7 FEATURE
Together, We Achieve Leadership today is not like it was before. Because of the environment we grow up in, each generation listens and responds differently from the one before them. Our expectations for school, work, and life, vary. As people who work with youth, how can we engage them? How can we ensure that our leadership practices are relevant and have a lasting impact? H360 offers insights from an educator, student, working professional, and youth developer. By Faith Luo Jinghui
H360: In school, whether with colleagues or students, how much responsibility should we share, and what does a shared leadership contribute to? Hear from Shirleen Ong, Principal of Methodist Girls’ School, on the longevity and lasting impact that shared leadership can bring.
Shirleen Ong, Principal of Methodist Girls’ School since 2007, is a member of the Executive Board, Academy of Principals. In 2012, she was awarded the Public Administration Medal—Silver, and the Long Service Medal.
Many of us grew up knowing of authoritarian leaders who were crystal clear about what needed to be done and how that should be done. Today, authoritarian leaders are seen as self-centred, non-consultative, and critical of differing opinions. However, they do get things done. In recent years, shared leadership has been increasingly pervasive. The leader is consultative and taps on the strengths of team members. He values the insights and experiences of his team, and every major decision is made with inputs from his team; of course, the decision made is usually not unexpected. He generates a sense of shared ownership of the decision taken. Having met both types of leaders, I appreciate that each type of leadership has its place and season. Unfortunately, the authoritarian leader who holds the key to almost everything, lacks relevance today. If the success of the organisation resides in one person, this success will erode when the leader leaves. When I was moving from the leadership of one school to another, I was told, “The success of the school that you have led will only be clear when you leave. If there is
continued success in the school after you leave, then, you have led well.” Indeed, I rejoice with the school each time I read or hear of its achievements. Thankfully, the success in the school has been sustained after I left. As a result of shared ownership, sustained learning persists. In today’s complex and dynamic world, shared leadership has the best chance of success. The community thrives when every member contributes of his talents and strengths: together they sharpen the focus of their vision, the direction of inquiry, the depth of the reflection, and they sustain their achievements. I appreciate this because I work with a Senior Management Team with a diversity of talents. A school is a community of different groups of people. The leader needs to draw on the talents, skills and professional expertise of others in the school, to drive it to success. Schools, more than any other organisation, must appreciate the strengths of each group of people and the potential within.
H360: Delegating responsibilities to adults can be relatively easy, partly because we expect them to have a sense of know-how. But how about giving ownership to youth? How much can we entrust young people with? Should we just do the job ourselves instead? A Halogen volunteer, 19-year-old Muhd Zulhilmie, shares with us his personal secondary school and junior college leadership experiences. Muhd Zulhilmie was a Peer Support Leader in secondary school and a Student Councillor in junior college. Currently 19 years old, he is serving National Service. A fun-loving guy, he loves fantasy novels (especially Wicked) and science. He also enjoys long strolls by the park and is an avid board gamer, but what he really loves most are his Saturdays with great company.