{"id":223,"date":"2018-02-08T12:38:50","date_gmt":"2018-02-08T20:38:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/?p=223"},"modified":"2018-02-08T12:38:50","modified_gmt":"2018-02-08T20:38:50","slug":"lrnt-525-personal-leadership-reflection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/lrnt-525-personal-leadership-reflection\/","title":{"rendered":"LRNT 525 – Personal Leadership Reflection"},"content":{"rendered":"

Important attributes of a leader when working in digital learning environments <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Khan (2017) outlines the complexity that education faces and how changes in learning technologies play a key role, ultimately demanding flexibility when it comes to leadership. When evaluating important attributes of leaders within digital learning environments, there are many elements that contribute to success in complex and rapidly changing work environments.<\/span><\/p>\n

In my personal opinion, one of the most important and critical attributes of an innovative leader, is the capability of recognizing and understanding the fears that others have when it comes to technology. Leaders should be able to acknowledge the fears associated with the unknown and create space for their followers to share their apprehensions (Sheninger, 2014). If the fears and uncertainties are recognized and understood, leaders can then unite their followers to reach a common goal. Value-based leadership is a theory laid out by O\u2019Toole (2008) whereby leaders influence others by providing opportunities for their follows to reach their goals and realize their dreams. In digital learning environments, I see this open-minded approach to leadership as being effective for transcending confidence and capabilities. The characteristics of value-based leaders that are of great importance within digital learning environments include the attributes of reflecting honesty on experiences and even more so on failures (O\u2019Toole, 2008). Traits that embrace the uncertainty and mistakes that come along with it align perfectly to the complex environments of the ever changing digital world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Which theories of leadership do you think work best in leading change within digital learning environments? <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When you consider adaptive leadership through the context of digital learning environments, it contains many key factors that support the flexibility required to lead in this setting. If leaders possess the ability to consider external factors, create solutions by changing behaviours when necessary, all while remaining agile, will find success in digital learning environments (Khan, 2017). I also believe that elements of shared leadership through collaboration and social influence can positively impact leadership within digital learning environments (O\u2019Toole, 2008). Oftentimes in unknown and changing environments, we are entering the new world collectively. Combining the efforts and skills of others to embrace change together, can stimulate alignment right from the start.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, elements of the cognitive leadership theory wherein leading happens through idea generation (O\u2019Toole, 2008), would work well in leading change within digital learning environments. Change, regardless of industry or profession, is all about disrupting the status quo. Therefore, when a leader is able to generate and stimulate ideas through knowledge, they can connect their intellect with shaping the minds of their organization (Hewlett, 2006). Ultimately creating understanding and buy-in for new and innovative changes and new direction. Like most things, balance is essential, and after learning more about leadership theories, characteristics, and attributes, it is evident that a strong balance between many core leadership traits can contribute to success when leading in digital learning environments.<\/span><\/p>\n

How would you describe your approach to leadership? Has the introduction of digital technologies made an impact on how you lead? <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I believe that my approach to leadership has remained rather consistent throughout the various positions I have held within my career. When looking at some of the core leadership theories outlines by James O\u2019Toole (2008), I believe my style falls somewhere between cognitive, shared, and servant leadership. \u00a0I have always looked at leadership through the lens of the learner (follower) and determined success based on how the capacity transfer occurs and whether capabilities of said follower have improved. My ultimate goal as a leader has always been to see my team develop into leaders that are \u201cbetter than me\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

A recent shift in career as well as a focus on digital learning environments through the MALAT program at Royal Roads has impacted my vision for how I will lead in the future. The importance of empathy, which was introduced in our previous design course, became top of mind not only for design processes but in leadership considerations as well. Empathic design considers individual desires, life experiences, emotions, and promotes collaboration and open-mindedness (Mattelmaki, 2014). All of these characteristics have influenced the way I not only design, but lead as well. Specifically, tying it back to one of the critical attributes I mentioned above, taking an empathetic approach to acknowledging the fear associated with technology and innovation is essential for breaking any barriers as a leader in this environment (Sheninger, 2014). By truly reflecting on my leadership and being mindful of the needs, wants, and worries of my team through open communication, I believe that the self-esteem and confidence has been gained by others through my leadership (Castelli, 2015). <\/span>T<\/span>he impact of this shift in mentality has helped improve motivation and increase performance by my team when I am overseeing the success of projects and managing results in the complexity that is the digital learning environment.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

References<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Castelli, P. (2016).\u00a0Reflective leadership review: a framework for improving organisational performance<\/a>.\u00a0Journal of Management Development<\/em>,\u00a035<\/em>(2), 217-236.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hewlett, R. (2006).\u00a0The cognitive leader : Building winning organizations through knowledge leadership<\/em>. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education.<\/span><\/p>\n

Khan, N. (2017).\u00a0Adaptive or Transactional Leadership in Current Higher Education: A Brief Comparison<\/a>.\u00a0The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning<\/em>,\u00a018<\/em>(3).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mattelm\u00e4ki, T., Vaajakallio, K., & Koskinen, I. (2014).\u00a0What happened to empathic design?<\/a>.\u00a0Design Issues<\/em>,\u00a030<\/em>(1), 67-77.<\/span><\/p>\n

O’Toole, James (2008).\u00a0Notes Toward a Definition of Values-Based Leadership<\/a>.\u00a0The Journal of Values-Based Leadership<\/em>,\u00a01<\/em>(1).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sheninger, E. (2014).\u00a0Pillars of digital leadership<\/em><\/a>. International Centre for Leadership in Education.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Important attributes of a leader when working in digital learning environments Khan (2017) outlines the complexity that education faces and how changes in learning technologies play a key role, ultimately demanding flexibility when it comes to leadership. When evaluating important attributes of leaders within digital learning environments, there are many elements that contribute to success … Continue reading LRNT 525 – Personal Leadership Reflection<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":224,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223\/revisions\/224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}