In our discussions on the attributes list provided, our team discussed. I knew that there were more that I would consider.
From the list of attributes provided in Activity 2, part 1, within Competence, I value Balanced decision-making. I feel it is very important when it comes to digital learning environments. A leader must understand the balance, within the moments, between the need for collaboration and the need for quick thinking. An attribute of a few theories, balanced decision making can be a key factor in Situational Leadership Theory. A leader must make decisions based on the situation. “The short-term actions of the followers” (Cleveland-Innes, 2012, p. 317) and their potential outcomes is what a leader must take into consideration, at times, in an instant. A leader with balanced decision-making qualities must understand “the importance of the context or circumstances” (Voyageur et al., 2015, p. 6) of a situation in order to make an informed decision, this is in understand as many aspects as possible, or in understanding that which is required in the moment and trusting that that is enough.
Wisdom, being the ability to look forward, but keeping in mind what has come before. For example, a former boss of mine was researching a new database software to move our data into. She had been through this process before and knew that she needed to find a program that would allow for easy transfer of the data from the old system into the new system. She needed to know format, field parameters, delimiters, to name a few. In going through this process of research with her, I learned what I would need when it came time for me to do this type of work. Her understand of the needs of moving forward taught me how to use historical knowledge to push us forward within these systems. This knowledge transfer has stayed with me throughout so much of the work that I’ve done.
This characteristic is found in the Reflective leadership model, as well, Castelli shares that wisdom can be found in other leadership theories as well, such as: “authentic leadership, servant leadership, and emotional intelligence” (p. 218).
Integrity in a leader is a very large part what I value, and what I strive to reflect. To technology, integrity is crucial to running systems effectively. To leadership, “Schwartz and Castelli’s (2014) research found that followers will produce more effort if they perceive their leader as a positive role model whose actions demonstrate integrity” (Castelli, 2016, p. 221). Integrity is found to be crucial in many areas of leadership in technology, not only to system, to followers, but also to those that you answer too. Your integrity is what builds their trust in you to be an exceptional leader.
Integrity, as a part of leadership theory, can be found within the Servant leadership Theory. O’toole counts “Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., [and] Nelson Mandela” (p. 6) and others, as top leaders who modeled integrity to the greatest degree.
While not a complete list of attributes that I would consider, and I will admit, that list varies, depending on the situation that requires leadership, these three are always considerations. From a technology perspective, or analog perspective, these three attributes are the ones that I would consider the most.
It is not lost on me, as an indigenous person, that they are all a part of Transformational Leadership. Transformation is a prevalent part of our culture, and the attributes that are within Transformation Leadership are all a part of what we are taught from birth.
References
Castelli, P. A. (2016). Reflective leadership review: A framework for improving organisational performance. Journal of Management Development, 2, 217–236.
Cleveland-Innes, T. W. (2012). Leadership, personal transformation, and management. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(4), 313–323.
O’Toole, J. (2008). Notes Toward a Definition of Values-Based Leadership. The Journal of Values-Based Leadership, 1(1), 9.
Voyageur, C., Brearley, L., & Calliou, B. (Eds.). (2015). Restorying Indigenous Leadership: Wise Practices in Community Development (Second). Banff Centre Press.