Sources of Authority in Moral School Leadership

Sources of Authority In Moral School Leadership

Sergiovanni defines the sources of authority as bureaucratic, psychological, technical-rational, professional and moral school leadership (pages 36-39). For this week’s discussion this author will discuss each of the sources and how a school leader might utilize each of the sources to improve instruction, curriculum and assessment at the school building/district level. Sergiovanni discusses and defines the sources of authority bureaucratic, psychological, technical-rational, professional, and moral school leader ship. This author believes that each of the sources of authority serve a purpose, providing the that correct source of authority is utilized at the correct developmental level of the school building/district environment.
If a school leader utilizes or chooses the wrong source of authority at the wrong school level problems will arise. For example if the school leader selects the bureaucratic source of authority when the school building/district environment is at a professional or moral development level might make the staff feel uncomfortable and micro-managed, while selecting a professional source when the school building/district environment is at a bureaucratic level might make the school building/district environment feel that the school leader is unknowledgeable and disconnected from the reality of the school building/district environment. In order to achieve the most effectiveness, the school leader must utilize the correct source of authority to match the level of development of the school building/district environment to achieve the most impact.
Bureaucratic
The bureaucratic source of authority when utilized by the school leader, the school leader manages the school building/district environment and provides the direction for the school building/district environment. In order for the school leader to improve instruction, curriculum and assessment at this level, the school leader should be