Supervision Assumptions and Leadership Style in Higher Education

Primary Assumptions About Staff and Supervision

The primary assumption regarding staff and the supervision of higher education staff members is that they should influence the people around them in such a manner that all would work for the welfare of the whole rather than for personal causes (Yukl, 2006). This staff acts in a leadership capacity and therefore should maintain high ethical standards along with intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, enabling them to guide and influence those around them in a positive manner and to prove themselves effective leaders (Jossey-Bass, 2003, p. 253).

Assumptions are opinions instinctively created to simplify a person's rationale for considering and accepting something one believes to be correct (Ruggiero, 2004, pp. 94–95). When I was made a supervisor, I was given the responsibility to consider and decide a number of things regarding the staff working in higher education at that time. I continued to improve my leadership style by drawing ideas from both my professional and personal life. This has helped me greatly over the years, and even today, working as a Special Emphasis Program Manager, I still strive to be an ideal leader and example for staff members.

In my personal opinion, supervisors are appointed by senior management based on their personality and managing skills. A supervisor is selected based on his or her abilities to run an organization properly and to ensure that all members or employees have been assigned specific jobs and responsibilities, and that those responsibilities are being fulfilled effectively.

A supervisor should not only have the skills to handle difficult situations but should also have sufficient knowledge of the employees working under him or her, so that in cases of misunderstanding or office conflict, he or she can act effectively to resolve the situation.

There are a number of factors that a person commits to when elevated from employee to supervisor. These factors include:

Theory X or Theory Y: Collaborative Leadership

Therefore, with regard to the staff and the supervision of higher education staff members, the primary assumption is that the supervisor will maintain appropriate authority over employees such that they act upon the direction given by their leader and help move the organization forward. Similarly, the supervisor should ensure that duties are assigned in a manner that enhances each employee's work efficiency.

I believe that I align more closely to Theory X, which is essentially the collaborative approach. The reason is that, as a supervisor, I prefer to arrange collaborative meetings with both staff and parents. This helps me gain the perspective of both employees and clients — namely, the parents of students in the school — which in turn helps me formulate better supervision and education strategies.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau once stated: "Cultivation shapes the plants and education shapes men… We are born feeble, we require strength; we are born completely unprovided, we require support; we are born stupid, we require opinion. All the things that we don't possess at the time of our birth but which we actually need are given to us by education." It can be concluded from this statement that it is of utmost importance to teach and groom students to think and communicate properly so that they can understand and reason out truths. To achieve this, an administrator needs not only to believe in value but also to be dedicated to educating all.

School staff and principals need to act as well-rounded individuals who are not only well-informed but flexible as well. A "teacher-friendly" philosophy should be instituted, one that encourages dialogue, conflict resolution, and problem solving. Self-awareness is another important quality that a successful supervisor should possess, as it enables him or her to recognize weaknesses and collaborate with staff to overcome those challenges.

How Assumptions Shape Leadership Style and Methodology

It should also be kept in mind that supervision does not mean only the supervision of students, teachers, counselors, paraprofessionals, and assistant principals. It also includes front-line staff, custodians, cafeteria workers, and the rest of the people who form a school unit. All of these groups together constitute an organization, and for it to run smoothly, it is essential that all its parts operate in a synchronized manner. For this reason, it is important for a supervisor to adopt a collaborative approach, as this allows for continuous feedback from employees and parents and facilitates the formulation of more effective strategies.

My basic assumptions about leadership style and methodology have a substantial effect on how I lead in practice. This is also addressed in the text SuperVision and Instructional Leadership, in which Glickman, Gordon, and Ross-Gordon explain four supervisory approaches: nondirective, collaboration, directive informational, and directive control. Each approach is based on a particular degree of supervisory control. The text clearly states that the level of control implemented by a supervisor is either substantial or modest.

Collaboration has proven to be an effective approach for building a friendly yet authoritative environment, as it takes into account all key players in an organization — employees, teachers, parents, and students alike. This approach has proven especially effective in situations such as teacher training programs, the creation of learning goals, and grade-level meetings in which assessment data is discussed. Hence, the approach adopted by a supervisor should be both facilitative and teacher-friendly. In this way, basic assumptions about leadership style and methodology have a direct and substantial effect on supervisory practice.