Transactional Leadership Attitude

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

A positive school climate is an integral component of an effective school. School climate is consistently identified as a variable that is a characteristic of effective schools and one that is positively associated with academic success. The factors characterizing effective schools include: leadership, school climate, teacher/student relations, curriculum instruction, resources and finance, physical environment, evaluation, and parent/community relationship. School climate also can be known as the quality and the character of school life. It is based on school life experiences and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships and organizational structures. According to a paper from

This leader also arouses followers’ enthusiasm and optimism by sharing a compelling vision.

Intellectual stimulation: Leader behaviors stimulate followers to be creative and innovative to contribute their ideas in problem solution process. Individualized consideration: Leader treat followers equally, pay attention to each follower’s need and act as a coach or mentor to support the followers’ growth and development.

Transactional leadership behavior refer to activities that help clarify expectations for direct reports, help direct reports achieve desired rewards and avoid punishments, and help facilitate desired outcomes (Avolio & Bass, 1988). Transactional leadership commonly comprises three categories as follow:

Contingent reward: The use of incentives and rewards to encourage employees to do the wanted task. Reward and incentives can give motivation to the employees to perform the given task. For instance, when the leader in the organization promise the staff that the organization will give bonus to them if they put extra effort to make the organization gain more profit, of course the employees will put more effort and in return, the organization will provide them the

According to Leithwood and Jantzi (2006), it is important for principal to clarify a meaning of school vision to provide a sense of direction for teachers to follow and create understanding on the benefits in achieving the school’s vision. It is also suggested that to ensure the process of creating vision is successful, a wide vision (Malaysia Ministry of Education) should be congruently incorporated with school vision (Leithwood and Jantzi, 1999) and involve every teacher in the school because every individual might contribute ideas and put an effort to make the ideas a success (Fullan and Hargreaves, 1996). Besides, Leithwood, Tomlinson and Genge (1996) suggested that principal should use all possible opportunities to communicate the school’s vision effectively to school members, students and