Distributed leadership in schools

The term distributed leadership is now widely used in the field of educational leadership. Distributed leadership supports system leadership. They are two sides of the same coin: leadership practice as a product of interaction among leaders, followers and their situation. It is not the actions of individuals, but the interactions among them that matter must in leadership practice. Distributed leadership is the counsel to Moses: "This is too heavy for thou cannot bear it alone."

Several variable features of distributed leadership are discernible from the literature of training. These are: control or autonomy; organisational structure and agency; social and cultural content; source of chance; positional or informal leadership; dynamics of team working; institutional and spontaneous forms of distributed leadership; and conflict resolution. All these variables may affect teams that may have to operate across a much larger arena than would be necessary in smaller department, pastoral or project team. Distributed leadership challenges us to think broadly and creatively about leadership. It moves us from a "person solo to a person plus", suggesting multiple leaders at multiple levels.

There are inherent difficulties associated with distributed leadership's widespread adoption and adaptation in schools. It would be naive to ignore the major structured, cultured and micro-political barriers operating in schools that make distributed form of leadership difficult to implement. Most of our activities are centralised. So first build up the staff's ability and then implement distributed leadership at field level.

Mushfeka Binte sultan

Superintendent, PTI, Narayanganj.

[email protected]