Dynamic assertive personalities and their role in educational leadership

¶ … Virtue of Being a Dynamic Assertive Personality in an Educational Setting

Dynamic assertive personalities represent a small percent of the population but have many positive qualities which can make them an asset to an educational organization. At their best, such leaders are dynamic and assertive. They act as change agents because they can win people over to their sides with genuinely motivational qualities. Dynamic assertives, unlike dynamic aggressives, can get along with a wide variety of people. Their enthusiasm is infectious and because they can intuitively sense the needs of others, they can encourage their colleagues to exceed existing expectations. However, even dynamic assertives can exhibit some negative qualities, such as being impatient with people who are not as quick-witted and committed as themselves. Framing realistic goals that reflect organizational realities are essential before dynamic assertives get carried away by their own enthusiasm. When appropriately channeled, dynamic assertives are essential components of making change happen, subverting organizational change resistance, and ensuring that changes 'stick.' It is very unusual to find a workplace entirely made up of dynamic aggressives, so managers must know how to use these people in a strategic fashion to act as opinion leaders.

Student 1

I think that is a very important idea: if the teacher is not motivated by the material, how can he or she expect the students to be motivated? Even for material that is not, on its surface, particularly scintillating, the teacher must find some sort of hook to make it relevant and meaningful for listeners. Very often low-performing students have a very negative self-image in regards to their ability as learners and thus a very negative attitude about learning in general. It can be difficult to overcome this psychological hurdle as well as the obstacles generated by poor preparation in the subject.

Student 3

Groupthink in terms of motivation can be either an asset or a detriment. On one hand, it can be beneficial if certain students in the class are highly committed to learning. This can encourage other students to put forth a greater effort, given that all students are 'social beings' to some extent. On the other hand, when dominant personalities in the classroom are unmotivated, this can have a chilling effect upon learning. The teacher needs to know when to use the class dynamics to his or her benefit to enhance learning and also how to circumvent it and bring his or her own energy to the learning experience. The latter is obviously far more difficult.