Task-oriented vs. People-oriented Leader
I hate meetings whenever they are unplanned. Usually an unplanned meeting is a looming disaster, a waste of time and one's presence. Yesterday, everyone was busy inside the faculty room. There were a few who were checking school forms before they would be submitted for approval. I was going through some of these form too. Everyone was doing something yesterday, busy, when suddenly we were informed that the school head wanted to have a meeting with us. Most of us chorused and asked what kind of meeting would it be - emergency or year-end? In my mind, if it would be an emergency meeting, then it would be another waste of time. One female co-teacher agreed with me.
I was hoping it would be the year-end meeting. I wanted the previous school year to end, so that I could plan out things and enjoy the longer school break. I have been so tired, I badly needed this break. My hoping was all wrong because the meeting indeed was emergency. There was only one agenda, if ever it could be called one. The school head wanted us to submit the curriculum map by April 19. Of course, it was out of timing, it was forced. We really had all the intention of submitting one, but the manner of asking came out in bad taste. The motivation was all wrong. He told us that at least we have to submit the curriculum evaluation for even the last two quarters because he would not want to be reprimanded for not submitting any. The motivation was so extrinsic, most of us pitied his naivety.
A leader can be task-oriented or he can be people-oriented. Task-oriented leaders always want the work to be done notwithstanding the feelings of people he is working with. He does not care so much the people around him. What he sees is the task that should be accomplished at his own prescribed time. He considers himself above everyone else in the group. His members seldom knows what he knows - this is what he often thinks. On the other hand, a people-oriented leader nurtures relationship. His first concern is not the task but rather the people working for the completion of the work in hand. He usually blends in the group; he does not stand out. He believes that all of the people in the organization where he belongs know where they are all going. I prefer this latter kind of leadership.
Most of my colleagues believe that our school head is so task-oriented. When he said that the curriculum map should be finished before the 19th when everyone was still busy finishing other tasks that came first, he was clearly disregarding how we would have felt hearing his not so good tidings. We knew long before that he have to do the curriculum map. We need not be reminded again. I am not a moron nor my colleagues are as imbecile as I am. We know where we stand with regards to the duties and responsibilities we have to perform as educators. We cannot leave room for errors here. We must be setting good examples to our students. We are supposed to leave today for a cross island tour, and he reminded us this one too. He asked yesterday who were joining the tour that would have left today. Nobody answered, so I blurted that no one liked to join. The meeting was adjourned. Ridiculous!
This is one of the reasons why I am resigning effective next school year. Unfortunately, I am a very people-oriented kind of person. I nurture relationship; I build bridges. I can't stand people who will boss my way around, not that I am not a good follower. I just want people to respect how I feel about things because I do the same to them. I strongly believe that for an organization to work successfully in accomplishing its goals, feelings and not just job performances should be also considered. It may even be given the topmost priority. I know this year I have not been my best self. I even consider this year my worst as a teacher and instructional leader. This is my second year with my so fickle-minded boss. I was able to cope with him during his first year. I gave up this year. He's incorrigible.
Today was so hot. The air conditioning system in the faculty room was not able to affect the warm feel inside. I think it was because of the tension in the air. No, we were not arguing at all. In fact the mood was one of friendly camaraderie. In my case, I felt violated as a person and a teacher. What took place yesterday was a clear demeaning of my capacity as a teacher and of my presence as a person. I am still today nurturing a disparaging heart. My co-teachers do too. I felt like a clueless child yesterday being played upon by a beguiling adult. I was hurt that I really stood up and aired what I felt. The curriculum map done at the end of the school year for compliance alone is as useless as it should not have been done at all. It is supposed to have been done to guide us teachers for re-aligning the curriculum for the next academic year; not simply because one does not want to be reprimanded for not submitting a course evaluation. I rested my case. The day was just too hot.
I hate meetings whenever they are unplanned. Usually an unplanned meeting is a looming disaster, a waste of time and one's presence. Yesterday, everyone was busy inside the faculty room. There were a few who were checking school forms before they would be submitted for approval. I was going through some of these form too. Everyone was doing something yesterday, busy, when suddenly we were informed that the school head wanted to have a meeting with us. Most of us chorused and asked what kind of meeting would it be - emergency or year-end? In my mind, if it would be an emergency meeting, then it would be another waste of time. One female co-teacher agreed with me.
I was hoping it would be the year-end meeting. I wanted the previous school year to end, so that I could plan out things and enjoy the longer school break. I have been so tired, I badly needed this break. My hoping was all wrong because the meeting indeed was emergency. There was only one agenda, if ever it could be called one. The school head wanted us to submit the curriculum map by April 19. Of course, it was out of timing, it was forced. We really had all the intention of submitting one, but the manner of asking came out in bad taste. The motivation was all wrong. He told us that at least we have to submit the curriculum evaluation for even the last two quarters because he would not want to be reprimanded for not submitting any. The motivation was so extrinsic, most of us pitied his naivety.
A leader can be task-oriented or he can be people-oriented. Task-oriented leaders always want the work to be done notwithstanding the feelings of people he is working with. He does not care so much the people around him. What he sees is the task that should be accomplished at his own prescribed time. He considers himself above everyone else in the group. His members seldom knows what he knows - this is what he often thinks. On the other hand, a people-oriented leader nurtures relationship. His first concern is not the task but rather the people working for the completion of the work in hand. He usually blends in the group; he does not stand out. He believes that all of the people in the organization where he belongs know where they are all going. I prefer this latter kind of leadership.
Most of my colleagues believe that our school head is so task-oriented. When he said that the curriculum map should be finished before the 19th when everyone was still busy finishing other tasks that came first, he was clearly disregarding how we would have felt hearing his not so good tidings. We knew long before that he have to do the curriculum map. We need not be reminded again. I am not a moron nor my colleagues are as imbecile as I am. We know where we stand with regards to the duties and responsibilities we have to perform as educators. We cannot leave room for errors here. We must be setting good examples to our students. We are supposed to leave today for a cross island tour, and he reminded us this one too. He asked yesterday who were joining the tour that would have left today. Nobody answered, so I blurted that no one liked to join. The meeting was adjourned. Ridiculous!
This is one of the reasons why I am resigning effective next school year. Unfortunately, I am a very people-oriented kind of person. I nurture relationship; I build bridges. I can't stand people who will boss my way around, not that I am not a good follower. I just want people to respect how I feel about things because I do the same to them. I strongly believe that for an organization to work successfully in accomplishing its goals, feelings and not just job performances should be also considered. It may even be given the topmost priority. I know this year I have not been my best self. I even consider this year my worst as a teacher and instructional leader. This is my second year with my so fickle-minded boss. I was able to cope with him during his first year. I gave up this year. He's incorrigible.
Today was so hot. The air conditioning system in the faculty room was not able to affect the warm feel inside. I think it was because of the tension in the air. No, we were not arguing at all. In fact the mood was one of friendly camaraderie. In my case, I felt violated as a person and a teacher. What took place yesterday was a clear demeaning of my capacity as a teacher and of my presence as a person. I am still today nurturing a disparaging heart. My co-teachers do too. I felt like a clueless child yesterday being played upon by a beguiling adult. I was hurt that I really stood up and aired what I felt. The curriculum map done at the end of the school year for compliance alone is as useless as it should not have been done at all. It is supposed to have been done to guide us teachers for re-aligning the curriculum for the next academic year; not simply because one does not want to be reprimanded for not submitting a course evaluation. I rested my case. The day was just too hot.
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