creation of intuitive principles that guide future actions.

 

Reframing

 Reframing refers to the leader’s ability to switch attention

across multiple perspectives, frames, mental models, and paradigms to generate new insights and options for actions.

 

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SL Influence Actions Pisapia’s Strategic Leader Actions Frame (2009)

Managing Actions taken to maintain consistency in order that current

organizational goals are accomplished efficiently and effectively.

Transforming

Actions taken to influence direction, actions, and opinions in order to change organizational conditions and culture so that learning and change occur as a normal routine of the organization.

Bonding

Actions taken to ensure that trust is an attribute of the system and not just something developed among individuals in order that followers' exhibit emotional commitment to the organization's aspirations and values.

BridgingActions are taken to develop alliances with people of power

and influence from outside and inside the organization in order to gain insights, support, and resources.

BarteringActions taken to give something in exchange in order

to strengthen the effectiveness of relationships and alliance building efforts.

MethodDesignQuantitative non-experimentalCriterion variables - Managing, Transforming, Bonding, Bridging, Bartering.Predictor variables – systems thinking, reflection, reframing.

Hypotheses 1 = Thinking skills would not be associated with position held2. = Leader actions would not be associated with position held 3. –Thinking skills used and actions taken would not be associated

Sample - 258 Elementary – 325 Secondary – 36 Special Schools.234 Principals, 280 VP, 112 Special Masters

Data CollectionInstruments: - self report version

(SAQ)© that measures the five leader actions of Bridging, Bartering, Bonding, Managing - Transforming using 35 questions based on a 5-point Likert scale.

STQ© measures three thinking skills: systems thinking, reflecting, and reframing.

Reliability: All reliability alphas > .68.

Validity: instrumentation factor models exceeded 52% of the variance. Psychometrically validated in the USA (Reyes-Guerra 2009; Pisapia 2009), and in China (Pang & Pisapia, 2010; Pang & Pisapia, 2012).

Omission rate and and inconsistency index

Data Analysis

RegressionPPang & Pisapia (2012) 6

Study Participants

258

325

36

Schools

Secondary PrimarySpecial

PPang & Pisapia (2012)7

7%

51%

42%

School Leaders

Prin VP SM

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Q#1 Ho1 The use of Strategic Thinking Skills by School Leaders in Hong Kong is not significantly related to Position held

Prin VP SM

Systems Thinking 4.15 4.09 4

Reflecting 3.68 3.59 3.43

Reframing 3.63 3.51 3.41

2.75

3.25

3.75

4.25

4.75

Systems ThinkingReflectingReframing

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Prin VP SM

Managing 3.97 3.9 3.86

Transforming 4.31 4.04 3.88

Bonding 4.53 4.44 4.37

Bridging 2.9 2.86 2.97

Bartering 2.88 2.93 2.94

N 234 280 112

2.75

3.25

3.75

4.25

4.75

Q#2 Ho2 The use of Strategic Leadership Influence Actions is not significantly related to Position Held.

The Strategic Leader Network

Reyes-Guerra & Yasin, 2006 - Pang & Pisapia, 2006; - N=900

There is a cumulative impact - The strength of the relationship between strategic thinking and leader success increases as leaders use the three dimensions in tandem.

Validated in English, (Pisapia 2011), Chinese (Pang & Pisapia, 2007; 2011); Hindi (Raghavan, Shukla, & Shaid, 2010)

Correlated with self-directed learning readiness (Zsiga, 2008), transformational leadership (Brennan, 2010), Grade point average (Pisapia & Glick, 2010), leader effectiveness (Pang & Pisapia in press; Zsiga, 2008; Pisapia, Reyes-Guerra & Yasin, 2006).

Skill use improves with age, experience, and education– the younger you are the less you use these skills. (Penney, 2010; Pisapia, et. al. 2009). Since the age bias is present, there are implications for teaching at early entry career levels.

Strategic thinking skills can be developed through training.

Systems Thinking is most used thinking skills of leaders (Pang & Pisapia 2012)

STQ Findings Thus Far

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Results of Strategic Leader Action Studies thus far

A multifaceted use of strategic leadership actions is strongly associated with self reported effectiveness (Yasin , 2006; UĞurluoĞlu 2009); effectiveness reported by others; (Reyes-Guerra, 2009); and objective measures of effectiveness - Use explains 70% of variance (Fazzino 2012)Transforming, Political and Ethical actions were associated with more cohesive culture in schools. (Urdegar, 2007; Reyes-Guerra, 2009) Leader actions were influenced by context (Yasin , 2006, Reyes-Guerra, 2009; Pisapia & Lin, 2010; Pisapia & Pang 2011; Pisapia & Pang, 2012) As the leader felt the complexity of the context increasing they used more Political and Transforming actions (UĞurluoĞlu & Çelik, 2009) SLQ appears free of gender bias; but influenced by education level, disciplines studied and tenure in position (Reyes-Guerra, 2009) – organization type and leader level (Pisapia & Lin 2010).Mandated policies and programs were not effectively implemented when leaders did not use management authority in tandem with the other 4 actions. (Reyes-Guerra, 2009) Free choice policies and programs were effectively implemented with

Transforming, Bonding, Bartering, and Bridging actions. (Reyes-Guerra, 2009)

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Q#3 Ho3 The use of strategic thinking skills is not significantly related to use of strategic influence actions (Regression Analysis)

Managing Transforming Bonding Bridging Bartering

Systems .289*** .407*** .410*** 0.033 0

Reflection .114*** .251*** 0.046 .218*** .118**

Reframing -.091* .104* -.301*** -.247*** .197***

R 0.36 0.598 0.302 0.328 0.544

R2 0.125 0.357 0.087 0.103 0.292

Note: *significant at 0.05; **significant at 0.01; ***significant at 0.001 N = 635

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Conclusions It is too early to draw firm conclusions and recommendations until the

data is further analyzed to determine the influence of other organizational and personal context variables such as gender, age, length of service. These data demonstrate that:

Position held was the most influential predictor of the use of the three strategic thinking skills and the five strategic actions.

The link between the use of strategic thinking skills and leaders actions is evident in our data. The fact is that Hong Kong school leaders, who demonstrated higher use of systems thinking and reflecting skills, also reported greater use of managing, transforming, bridging and bonding in strategic execution.

Selected Books and Articles• Strategic Leadership

Pisapia, J. (2009). The strategic leader: New tactics for a globalizing world. Charlotte: Information Age Publishers. [2020- Washington Post List – 5 best leadership books]

• Pisapia, J. (2006). A New direction for leadership. (Education Policy Studies Series No. 61). Hong Kong: The Faculty of Education and the Hong Kong Institute of Educational Research. (Monograph) – cited in Scopus

• Pisapia, J. (2011). Finding the future and making it happen. In S. Verma (Ed). Towards the next orbit. New Delhi: Sage Publishers.• Pisapia, J. (2006). Mastering change in a globalized world. In P. Singh, J. Bhatnagar, & A. Bhandarker (Eds). Future of work: Mastering change.

Chapter 19, pp. 303-327. New Delhi: Excel Books. IBSN: 81-7446-302-2.

• Strategic Leader ActionsFazzino, T. (2012). Leader Influence Actions , Climate, and School performance. Unpublished dissertation. Florida Atlantic University. Boca Raton, FL.

• Pisapia, J. & Lin, Y. (2011). Leader values and actions: An Exploratory study of school principals in mainland China. Frontiers of Education in China.

• Ugurluglu, U., Celik, Y., & Pisapia, J. (2010). The use of strategic leader actions by hospital managers in Turkey. American Journal of Business Research. 3(1), 33-52.

• Reyes-Guerra, D. (2009). The relationship of strategic leader actions and normative structures. Unpublished dissertation. Florida Atlantic University. [Nominated, AERA & College of Education Dissertations of the Year

• Ugurluglu, U. (2009). Assessment of Strategic Leadership Characteristics of Hospital Managers. Unpublished dissertation. Hacettepe University, Turkey.

• Pisapia, J. & Reyes-Guerra (2008). The Strategic Leader Questionnaire v1 (SLQ). Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Fl. Current © 2009 v3.

• Urdegar, S. (2008) Beyond Fidelity: Relating Educational Practices And Their Determinants To Student Learning Gains, Unpublished dissertation. Florida Atlantic University. [Winner College of Education and AERA dissertation of the year competitions

• Yasin, M. (2006). The use of strategic leadership actions by Deans in Malaysian and American public universities. Unpublished dissertation. Florida Atlantic University.

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Selected Books and Articles• Strategic Thinking

Pang, N.S.K. & Pisapia, J. (In Press). The Strategic Thinking skills of Hong Kong School Leaders: Usage and Effectiveness. Educational Management Administration and Leadership. [19% acceptance rate]

• Brennan, P. (2010). Pursuing success without scandal: Exploring the relationship between transformational and Authentic Leadership. Unpublished dissertation, Minneapolis, MN: Cappella University

• Pisapia, J. & Glick-Cuenot, S. (2010). Strategic Thinking Skills and Undergraduate Student Academic Success: A Preliminary Report. Presented at the American Institute of Higher Education - 4th International Conference March 18, 2010, Williamsburg Virginia, USA

• Penney, G. (2010). The use of strategic thinking skills and technology tools by Fire Chiefs. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Florida Atlantic University.

•• Raghavan, S., Shukla, A. & Shaid, S. (2010). Strategic thinking and its impact on performance: An upper echelons perspective.

Presented at the Society of Strategic Management Finland

• Pisapia, J., Pang, N.S.K., Hee, T. H. Lin, Y. & Morris, J.D. (2009). A comparison of the use of strategic thinking skills of aspiring school leaders in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Shanghai, and the United States: An exploratory study. International Journal of Educational Studies. 2(2), 48-58.

•Zsiga, P. (2008). Leader effectiveness from self-directed learning and strategic thinking International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management 2008 - Vol. 8, No.4 pp. 306 - 317

Pisapia, J., Reyes-Guerra, D. & Yasin, M. (2006) Strategic Thinking and Leader Success Presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Conference on Advances in Management, Lisbon Portugal, July 19-22, 2006.

Pisapia, J., Reyes-Guerra, D., & Coukos-Semmel, E. (2005). Developing a Strategic Mindset: Constructing the Measures. Leadership Review, Spring 2005, Vol. 5, pp. 41-68 - cited in Scopus

• Pisapia, J., Coukos-Semmel, E., & Reyes-Guerra, D. (2004). Assessing the cognitive processes of leaders: Do effective leaders think differently than less effective leaders? In A. Lazaridou (Ed.), Contemporary issues on educational administration and policy (Chapter 9, pp 147-170). Athens, Greece: Athens Institute for Education and Research. ISBN: 960-88331-2-4.

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More Information?John Pisapia, jpisapia@fau.edu is a Professor of Leadership Studies at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, currently serves as a Fulbright Scholar to China, the Adam Smith Visiting Scholar at the University of Glasgow, and founder of the Strategic Leader Network.

Dr. Pisapia brings over 23 years of management experience management experience as a principal, state commissioner of education, University Department Chair, and Research Director to his academic podium and consultancies.

His book, The Strategic Leader promising a new direction for leading in a globalized world was published in 2009 was named as a top 5 business books in 2010 by the Washington Post. •

Nicholas Sun-keung Pang nskpang@cuhk.edu.hkis the Chairman and Professor of Educational Administration and Policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He specializes in educational administration, management and leadership, as well as school effectiveness and improvement. He also serves as Co-Director of the Hong Kong Centre for the Development of Educational Leadership (HKCDEL), Leader of the School Development and Evaluation Team (SDET), Director of the Preparation for Principalship (PFP) Course and Director of Master of Arts Programme in School Improvement and Leadership (MASIL). Prof. Pang was elected the Chairman of Hong Kong Educational Research Association for the year 1999-2001. Prof. Pang has been publishing widely, locally and internationally, with over 160 articles in various media.•

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