Leadership Inventory and Reflection
Personal Leadership and Temperament
The early childhood field can benefit significantly from effective leadership. This is the case because early childhood professionals, teachers, and institutional leaders are required to promote desirable behaviors that can support the needs of the targeted chidlren. I strongly believe that my leadership competencies have the potential to transform the early childhood field (Aubrey, Godfrey, & Harris, 2012).
The completed Jung Typology Test has revealed that I am an INFP (Introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Perceiving). An INFP take long before losing his or her sense of wonder. They work hard in order to produce the best from others. These attributes support my leadership approach. I have a transformational leadership approach that focuses on the best outcomes and goals. In order to achieve the targeted goals, I always inspire, mentor, and guide others. I have been encouraging my workmates and followers to focus on their initiatives in order to achieve the intended goals.
As a transformational leader, I possess specific competencies that can be applied in the early childhood field. For instance, I have a positive temperament or character. I always focus on the best action plans and strategies that can empower others (Waniganayake, 2014).
As a professional in the early childhood field, I can use these attributes to create a vision for my followers. The next thing is to bring inspiration, charisma, and stimulation in order to ensure the needs of both the chidlren and workers are met (Nicholson & Miniates, 2015). I possess powerful skills that can be utilized to address the emerging needs of the targeted chidlren. The leadership model makes it easier for me to empower more people, equip them with the right resources, and identify the most appropriate practices that can support the needs of more chidlren.
The test has indicated that I am a diplomat. I use my skills to promote interpersonal harmony and coexistence (Mistry & Sood, 2012). I focus on the best practices to address problems, bring more people together, and listen to every child’s needs. My personal character focuses on the wellbeing for all. This temperament and leadership ability can transform the experience of every participant in the early childhood field.
Leadership and Personal Experiences: Authentic Leadership Capacity
My personal leadership style mentors, empowers, and guides others in order to deliver positive results. The ultimate goal is producing results while at the same time maximizing the beneficiaries’ experiences. Specific attributes such as integrity, effective communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and empowerment define my leadership approach (Leeson, Campbell-Barr, & Ho, 2012). I will therefore be using this attribute to influence my authentic leadership capacity. I understand how to lead while being reactive. I can offer critical reviews, identify inadequacies, and provide corrective action. This strength will ensure the targeted situation benefits from the established authentic leadership capacity.
My experiences have the potential to inform my authentic leadership model. To begin with, I have worked with almost every age group such as toddlers, infants, and school-agers. I have worked as a bus driver, front office manager, and a childcare professional. There is also a time I worked as a Sunday school teacher. I am currently training individuals who want to provide adequate youth and child services. I have exhibited the highest level of professionalism throughout my career path (Aubrey et al., 2012).
These achievements explain why I have what it takes to promote authentic leadership. This is the case because I am always present to address the issues facing my followers and children (Mistry & Sood, 2012). I can also merge my character with the targeted goals. I am always compassionate and aware of my strengths and weaknesses. I can successfully deal with emerging paradoxes or dualities (Kivunja, 2015). I have a sense of humor and understand how to mentor others. These abilities and experiences will definitely promote authentic leadership in the early childhood field.
Emotional Intelligence in Early Childhood
The early childhood field requires skilled leaders who are emotionally intelligent. Individuals who have this competence will be impartial and capable of reading other people’s emotions. The leaders can “use emotional intelligence to promote appropriate behaviors and thoughts” (Leeson et al., 2012, p. 229). In early childhood, different professionals are required to monitor the emotions of clients whose thinking capabilities are underdeveloped. Chidlren are greatly affected by ego and personal opinions (Waniganayake, 2014). The workers in such fields might become impartial or impose their own values on the chidlren.
The occurrence of such malpractices can affect the anticipated goals. The leaders and stakeholders should therefore have emotional intelligence. This kind of intelligence will make it easier for them to read other people’s emotions and make appropriate decisions. They should manage such emotions whenever guiding their followers. Competent leaders in early childhood environments will adjust their emotions in order to ensure the needs of the chidlren are met (Kivunja, 2015). With this skill, the leader will manage his or her followers effectively, address emerging problems, promote positive relations, and mentor the targeted children. These developments will eventually empower more underage chidlren.
Applying Leadership Principles
Strategies to Address the Ethical Dilemma
The presented case indicates that the parents and families are concerned about the ethical reliability of a staff member who has been driving while intoxicated. As a leader, I would use a powerful negotiation strategy to deal with the ethical dilemma at Little Flower. The strategy should be collaborative in nature in order to promote a win-win situation (McCleskey, 2014). The first step will be to bring all the parties on board. These stakeholders include the complainants, the organizational leaders, and the members of staff.
The second step will be to acknowledge that the staff member’s actions are unethical and unfortunate. The third step is to analyze the issues and facts surrounding the dilemma. The individuals will be updated about the malpractice and its consequences. The fourth stage will be to guide the parties to come up with an amicable solution that can address the matter. The targeted solution should satisfy the needs of the involved parties (Nicholson & Miniates, 2015). The staff member will be required to apologize and promise that the misbehavior will not be repeated. The new goal will be to revise the existing policy and guide the workers to focus on the needs of the chidlren.
Managing Change
The memo guides teachers to avoid using phones in class. The new policy has not been received positive by the staff members. This is the case because the policy appears to disrespect the workers’ family obligations and freedoms. The undeniable fact is that the policy meets the needs of the chidlren and their respective family members (McCleskey, 2014). My duty as a leader is to ensure the policy is implemented successfully to address the emerging issue. I will therefore use a powerful model to manage the change.
The most appropriate model is Kurt Lewin’s theory. The first stage is refreezing (Cummings, Bridgman, & Brown, 2016). I will use this stage to prepare the stakeholders and staff members in order to accept the change. I will educate them about the benefits of not using phones while in class. The move will minimize chances of objection. The second stage is implementing the intended change (Cummings et al., 2016). The staff members will be required to embrace the idea. They will be monitored by a supervisor. The third stage of the model is freezing. This stage will be used to ensure the behavior becomes part of the institution. The employees will eventually appreciate and support the new culture.
My Actions
The decisions highlighted above reflect my understanding of emotional leadership, authentic leadership, personal leadership, and temperament (Nicholson & Miniates, 2015). With a strong personal ethics and character, I understand that it is important to be impartial whenever addressing the needs of different individuals. This fact explains why I am ready to use my transformational leadership style to create awareness, deal with dualities, and focus on the best goals (McCleskey, 2014). These attributes amount to authentic leadership.
The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct has guided me in order to come up with these decisions. The code guides me to embrace the best ideas that cannot harm chidlren. The approach seeks to respect and support different families as they nurture their chidlren. I am always encouraged by the code to be an advocate for chidlren and their respective community members (Kivunja, 2015). The use of the highest standards and professionalism is what encourages me to support the needs of every stakeholder.
References
Aubrey, C., Godfrey, R., & Harris, A. (2012). How do they manage? An investigation of early childhood leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 41(1), 5-29. Web.
Cummings, S., Bridgman, T., & Brown, K. (2016). Unfreezing change as three steps: Rethinking Kurt Lewin’s legacy for change management. Human Relations, 69(1), 33-60. Web.
Kivunja, C. (2015). Leadership in early childhood education contexts: Looks, roles, and functions. Creative Education, 6(1), 1710-1717. Web.
Leeson, C., Campbell-Barr, V., & Ho, D. (2012). Leading for quality improvement: A comparative research agenda in early childhood education in England and Hong Kong. International Journal of Leadership in Education: Theory and Practice, 15(2), 221-236. Web.
McCleskey, J. (2014). Situational, transformational, and transactional leadership and leadership development. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 5(4), 117-130. Web.
Mistry, M., & Sood, K. (2012). Challenges of early years leadership preparation: A comparison between early and experienced early years practitioners in England. Management in Education, 26(1), 28-37. Web.
Nicholson, J., & Miniates, H. (2015). Recognizing postmodern intersectional identities in leadership for early childhood. An International Research Journal, 36(1), 66-80. Web.
Waniganayake, M. (2014). Being and becoming early childhood leaders: Reflections on leadership studies in early childhood education and the future leadership research agenda. Journal of Early Childhood Education Research, 3(1), 65-81. Web.