Characteristics Of Effective Leadership In Education

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Introduction

Success of an organization, society, or group depends on the effectiveness of leadership employed. Revolutionary changes experienced today in most workplaces have led to the need for competent and effective leaders of character. While many factors lead to the success of an organization, the major feature that distinguishes a successful organization from one that is unsuccessful is the presence of effective leadership (Hersey et al., 1996). In institutions of learning, there is a demand for a specific type of leadership. School leaders should be in a position to respond productively to the challenging opportunities created in education. They form the pillar of the schools that hold the teachers, students and workers together. Effective principals spread cohesion and unity in their institutions which are the overall atmosphere of academics. It is noted that some leaders have failed to demonstrate essential leadership qualities that a good leader should possess. They have engaged in activities for their own selfish gain. This has created tension, animosity, and division within the organization. Persistent strikes and demonstrations in schools and universities are a result of poor leadership. Consequently, they have been deprived of peace and stability that is necessary for good performance. However, continuous research studies and technology has intensified the need for a perfect relationship between the school administrators and the teachers. Reputation of academic institutions ought to be built by advocating for effective leadership.

​School leaders must be able to lead a lifestyle that can be emulated by everybody. It is important to understand that all of us cannot be leaders at the same time.

Therefore, if an opportunity presents itself for a person who is supposed to show the attributes of an effective leader an ideal school leader is expected to act decisively with an intention of recognizing and upholding the mutual confidence and trust in offering quality education. Education has been going through drastic changes that only require effective leadership for the implementation of these changes. An effective principal must be available for the creation and sustainability of competitive schools. He or she must focus on empowering others to make significant decisions by giving guidance on strategic planning. In the recent past, education standards in public institutions have declined due to inappropriate forms of leadership. As a result, private investors have acquired a sizable share of the market because of their effective policies that are in place. However, the public schools, colleges and universities can still improve their educational leadership if they revise the existing leadership styles and integrate it with the new styles.

​According to many researchers, leaders in public institutions should be flexible enough and embrace collaborative forms of leadership for development to be realized. They argue that attending to others first and listening to them is the best model of effective leadership by school principals. The principal should be able to involve all stakeholders in enforcing a policy. Effective leaders are those who are committed in serving people by listening to them, convincing if possible and ready to create awareness of a new idea. Qualitative studies indicate that this form of leadership is more efficient and applicable in schools as compared to other forms of leadership such as transactional, transformational and moral leadership. Serving others entails humility at all costs in order to achieve the targeted goal and objective. In a business situation, serving others as for leadership strengthens the bond between the employer and employees. 

Job satisfaction is enhanced as the employees are given a sense of belonging in the business leading to business success. Attitude is a very crucial thing that every leader should be aware of. Positive attitude towards a leader is the best element that should be sensitized. Additionally, scholars agree while many characteristics of successful leaders cannot always be delineated but by observing that successful leadership relies upon a set of core practices which, when applied in combination, result in improved learning results for students. Although labeled in slightly different ways, these basic domains of practice include efforts to (1) define and advance organizational purpose, vision, and direction, (2) develop people and encourage their individual and collective sense of efficacy for the work, and (3) redesign and improve organizational structures, systems, and contexts (Hallinger & Heck, 1999; Leithwood et al., 2004). Thus, effective leaders work to develop a shared vision of the future, while creating a high level of consensus for the present goals.

Brief Review

In order to sensitize the need for effective leadership in learning institutions I will aim at analyzing prior studies on the same topic. I will outline some of the research papers that have been completed on effective leadership for the support of the conclusions I have drawn. Specifically, I am doing this study in order to address the need for effective leadership in specific schools and school districts. To examine qualities of an effective leader, this study will utilize the current situation in a school where many teachers are complaining of bad leadership by their principals. The study will adopt a design of sequential explanation. It will point to the key elements and roles a principal ought to play in order to enhance harmony and stability in schools. School based leadership will be critically examined in order to demonstrate that schools are factories where future leaders are manufactured. Teachers and principals are role models to the students. In case they fail to demonstrate good and effective leadership then we definitely expect to have a society that has missed the mark. Professional development and ethics has been put into consideration because it forms the fundamental part in illustrating effective leadership style. The study will address the problem that arises in a situation where the teachers seem to do much of the work as far as academics are concerned. Furthermore, it enables the principal to know how to maintain the spirit of cooperation in the educational organization. It aims at assisting the principals to balance between effective leadership and managerial responsibilities for the school to realize its mission statement.

Statement of the Problem

Teachers cite a principal’s support and effectiveness as a leading factor that contributes to their decision to remain in teaching (Futernick, 2007). To identify and understand an effective leader would give direction to teachers which leads to a common goal, success of all students. Teachers are leaving education because there is a lack of effective leadership. Schools are not as successful in the absence of an effective leader. Leithwood and Riehl state "Peer into a failing school and you will find weak leadership.

Purpose of the Study

A number of recent studies have unveiled various concepts on the characteristics of an effective leader. (Patterson, 2003, Jennings, 2002).These researchers in their qualitative studies concluded that additional studies ought to be done to help us understand the need for effective leadership traits. For instance, for the community to be involved in the management of a school in order to improve the academic standards of a particular school they must be able to comprehend the benefits and the meaning of effective leadership. Some administrative theories also suggest that effective leadership is a must for an efficient operation of school activities. The purpose of this study is to identify and emphasize on the basic qualities of an effective leader. I intend to make people realize the characteristics they ought to know when selecting leaders, following a leader, and to understand features of effective leaders. Thirdly, to assist people to know not all qualities in a leader can be emulated. Next I will assist school leaders especially principals in a close look at their own effectiveness as a leader. I also intend to highlight on the benefits associated with having an effective leader in an organization. In addition, I will aim at informing people on how they can become effective leaders by serving others in the future.  Then suggest how to begin to transform a school into a successful and effective organization managed by a proactive and effective leader.

The principal should not be known for establishing stringent rules and regulations to be followed but also be the first person to observe them. Every teacher is always a leader in his or her own capacity. However, the principal is the head who should ensure that this leader work together in agreement. Delegation of work is one of the ways an effective leader should learn to lead. Additionally, empowering the people around you has proven to yield much higher dividends in the growth of an effective leader. This will enable teachers to respond to the effective leadership of service rather than being forced to undertake a duty. Effective leadership is driven towards bringing change in learning corridors for the betterment of lives.

​This study to a great extent will be about self-evaluation and how a person values others. It explores the degree in which the school leaders, principals belief in effective leadership for the benefit of the future generations. It forms a platform of training noble and goal oriented leaders who will stand for the rights of their subjects. This study has been predicted that it will provide fundamental information and it will be a good resource for those aspiring to become effective in their leadership. Principals, teachers and students will find it as an effective material that can shape them for leadership in different areas of life .Moreover, the destiny of good management of educational organizations is in the hands of those will be ready to make use of the information provided in this study in order to change their behavior and those who encounter them.

​ Quality education relies on the establishment of effective leadership. This study is very essential in helping us understand the effects of leadership on student learning and the need for embracing diversity in leadership of schools for excellence.

It highlights on the schemes and tactics used by different principals to ensure that the school becomes successful. The principals are informed on how they should promote both internal and external relationships which is only possible with the effective leadership style. This study is also essential because it offers long term solutions to challenges faced in learning institutions. It offers intellectual stimulation and an appropriate model of future expectations. It advocates for the spirit of humility which is among the qualities of an effective leader to enable the principals to see the essence of serving others.

​The study will reveal that today many people are informed about the qualities of an effective leader. Furthermore, the study possibly will enabled us to understand that our character may negatively or positively influence the behavior of others. At the end of each day, leadership insist on, relationship, responsibility, and reliability in order to achieve a certain goal.

Research Questions/Null Hypothesis

The core reason and purpose of conducting this study was to examine and analyze the basic qualities an effective school leader should have. The research questions considered at the quantitative stage of the study included the following:

-What are the characteristics of an effective leader?

-What are the perceptions and attitudes of the teachers concerning the leadership of their principal?

- How can a school utilize the characteristic of effective leadership to devise a plan to address campus climate?

​The construction of these research questions were derived from the views and opinions of teachers and assistant principals that I have encountered.  Also with the help of my advisors and their guided direction. Organizations involved in conducting leadership training seminars and workshops also helped in providing some information. Principals, associate principals, and teachers also gave comparison of leadership qualities employed by different principals they have worked for over the years.

Null hypothesis

Effective leadership is not based on the people a principal are faced with during day to day operations of a school.

Null hypothesis

There is no difference in self-perception of a leader as perceived by some teachers because leadership is not innate but acquired through training.

Null Hypothesis

There is no leader who can change an organization without acquiring the ability to be a transformational leader

Definition of Terms

Leadership functions-Providing direction and exercising influence.

Limitations

<Every study, no matter how well it is conducted, has some limitations. This is why it is not reasonable to use the words "prove" and "disprove" with respect to research findings. It is always possible that future research will cast doubt on the validity of any hypothesis or the conclusions from a study.>

Literature Review

The role of educational leadership has propelled itself into an evolving practice and profession since the 1930’s as a manager to the 1960’s, as a behavioral leader and now into transitional and transformational leaders. The role of the principal has evolved; however, over the past century there has not been much research about the evolutionary abilities of the individuals that take on this position year after year. Let’s first visit how Peter F. Drucker defines leadership. Leadership is the lifting of one’s vision to higher sights, the raising of one’s performance to a higher standard, and the building of one’s personality beyond its normal limitations. In the not so far past leadership has evolved into a plethora of meanings such as: Effective organizational leaders share several common characteristics. With the absence of these characteristics, initiatives and change can fail. Leaders must take different approaches to help keep their organization from failing. Leadership in the education sector is highly recognized as it plays a vital role in the determination of the students’ outcome. It is ranked second, after classroom teaching in relation to its influence on the learning process of students. Leadership has a significant impact also, on the overall school as well as in meeting the needs of students. Over the years, the roles played by leaders in the education sector have become more demanding and complex, requiring a wide range of leadership attributes as skills, for effective execution of leadership roles (U.S Department of Education, 1999). Unfortunately, despite the changing roles of leaders in the education sector, only limited research and materials have been dedicated to the study on how to develop required leadership qualities and skills. Also, in educational entities, leaders are expected to carry out managerial roles, a factor embedded from the organizational structure of most educational centers today. In most education facilities, principals and superintendents are the key administrators hence making it difficult to segregate between management and leadership, as they coexist. Also, school heads are, for instance, mandated with the role of establishing the vision and goal of their institutions as well as formulating strategies to achieve the vision (SEDL, 2012). This research paper will undertake a critical literature review relating to characteristics of effective leadership in education.

Characteristics of Effective Leadership in Education

Although not much research has been dedicated to leadership in education, several researchers have undertaken different studies in an endeavor to establish the characteristics most common in effective leadership. Instructional Leadership and Hard Work Define instructional leadership and hard work Instructional leadership models emerged in the 1970s and 1980s from early research on effective schools (Brookover & Lezotte, 1979; Edmonds, 1982). These scholars emphasized the role of the principal as primary agent of school improvement, more specifically within highly challenged urban schools (Purkey & Smith, 1983). According to Heck, Larsen & Marcoulides (1990), one of the key characteristics of effective leadership in education today is the ability to offer instructional leadership. Conversely with agreement instructional leadership has been "conceptualized as a mutual influence process, rather than as a one-way process in which leaders influence others" (Hallinger, p. 346, emphasis in original). Such a view underscores the necessary effects of instructional leadership, at the same time acknowledging "it’s evolving nature in the context of teacher professionalism" (Marks & Printy, p. 391). Instructional leadership refers to the commitment of principals and superintendents of their energies and time as well as talents towards the improvement of teaching and learning quality within their educational facilities. In his study Chrispeels (1990) found that education leaders who were able to offer instructional leadership had a deep understanding of learning and teaching, including newer approaches that emphasized more on knowledge construction by students and problem solving techniques.

In a comparison study, the principals of exceptionally high-achieving schools, as measured by consistent academic achievement in a variety of curricular areas, differed from their counterparts in consistently low-achieving schools "in terms of the type and effectiveness of instructional leadership they provided" (Heck, 1992, p. 28). In a study of 23 California elementary schools, 15 of which were high performing, and 17 California high schools, seven of which were high performing, Heck determined that three instructional leadership behaviors were significant in predicting the levels of student achievement of these schools, including "the amount of time principals spend directly observing classroom practices, promoting discussions about instructional issues, and emphasizing test results within these discussions" (p. 30). Such leaders were also found to be strongly committed to high achievement for all their students; especially those deemed as not strong performers, or students who experience difficulties in learning. These research findings are supported by another study conducted by U.S Department of Education (1999); which found out that instructional leadership contributed largely towards the learning institutions' success and improved student engagement in the learning process. However, Steltz (2010) also noted out that although a vital leadership quality, only 25% of the participants’ principals were found to be skilled as far as instructional leadership was concerned. This lends itself to the evolving nature of the principal profession. Along with an evolving profession, data has presented itself in education as an Instructional Positioning System (IPS) for instructional leaders. Some have adopted data models to aid them in the use of data. One in particular would be the Data Driven Instructional System (DDIS), which gives a sequential guide to using data to assist an instructional leader. Halverson, Griggs, Prichett, and Thomas created this model and prepared it in a paper at the Annual Meeting of the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration in July 2005 in Washington, D.C. Many principals again are not astute in using data to make decisions. They are well versed in management and organization. The six steps that HGPT, suggest are:

The commitment shown by instructional leaders is, according to Heck, Larsen & Marcoulides, the key driving force towards learning success.

Personal Values and Self Awareness

Personal values are some of the leadership qualities that build effective school leadership. Values are built overtime from the time one is a child, and it is nurtured over the years and shaped by personal experiences. Values are made up of standards, qualities, and principles that a person deems essential in successful leadership, especially during decision making. Some of the values that are vital in developing exceptional leadership include trust, loyalty, and a sense of duty, respect, selfless service, integrity, honor, and personal courage. A school leader must be loyal to his or her calling, and the school’s vision and mission. Wavering sends signals of doubt to the students and the teachers (Bolman & Deal, 1993).

Trust is another value that builds good leadership in education. Without trust, it is difficult to motivate and inspire teachers and students. Tutors and students must be able to trust their leader. A school principal should also show respect to all the stakeholders (recognizing his role in the effective running of the school and the impact he or she has on the overall outcome of the school) for him to solicit their respect. Integrity is also another very strong value that helps in building effective leadership in education. Integrity entails doing what is right morally, ethically and legally. Without integrity, it is difficult to motivate, inspire and lead people. Courage is also vital in leadership. Without personal courage, communicating to other people and soliciting their confidence in a person is difficult (Bolman & Deal, 1993). Ability to Motivate

Instructional leadership is built upon a framework of continuous feedback, which aims at encouraging both students and tutors. In his study, Chrispeels (1990) found out that successful principals were more likely to engage the whole school via use of continuous messages pertaining to the work quality expected from teachers, as well as the students. This leads to the creation of an environment in which success is based on learning gains by students from their teachers. Another facet that Crowson & Morris (1990) found vital in the development of instructional leadership was that it went beyond simply conveying of expectations by educational leaders. It was observed that instructional leaders did not merely issue orders and instructions, but they spend a considerable amount of time in actual learning environments or classrooms, not just observing the behaviors of students, but also taking active participation in the learning process (Crowson & Morris, 1990). However, it is vital to note that instructional leadership does not amount or lead to undermining of traditional roles carried out by other teachers. Instead, instructional leaders offer guidance and support to other tutors or teachers. According to Blumberg & Greenfield (1986), instructional leaders are able to evaluate instructions and offer open and powerful messages or feedbacks aimed at encouraging instructors to improve their teaching approaches, so as to encourage better student learning. Also, instructional leaders ensure that the entire school community is engaged in dialogue pertaining to means of improving learning for students. Instructional leaders also go beyond the traditional definition of their jobs' expectations, and they try to minimize the bureaucratic burdens, hence allowing for more participation from students and tutors (Heck, Larsen & Marcoulides, 1990).

Management Skills (Planning)

Educational leadership requires a leader to be able to understand the needed balance in running a learning institution. Management skills are thus vital leadership characteristics that help in ensuring effective leadership in education. (Leithwood& Riehl, 2004) wrote scholars reintroduced a fourth domain, managing organizations, as an essential component of successful school leadership. Though managing an educational facility is a demanding task, a leader must be in a position to balance between the needs of the parents, the politicians, the students and teachers, as well as the entire community. Unlike in the past when educational leadership’s success was measured or assessed on the ability of a leader to manage a school’s budget, school facilities and buildings, today effective educational leaders and managers must take into consideration the needs of different stakeholders, including the community, and to effectively communicate the vision of the school (Money-Zine.com, 2010).

According to a study conducted by Steltz (2010) on the impact of management skills on effective leadership in education, it was found out that management skills played a key role in the overall success of learning institutions. Although some effective educational leaders were found not to have instructional leadership competencies, leaders who had good managerial skills were found to perform well, as they were able to nurture and create an excellent learning and teaching environment, regardless of the external pressures. The study also revealed that instructional leadership skills were not enough to enable educational leaders to be effective. Some participants who had been rated high on instructional leadership qualities but had low managerial competencies were found not to be effective in managing their educational institutions (Steltz, 2010).

SEDL (2012) argues that effective leadership in education goes beyond strong instructional leadership. Given the amount of demand leveled on principals and superintendents, exemplary educational leaders must also be excellent managers. To attain success, sometimes school administrators or education leaders should be in a position to negotiate through conflicting demands emanating from federal, state or local bureaucracies, constituent groups, politicians and parents. Without effective management skills, this is almost impossible. Chrispeels (1990), however, notes that while most education leaders enjoy management practices, as most of them are trained in this area, as compared to instruction, there is a dire need to shift from traditional administration practices, as management demanded today by educational facilities or institutions is different. Education leaders must be able to change their traditional focus on buildings, bonds, books, budgets and buses to management based on community building, collaboration and communication.

Community Building and Collaboration

Community building, collaboration, and communication are other characteristics that contribute to effective leadership in education. Over the years, education leadership has evolved, and today, this form of leadership has taken a new dimension that emphasizes the need to collaborate and communicate with all stakeholders, both within and outside the premises of learning institutions. Crowson & Morris (1990) argue that the traditional "top-down model", which was characterized by hierarchical approach to decision making, is no longer applicable in today’s education leadership. Traditionally, school principals and superintendents used to make decisions for others (lower in the hierarchy) to execute. According to studies conducted by researchers such as Kirby, Paradise & King (1992), in the field of education leadership, found that effective leadership is built on the building blocks of participation of parents, members of community, students as well as teachers. An effective leader in the education sector is a person who is able to influence individuals surrounding him or her, with inspirational and meaningful goals, which lead to the accomplishment of a school’s vision and mission. According to Steltz (2010), an effective education leader is endowed with powerful means of connecting with his or her surroundings, including all the stakeholders in an education institution, and also builds constituencies which strongly advocate for implementation of change as well as institutional barriers breakdown, found in traditional learning and teaching approaches. Communication is vital to allow for the continuing connecting of a leader and all stakeholders. Consistent Communication

U.S Department of Education (1999), however, argue that, in the development of effective leadership in education, allowing communication and collaboration of stakeholders should not translate to consensus in all decisions made within a school. Although dialogue and active participation is essential in building effective leadership in education, principals and superintendents must maintain some form of control and authority. This allows for development of respect from all the stakeholders, as well as accountability. SEDL (2012) argues that, effective education leaders are individuals who are able to create room for dialogue, without resulting to a laissez faire form of leadership style. Although dialogue is encouraged, a leader must maintain his authority, especially in schools facing significant challenges as well as in institutions characterized by an apathetic climate. However, it is essential to note that the level of autonomy and authority retained by a principal is dependent on the unique characteristics of a school. According to Bolman & Deal (1993), while an authoritative leadership style may be effective in some schools, it may not work well in others. Understanding the unique characteristics of the school environment and the stakeholders is thus vital, towards building an effective leadership in the education sector.

Ability to Inspire Passion in All Stakeholders

Ability to effectively work with the board of a school is another characteristic of effective leadership in education. Steltz (2010) argues that, effective school leaders are able to build an effective two-way communication with their board members, and they are also able to understand the viewpoint of the board, work with the board and also pursue a unified goal or vision for their school. However, Chrispeels (1990) notes that building a rapport with the board should not amount to ‘bootlicking’ activities by the principals. Effective school leaders are school leaders who are able to pursue the vision of their schools, without necessarily finding ways to satisfy the needs and demands of the board members. The effective school leaders is able to connect the pieces to implement ideas and change that will benefit students and not a board member’s agenda. Ability to Implement New Ideas and Reforms Ability to establish a "constituency for education reform in the larger community" is another characteristic of effective leadership in education identified by (Money-Zine.com, 2010 p. 4). Kowalski (2000) argue that the education constituency should be made up by individuals who hold varying views pertaining to public education. This requires school principals and superintendents to have media and public relation skills, and also a political savvy, to enable them to educate, and enlighten the general public on what needs to be undertaken, as well as, convince them that the goals undertaken by the leaders are fundamental, not only to their children’s learning process, but also for their future lives. Kirby, Paradise & King (1992), argue that some of the schools today are experiencing difficulties because their surrounding neighborhoods or communities require rebuilding. Effective education leaders are leaders who are able to collaborate with organizations and community agencies, so as to establish structures that address families and children’s social service requirements or needs. In addition, effective leaders are able to clearly define a shared vision to connect the community and school.

Ability to come up with Clear Vision and Goals

Ability to articulate a viable vision and goal for an educational system and the ability to come up with a viable plan to achieve such a goal or a vision is a characteristic of effective leadership identified by Steltz (2010). One of the fundamental facets of leadership is the ability to come up with a feasible goal, which stimulates motivation among followers, and to come up with a way of achieving goals. Effective school leaders are able to set a goal for their schools, usually aimed at improving the learning experience of the students and the entire community. At times this may include a change initiative which calls for buy-in from the community.

Ability to Move Change Initiatives

Change is inevitable, even in learning institutions. According to a study conducted by Fullan (1991), it was found out that one of the key characteristics of effective education leaders was their ability to institute positive change within their schools. Education sector is characterized by dynamism, especially due to the invention of technology and the internet, which has seen e-learning services emerge. Effective leaders are able to understand the need for continuous changes in their learning institutions, and to come up with means of achieving or implementing such changes (Fullan, 1991).

Ability to Come Up With New Ideas and Implement Them SEDL (2012) argues that changes spur effective leaders to take risks, which include challenging the stakeholder’s beliefs and attitudes towards different issues, and changing their traditionally conceived mental models of how school education should be, and how things should work in schools. In some instances, school leaders are required to take dramatic but symbolic actions or gestures in an endeavor to stimulate thinking patterns’ change in people pertaining to their work (Kowalski, 2000).

Barriers to Effective Leadership in Education

Effective leadership in education is vital as it determines the overall learning process and performance of the students, as well as the willingness and motivation of teachers. It also helps in the improvement of the school environment and the community. However, building effective leadership in education is one of the most challenging endeavors for principals as well as superintendents (Zinn, 1998). There are several barriers, which hinder development of effective leadership in education as discussed below.

Lack of Support

Lack of leadership support in schools from different stakeholders is one of the key barriers towards the development of effective leadership in education. In most cases, school principals and superintendents experience passive or expressed resentment from their fellow teachers and colleagues. Such resentment makes leadership development difficult for school principals, leading to difficulties in implementing changes in school’s management and learning practices (Henderson & Hawthorne, 2000. Also, leadership roles, in most cases, come along with constraints in interpersonal relationships, especially when teachers resent the appointment of their leaders. With such negative attitude and lack of support, developing effective leadership becomes problematic for principals and superintendents. Unwillingness of teachers to take up leadership roles in education is another factor that has contributed to lack of effective leadership in the education sector. Given the challenges associated with education leadership, most teachers are unwilling to take up mantle of leadership. Without support from all stakeholders, effective leadership development in education is impossible (Henderson & Hawthorne, 2000).

Lack of Clear Definition of Leadership Roles

One of the major barriers towards effective leadership development in education is the lack of clearly defined roles of principals and superintendents. Over the years, leadership in education has been neglected, not only by school planners but also by researchers and other significant entities. Unlike in contemporary business environments, education leadership is not clearly defined, a factor that has left many school leaders unaware of the tasks they are required to undertake. According to Bellon & Beaudry (1992), the combination of administration, management and leadership roles in education leadership is another factor that has increased the vagueness of education leadership today. Many school leaders also carry out the role of school management and administration, and this has created confusion, especially because there is no clear cut view on what leadership tasks school principals are expected to carry out. This has seen most school leaders concentrate more on management and administration duties, while neglecting leadership roles. Also, in most schools, there is no clear definition of the roles of school leaders and that of the board members (Zinn, 1998).

Lack of Training and Access to Leadership Information

Leadership training is essential towards development of effective leadership. However, due to the limited resources and research committed to leadership in education, most school leaders do not have access to leadership training, a factor that has contributed to poor leadership being experienced today in many schools. Also, school leaders have limited access to information pertaining to leadership hence improving on leadership skills is difficult (Graybeal, 2006). There is also limited time and money allocated to school leaders training in most schools, and school leaders who wish to undertake private studies on leadership find it challenging due to the amount of tasks they are mandated to carry out at extremely limited timelines. Lack of training facilities for school leaders is a significant barrier towards the development of effective leadership. Although some leaders are born, most leaders are made through a process of continuous learning, mentorship and coaching. However, without access to training facilities and leadership information, developing effective leadership in education is difficult (Zinn, 1998).

Lack of Mentorship

Mentorship is one of the vital factors in effective development of effective leadership qualities. Unfortunately, most schools today have no mentorship programs to nurture young leaders in education. According to a study conducted by American Association of School Administrators (1986), it was found out that most education leaders unintentionally fail to nurture leadership qualities for future leaders. Education leaders find themselves with so much work, leaving limited room for leadership development and mentorship. Given the fact that most education leaders also undertake management, classroom responsibilities, and administration roles, the responsibilities bestowed on them, in most cases, makes them forget their leadership roles, hence; mentorship is a serious problem in education leadership. Also, unlike in business settings, leadership mentorship is extremely tricky given that teachers are often transferred from one school to another, in some cases, within unusually short periods. Lack of mentorship is one of the key barriers to effective leadership in education (Graybeal, 2006).

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