Leadership Models and Approaches: An Introduction

Below are a brief sampling of four leadership approaches and models. Why does one need a model or approach to draw from? The truth is, some leaders can do an excellent job of leading people without these. However, for those people who may not have the leadership 'thing' all figured out, research-based models and approaches provide effective methods of leading that help support and guide this challenging work.

There are many leadership models and approaches to draw from and many excellent resources available on the subject of leading. However, the selections below were chosen for how well they align with the task of leading oneself and others through the steps of becoming more culturally competent individuals.

As you work your way through this section, consider the following questions:

• What type of leadership do I use on a day-to-day basis?

• What are the needs of the people that I lead?

• Will this work for the task of leading others to become more culturally competent?

• How can I shift my leadership style to be more effective for the people I lead and the specific goals we are working towards?

• What elements of these models and approaches could incorporate into my own practice to make the process of becoming more culturally competent more effective for all?

Adaptive Mentorship Model

According to Ralph & Walker’s (2010) Adaptive Mentorship (AM) Model, there are three phases to the mentor/protégé relationship. The mentors adjust their behaviour based on what they perceive to be the “task-specific development level of protégés” they are working with. These behaviours are adjusted based on the tasks themselves, as well as established skill-development, and the needs or development of individual protégés. This model has found ways for cross-cultural, socio-economic and cross-gender contexts to be taken into account (Ralph & Walker, 2010, p. 214). A model such as this could be used by leaders and educators to help guide and develop greater cultural competence amongst staff, students and other interested stakeholders.

Indigenous Leadership Practices

Leadership is enacted through collaboration and the collective efforts of a community. There are no specific theories or protocols to be followed as is often the case in westernized organizations. "A common belief shared among many Indigenous peoples is the belief that each person is born with innate strengths that can assist in the overall betterment of the community” (Kenny, 2012, p. 5). Storytelling is used by Indigenous leaders to bring people together; to inspire and teach using specific messages based on experiences and circumstances; to promote healthy lifestyles; and to create change within the community; to promote social action. "At its core, Indigenous leadership is relational" (Kenny, 2012, p. 20). Leadership is not about individuals or their desire for power. People are chosen or step forward to serve the greater good of their community for a period of time where their skills, wisdom, or expertise are needed. This unbound, or non-hierarchical system of leadership is all about the interconnectedness of things.

There is a necessity for Indigenous leaders to understand both their own community as well as the mainstream, more Eurocentric society. They have to create, and then walk, a bridge between these two worlds. Indigenous people live in a highly interconnected world. Their leaders must take a holistic stance when trying to resolve issues as they will inevitably be connected to some other part of the community. In addition, they must be willing to accommodate some non-traditional aspects as their community has influences and values drawn from outside.

Servant Leadership Model

Peter Northouse (2019) says that perhaps a better term for this form of leadership would have been “Altruistic Leadership” as that more accurately represents what the theory is about. It is about leaders making themselves available for their followers, about being there to “serve” them in ways that help the followers reach their full human potential. People who use a servant leadership model don’t do it for their own personal gain. They are trying to make small changes daily that influence and alter the organization and society itself. “When individuals engage in servant leadership, it is likely to improve outcomes at the individual, organizational, and societal levels” (Northouse, 2019, p. 241). Servant leaders want to live in a society that is more just, more equitable, and more inclusive than the current variation. These leaders gain deep personal connections with the people they support and serve.

Situational Leadership Approach

“Effective leaders are those who can recognize what followers need and then adapt their own style to meet those needs” (Northouse, 2019, p.96). This practical theory suggests there is no effective one-size-fits-all type of leadership and that leaders must be very flexible based on individual needs, developmental level and attitudes, as well as changing situations. Successful Situational Leadership very much depends on the leader having a service mindset and knowing their followers well. Within educational institutions, these leaders are not there to control others but are there to help their staff or students successfully overcome challenges and/or achieve goals. They ask questions such as, “Who are you, what are you up to, what do you need to get the job done, and how can I serve you?” (Blanchard, 2012). There is a relationship, a partnership at play where the leader uses their skills to help meet their staff or students' needs, then together meet their shared goals. This approach to leadership aligns well with social and cultural change within educational organizations.

Transformational Leadership Approach

“This type of leader is attentive to the needs and motives of followers and tries to help followers reach their fullest potential” (Northouse, 2018, p. 165). Educational leaders and teachers who recognize that there can be a transformative nature to education may choose to use a Transformational Leadership Approach to reach each individual in unique ways. They seek to inspire, motivate, and encourage students to make necessary changes, no matter how messy or scary, so that the students can align their thinking and actions with the learning and life goals they set for themselves. Transformational Leaders make themselves available to their students. They listen, they support, and they guide in appropriate ways for each individual. Because this leadership approach seeks to motivate and support changes in thinking and behaviour, it is well-suited to helping people become more culturally intelligent and culturally competent. It is also well-suited to leading social change movements and ideologies within educational institutions.

Five Needed Cross-Cultural Competencies for Leaders

• Understand business, political, & cultural environments of relevant cultures.
• Learn the perspectives, tastes, trends, & technologies of relevant cultures.
• Be able to work simultaneously with people from different cultures.
• Adapt to living & communicating in other cultures.
• Relate to other cultures from a position of equality rather than superiority (Northouse, 2019).

"An empowering school culture and social structure is created when the culture and organization of the school are transformed in ways that enable students from diverse racial, ethnic, and gender groups to experience equality and equal status" (Banks, 2021).

Top Image: Matyoszur-reszlet Szűr-Embroidery from Mezőkövesd, Hungary, from the collection of the AHM, https://magyarmuseum.org/hungarian-embroidery/hungarian-embroidery/