Introduction
Human beings interact with each other through using spoken languages, signs, and written materials. Individuals should consider their current social strengths and work hard to improve them continuously. Unfortunately, the emergence of the Internet and social media networks have triggered a new trend characterized by reduced communication abilities. More students in learning institutions find it hard to interact with their classmates or neighbors (Knifsend, Green and Clifford, 2020). The experience of such stakeholders in the educational sector is critical since it will dictate their performance in their future lives and careers. The absence of extracurricular activities and social programs in learning institutions has resulted in crucial gaps in social skills.
Many scholars have completed a number studies to expose the nature of this problem. For instance, Kian, Adibnasab and Izanloo (2020) observed that the absence of proper school environments affected the rate at which earners developed the required social competencies. In their article, Kian, Adibnasab and Izanloo (2020) went further to reveal that individuals with negative attitudes towards their schools were unable to improve their skills. Leifler et al. (2022) described how learners with disabilities lacked proper pedagogical processes, thereby being at risk of underachievement and improved social competencies. SĂžrlie, Hagen and Nordahl (2021) also identified the absence of proper extracurricular activities as a leading factor behind low attainment and development of proper interactional skills. Leifler et al. (2022) present additional insights to explain how the Internet and its use affect their writing, professional, and communication abilities. Similarly, Gall (2021) suggests that around 60 percent of graduates tend to lack some of the social skills needed in the job market.
Pro-social leadership theory stipulates that coordinated efforts can help professionals understand emerging problems, remain committed, and eventually trigger a sense of growth. The model reveals that the absence of proper mechanisms can affect more students and leave them unprepared for future career assignments (Bornstein, Putnick and Esposito, 2017). They will also be unable to interact with other people effectively in their lives (Strickhouser, Zell and Krizan, 2017). The absence of proper mechanisms, resources, and support systems can have a negative impact on studentsâ social abilities.
With many learners presenting underdeveloped social abilities, it becomes necessary to propose a new change whereby extra-curricular activities become the norm in institutions. Teachers, leaders, parents, and students need to be involved to help in the advancement of such competencies (Indroasyoko et al., 2017). This vision for the future will allow more learners to develop superior philosophies for communicating, engaging, and solving emerging problems (Leifler et al., 2022). The absence of such a strategy will disorient the overall experiences and outcomes of more students.
Extracurricular Activities to Influence the Social Skill
The intended program seeks to transform the available learning environment in accordance with the needs of the identified students. The inclusion of key stakeholders is critical if desirable outcomes are to be recorded, including parents, teachers, leaders of academic institutions, and students (Nur, Maâmun and Fitri, 2020). The key ones include the office of campus recreation group and the students. The contributions and efforts of the participants are essential for these beneficiaries are to develop desirable social skills. The first category of the office of the campus recreation group is relevant because it offers the required leadership attribute (Gökel and DaÄlı, 2017). The professionals involved in this office will examine the existing situation and identify evidence-based approaches to deal with the gaps (Arranz et al., 2017). They can engage in policymaking to identify evidence-based practices that can empower more learners. Similarly, students will form an integral part of this project because they are the ones in need of the proposed support (Guilmette et al., 2019). Such beneficiaries ought to be involved since they can offer insights about their challenges and the issues they encounter when engaging others (Silveira-Zaldivar, Ăzerk and Ăzerk, 2021). These students will also guide the members of the recreation office to design the best extracurricular activities and integrate them within the wider learning process. The stakeholders are important because they will present additional insights for working together, identifying most of the existing challenges, and proposing proper strategies (Saxena, 2020). The ultimate aim is to ensure that more learners are aware of the possible gains and are willing to be part of the process (OâKeeffe and McNally, 2021). The leaders need to encourage the individuals to identify their free time and be willing to utilize it in a beneficial way. If done properly, the extracurricular activities will resonate with the identified gaps and eventually promote a paradigm shift (Withey, 2017). The leaders in the recreation office will eventually achieve their aims while empowering more students to develop the desired social abilities.
The intended initiative amounts to a new change that will have significant impacts on the goals and experiences of these two primary stakeholders. The application of appropriate leadership approaches can influence these parties and ensure that positive results are recorded (Rauf and Bakar, 2019). For the participants in the campus recreation office, the transactional leadership model can trigger a new change. Specifically, the theory will guide these professionals to identify the needs of students and guide them to achieve it (Kulp, Pascale and Grandstaff, 2021). The beneficiaries should be aware of the move and how the intended project meets their current and future social needs (Alshammari, Bahaekm and Barnawi, 2020). Through the same model, the leaders will offer additional rewards that could encourage these students to engage in extracurricular activities. The approach will ensure that the beneficiaries are aware of the grades and credit systems associated with the new program (Boyd et al., 2018). The theory encourages the involved leaders to apply the relevant competencies, solve emerging challenges, and focus on desirable outcomes. Similarly, the use of prosocial theory can guide these stakeholders to focus on the best outcomes. This model will guide those in leadership positions to guide their followers in order to understand the nature of the current concern (Barnett, 2018). The office of recreation group will engage such students to embrace the power of commitment. They will understand why they ought to work in groups. The identification of all the necessary activities will trigger a sense of action (Jovarini, Leme, and Correia-Zanini, 2018). The individuals will then reflect and consider the importance of being involved (Coelho et al., 2017). These students will eventually experience personal growth in social abilities (Fujiyama, Kamo and Schafer, 2021). The continuous adoption of these two leadership theories will deliver an evidence-based approach for stakeholder engagement.
Resources Requirement and Opportunities for Change
Various resources would be required to make the intended change a reality. First, the institution should avail specific equipment for designing and introducing the identified activities. For example, balls and playing fields or rooms would be necessary for this project (Loukatari et al., 2019). Second, financial resources would be necessary since they students should be able to visit other institutions and engage in competitive gaming activities (Cornell, Lin and Anderson, 2018). Third, the management needs to allocate adequate time for such activities if desirable outcomes are to be recorded (Meng and Li, 2021). With the institution having most of these required resources at its disposal, the benefits would be appropriate and capable of empowering more learners (Valaei, Rezaei and Ismail, 2017). For instance, the incurred expenditures cannot outweigh the benefits associated with learners who can articulate things accurately and engage individuals with diverse backgrounds (Yogman et al., 2018). The allocated time will also augment the existing programs and meet the changing needs of the learners. These attributes, therefore, reveal that the right time to implement the proposed change has come.
The emerging opportunities after implementing these activities include increasing the universityâs competitive advantage and improved social abilities. The learners will acquire additional competencies, such as proper communication, problem-solving, and decision-making (Schaefer, Cannella-Malone and Brock, 2018). The establishment of a support team will ensure that the institution becomes admirable and attractive to more individuals (Ganz, Katsiyannis and Morin, 2018). The only threat is that the projected additional expenses could have negative financial implications (Haque et al., 2018). Despite this threat, it appears that the university is ready for the proposed change.
Barriers Analysis
Organizational theorists offer powerful insights for introducing new changes and encouraging stakeholders to be part of the process. Such ideas are informed by the fact that barriers will always occur when a new change is intended (Watkins et al., 2019). Some of the possible oppositions that could emerge include studentsâ refusal to be part of the change, lack of financial support, time constraints, and inability to form alliances with supportive companies (Billingsley and Hurd, 2019). Those in top management could also be uninvolved because the process will affect their normal routine (Spilt, Vervoort and Verschueren, 2018). Major concerns could include the need to incur additional inputs, absence of adequate funds, and the move to challenge the status quo.
In such a case, proper mechanisms can be appropriate to resolve these concerns and ensure that desirable results are eventually recorded. Those in leadership positions will consider the use of an effective change model (Ioannis and Maria, 2017). For example, Kurt Lewinâs change model can offer a powerful basis for preparing all stakeholders and ensuring that they would support the agenda through the continuous provision of time, ideas, and finances (Saleem et al., 2019). This additional incentive is timely, practical, and capable of delivering desirable results (Tersi and Matsouka, 2020). The probable conflict of interest that might emerge is that some of the lecturers could view the change as a threat to their working schedule (Ogden and Hagen, 2018). Some of them could also be supportive of the activities in order to receive additional remunerations (Bodolica, Spraggon and Badi, 2021). The change agents and leaders should, therefore, address such interests in a timely manner.
Conclusion
The selected issue is the introduction revolves around the inability of students to articulate their views due to poor social skills. This practical problem makes it impossible for these learners to achieve most of their aims in their respective classes. Some also find it hard to engage their employers, workmates, and relatives even after completing their academic programs. Fortunately, various leadership theories have proved instrumental in introducing the new change and ensuring that more learners develop desirable communication, decision-making, and interactional skills. For instance, the transactional theory is appropriate because it guides managers to be aware of the gaps existing in their institutions. They can they rely on it to identify some of the best rewards for encouraging students to be involved and ready to engage in extracurricular activities. Individuals who want to record better grades will engage in such activities and encourage their classmates to be part of this critical transformation. Similarly, the prosocial behavior theory emerges as a powerful framework for promoting engagement and allowing equipping learners with the much needed resources. The model seeks to encourage and guide more students to consider superior ways for improving their social competencies. From this analysis, it is evident that the outlined theories create the best room for continuous improvement of the most appropriate skills.
The successful application of Kurt Lewinâs change theory in this project is admirable because it is informed by the possibility of gaps and barriers to transformation. Conflicts of interest are possible challenges that could affect any kind of transformation. Through the theory, it became possible to prepare the learners and encourage them to be involved in most o the involved extracurricular activities. Additionally, the adoption of proper procedures and frameworks can ensure that more students are aware of their own interests, gaps, abilities, and their future career preferences. Leaders in the selected university should be keen to implement the most appropriate theories, identify the available resources, and introduce proper mechanisms to improve studentsâ social skills. Proper theories can also guide project implementers to seek appropriate funding sources and eventually make it successful. With the considerations of these issues, it would be possible for the leader to remain engaged, make timely decisions, and focus on the best approaches to support this major institutional change. In conclusion, the targeted learners will benefit from improved competencies, be able to make timely decisions, and eventually know how to pursue their career paths more diligently.
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