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EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND DISTANCE EDUCATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE

2014

DEPM 604April 15, 2014Miriam Niblack

EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND DISTANCE EDUCATION 1

Abstract

For the purpose of this paper we will look at the effect that on how leadership creates innovation

and shapes organizations to be prepared and accept change to allow forward mobility in the

direction of the institutions vision in DE. Leadership can be defined, as the ability to guide or

influence others to follow you. Leadership is an intangible quality that one possesses. However,

leadership qualities can be learned through practice and being repetitive. Leadership can also be

nurtured by looking for certain character traits. Leadership and management are not the same,

although the two functions correlate, each have distinguishing features.

Key Words

Leadership, Management, Innovation, Change, Correlate, Vision


Effective Leadership and Distance Education in the Digital Age

Attributes of Effective DE Leader Introduction

Since good leaders have vision, courage, honesty, integrity, humility, openness, fairness,

and a sense of humor, these eight attributes are what I feel best embody an effective Distance

education (DE) leader. As referenced by Siraj, Naimie, & Shagholi (2008), “The word lead

means to go from - leaders tend to take their adherents from one place to another” (p. 24).

Effective leaders are able to motivate and inspire their followers with their behaviors, as actions

speak louder than words. Creating camaraderie through people-oriented leadership skills will

provide a harmonic work environment that will influence followers to work toward the vision of

the organization in order to achieve success. Kotter stated, “that success hinges, first, on creating

an agenda of what one wants to accomplish, and second, on building and using a network of

relationships with a wide variety of people who can help accomplish the agenda” (as cited in

Jameson, 1989, p. 87).

Management and Leadership Distinctions

Kotter (2012) found distinctions between leadership and management, in that,

management involves activities such as planning, organizing, staffing, and problem-solving,

whereas leadership involves behaviors such as creating a vision, establishing direction, aligning

people and motivating and inspiring people to “satisfy the same goals to get desired outcomes”

(Kotter, 2012, p. 29). Leadership means having to make decisions and strategizing to make

visions turn into realities. Effective leaders must lead change regardless of the resistance and

obstacles they encounter. Evidentiary support of this claim, as stated by Conger (2010), in that,

charismatic leaders have distinguishing behaviors that allow them to seek out change through

their actions and work hard to obtain their goals regardless of shortcomings, barriers or any


obstacles. According to Pietersen (2002), “the key is to shift both the organizational and human

dynamics of your company so as to transform people's natural resistance to change (a negative)

into active support of change (a positive)” (p. 34). Kotter also stated, “figuring out what to do

despite uncertainties, great diversity” (as cited in Gibson, 1999, p. 90), is a sign of leadership.

Charismatic leaders “must have a mission, espouse radical innovations, challenge established

practices, and, most important, have a vision for the future” (Nur, 1998, p. 21). Meaning leaders

are dynamic figures that know how to bring cohesion together within working environments and

inspiring others to follow their lead. In addition, charismatic leaders, "advocate for radical

change" (Conger, 2010, p. 97). From my personal experience, to lead is not easy. Leading takes

hard work, dedication, and courage to carry the fate of others, as the responsibility rests on your

shoulders.

Leadership Traits

Vision

First and foremost, a leader has to have and assert their vision, a clear, vivid picture of

where they want to go and how they plan to how to achieve success. Leaders are passionate

about the vision, as passion is contagious, and work until completion. An effective leader can

communicate their vision enough for followers to buy into it. A good leader has discipline to

work single-mindedly toward their goal and directs their actions and that of their team toward

that goal. A leader does not worry over having analysis paralysis, as they are always in pursuit of

the vision. This quality, in my opinion, is what separates leaders from managers. While a

manager’s behavior gets the job done, a good leader taps into and elicits emotion from their

followers.


Courage

Second, a good leader has to have the courage of their convictions to stand and deliver to

encourage others to follow. In regards to courage, Winston Churchill, stated “courage is rightly

considered the foremost of the virtues, for upon it all others depend (studymode.com, 2008, para.

3). and that “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit

down and listen” (studymode.com, 2008, para. 3). Greek philosopher Plato, stated “Courage is

knowing what not to fear” (studymode.com, 2008, para. 4). It seems to me that great minds think

alike, as Plato’s mentor was Socrates (who had many followers) and his disciple was Aristotle,

who taught one the world’s most renowned military leaders in history, Alexander the Great.

Effective leaders give credit where credit is due and accept criticism and praise, as this is a true

sign of good leadership.

Honesty

Third, a good leader is honest. Leaders know they have great responsibility to and for

others. A key value for them is to be honest and practice ethical behavior so that their team will

follow suit.

Integrity

Fourth, an effective leader has integrity which, means actions are aligned with their

values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside as they are on the inside. This person can

be trusted because their goals are aligned with their values, even if the process is arduous. An

effective leader must earn the respect of and have the trust of followers by being completely

honest, in every situation, and in all they do.


Humility

Fifth, good leaders, who have humility, know they are no better than anybody else but are

always just as good. A good leader eats humble pie.

Openness

Sixth, leaders that practice openness mean they are willing to be creative, innovative, and

accept new ideas or concepts. Good leaders are good listeners. Being open builds trust and lets

followers know that leaders are approachable. Good leaders are open-minded and willing to

learn, are adaptive to and welcome change, and regardless of the messenger they listen to the

message.

Fairness

Seventh, good leaders practice fairness, are free of bias, and just in their decisions. A

leader learns the facts and then passes judgment. It is through fair treatment of others that leaders

will receive the loyalty and dedication of their followers.

Humor

Lastly, a leader must have a sense of humor. Knowing that things will not always run

smoothly and being able to laugh is a vital component to leadership that help elevates stress and

boredom. Effective leaders use humor to diffuse negative situations and invigorate followers.

Laughter is also good for the soul.

Leadership Choices Explained

After going through the readings and course materials, it is evident that for leadership to

be effective it is crucial to have these traits because, in my opinion, without them an organization

can languish. In a digital age, where more work is being done online and communication via

email, as opposed to face-to-face, it is imperative to be clear to lessen misunderstandings.


Ineffective communication can lead to decreased morale that, in turn, lower productivity and can

drive followers away from achieving goals related to the vision. I feel that most of these traits

have not changed much in the era of DE, as leaders are still faced with the task of getting

followers to direct their actions toward meeting goals and objectives for desired outcomes. I also

believe these traits are universal in most DE settings because you have to have vision and

establish trust for others to follow and each trait builds upon each other. Of course different

situations may call for different actions, as there is a time and place for humor, but honesty and

humility are always welcome. According to Workman & Cleveland-Innes (2012), stated:

For the purpose of this appraisal, leadership in distance

education, as distinct from managerial functions in a

variety of settings, is defined as a set of attitudes and

behaviours which create conditions for innovative change,

which enable individuals and organizations to share a

vision and move in its direction, and which contribute

to the operationalization of ideas that advance distance

education initiatives. (p. 314)

Summary

Whereas ineffective leaders do not have the afore-mentioned character traits such as

honesty and courage, most important of all, they lack the ability to communicate their vision; an

effective leader communicates clearly what it is they want and how they plan to achieve success.

Effective leaders strive for excellence in all they do and their behaviors mimic their words in

order to have others follow. Good and effective leaders accept responsibility for failures and

results and move forward even in the face of adversity.


Crucial Issues of DE leaders Introduction

DE leaders must attend to the following three critical issues in order to successfully guide

their organizations which, are recognizing there is a change in the educational system that is DE

through use of technology, knowing that receptivity of DE lies in being technology literate and

resistance with learning and teaching in DE can be overcome with education, training, and

participation.

Three Critical DE Issues

Recognition of DE in educational system

A critical issue I see is the deficiency of wanting to recognize that there is a change in the

educational system and it is DE. However, many seem to try to resist this pedagogical approach

to teaching and learning that is learner autonomy, “the ability of a learner to develop their own

learning plan” (Moore & Kearsley, 2012, p. 213) developed through the theory of Transactional

Distance, meaning the result of time and space distance (Moore & Kerasley). DE is about

change. DE opens up new learning opportunities, especially to those in rural and disadvantaged

populations, and allows the learner greater autonomy and control over their education in relation

to the teaching institution (Moore & Kearsley, 2012). Institutions are creating DE systems and

this is changing the roles of instructors.

However, change has to be planned and managed effectively if it is to last. In other

words, good leadership is critical to facilitate change that is needed. Kotter stated, “Change is

often associated with greater urgency, pressure, and risk than normal organization activities” (as

cited in Ford, Ford, & Amelio, 2008, p. 372). Due to students and instructors having minimal

experience learning and teaching at a distance, the unfamiliarity is translated into resistance that

causes them to fear change. However, if DE is to succeed, fear must be overcome. I was also


hesitant to DE but after reviewing what the programs had to offer I saw that the benefits far

exceeded any disadvantages such as, foregoing constant face-to-face interactions. According to

Dent & Goldberg (1999), resistance can be overcome with education, training, participation,

negotiation, and coercion. Therefore, recipients of change have to understand and know that they

will be supported throughout this process. Faculty and staff have to know the benefits of

participating in DE and stop clinging to the old traditional values of conventional learning to

embrace change. Technological advancements make it possible to teach and interact with

students in a way that was not possible before. These new learning managements systems may

enhance their skills and allow them to teach more effectively and to larger more diverse

populations.

Receptivity of DE with technology usage

Another issue, in terms of the aspect of receptivity toward DE, is the technology involved.

Research has shown that a primary factor in determining the success and satisfaction in DE is the

comfort level in regards to use of technology (Moore & Kearsley, 2012). While technical

problems such as equipment failure, bad connections and low quality course designs are

frustrating, these must be overcome, otherwise, if left ongoing resistance will continue (Moore &

Kearsley, 2012). Learning how to properly and effectively use technology will diminish

dissatisfaction with DE. I personally have dealt with these challenges by learning about

technology through taking courses offered on computer literacy, reading blogs and working with

people I know in IT. I had to take some initiative and have a willingness to learn something new.

Even though I was scared I was more determined to educate myself in technology so I pushed

ahead because I know once knowledge is gained I can have it forever. In addition, once I started

the program for learning web application and social media, I did not want to stop, as it was very


interesting and I found that I enjoyed what I was learning. I also believe in finishing what you

start. According to Moore & Kearsley (2012), there are three main causes for resistance and

dissatisfaction to DE listed on p. 167:

1. Bad course design and teacher incompetence

2. Wrong expectations on part of students

3. Poor technology or inability to use technology properly

However, when there is good quality course design, teaching and technology DE can be a

favored way to learn. I have said that people need to be technologically literate, if they are to

function in the new Digital Age. I feel that with support and guidance such as, setting up digital

literacy courses prior to enrollment in DE courses, may eradicate resistance to DE by many

potential distance learning participators that would otherwise shun online learning.

Collaborative work groups in DE

Lastly, another potential issue in DE is working in group settings. I notice that group

work is almost always integrated in any DE program, as that is a way to facilitate class

participation and interaction. Even though groups mean working as a collective for shared

interests, many are not willing to work toward the common goal. However, distributing the

workload fairly and evenly and getting the group all starting working toward the right direction

of contributing can be stressful and frustrating.

Effective group behavior involves communication, direction, planning, delegation and

work ethic. As students are not bound geographically, there are issues with communication, as it

is usually asynchronous, and consistency is a must. I am not a mind reader. I have no idea what a

group member is going through or is capable of unless they communicate it. I can empathize

with people that things do happen but the manner in which one conducts themselves, if it is not


in the best interest of the group or negative, will not get my sympathy. I value proper decorum,

as I am sure most others in any group setting would agree because manners matter. I feel that

there should be some accountability and consequence for inappropriate behavior that instructors

can bestow upon these students such as, lower grade or dismissal from group, in order to change

or lessen the behavior.

In addition, I also see many are not willing to step up and be the leader. I feel that people

avoid this as it is perceived as a no-win proposition, as perception is reality, because managing

people is no easy task and little reward, if any, for all of your hard work and efforts. In my

opinion, people need to move past this and focus on the issue which is getting the task

completed. Kellerman stated she was becoming more anti-leader, as with followers they are

beginning to pay less attention to the leaders but more to their peers. I have to agree with this

observation, as this may be yet another reason why people do not want to lead because no one is

paying attention to them. Do not let people deviate you from your goals or make you feel like

you do not deserve something you want. If you want to be the leader, speak up and say so.

Otherwise, you may have to accept being delegated work that you are not good at doing and do

not want.

Summary

Although without effective leadership to facilitate the changes to bring DE successfully

into organizations the program will fail, DE is about change given that recognizing change is

inevitable in the educational system, as DE is not going anywhere, as long as the demand exists.

Open access to higher education is desired, particularly in rural populations, by many who may

lack resources to get educated by conventional methods. In order for current and future DE

participants to be successful, they will need to learn how to properly use technology. Instructors


and students will need support and guidance to accept the changes associated with learning in the

online environment. There is also a need to learn how to effectively work and lead collaborative

groups with appropriate behaviors such as communication and planning so that assignments can

be completed with minimal obstacles that can lead to frustration and other negative reactions or

behaviors within an online environment.

Conclusion

What I took away from this course was learning and understanding what leadership and

management are and what distinguishes each. I know to facilitate change there has to be a vision

and a sense of urgency to achieve it. Leadership traits can be learned through practice and

repetition. Effective leaders have character traits that shape who they are, as a person, as well as

how they lead their followers. DE Leaders also know that to have successful computer-based

programs that it involves a willingness to step out of their comfort zones and that through

education, planning and participation online learning can satisfy the desired outcomes of all

which, is open access to higher education. The pedagogy for instructing students is evolving into

more self-directed learning and as, institutions recognize the need to meet this demand it will be

imperative for educators to remain flexible and open to what is to come in the foreseeable future.


References

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Dent, E. and Goldberg, S. (1999). Challenging “resistance to change.” The Journal of Applied

Behavioral Science, 35(1), 25-41.

Ford, J., Ford, L., and D’Amelio, A. (2008). Resistance to change: the rest of the story. Academy

of Management Review, 33(2), 362-377.

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Kellerman lecture on Followership Part I-presentation on

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgLcAF5Lgq4

Moore, M. G. & Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance education: A systems view of online learning

(3rd Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Nur, Y. (1998). Charisma and managerial leadership: The gift that never was. Business Horizons,

41(4), 19.

Pietersen,W. (2002). The Mark Twain dilemma: the theory and practice of change leadership.

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Workman, T., & Cleveland-Innes, M. M. (2012). Leadership, personal transformation, and

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Documents

effective Leadership and Distance education in the digital agemiriamje-portfolio.weebly.com/uploads/2/1/2/2/21226994/major_paper.d… · Web viewSince good leaders have vision,