ABSTRACT
The study aimed to identify leadership pitfalls in sectarian schools in Iloilo City during the school year 2024-2025. A qualitative method was utilized to collect non-numerical data using a phenomenology design. Twenty (20) selected teachers participated, and a researcher-made interview schedule was used to gather the data for the study. The questionnaire underwent content validation by a panel of experts, and permits were obtained from advisers, Deans, and participants. Data was analyzed and interpreted using a thematic approach, focusing on leadership pitfalls in sectarian schools. The study revealed that teachers experienced a lack of communication, insufficient technical skills, improper time management, and lack of time for supervision of classes as leadership pitfalls. Based on the results, these leadership pitfalls they experienced from their school heads affect how they teach, their morale, and their performance. Teachers employed a positive mindset, creative and innovative strategies, patience and perseverance, and open communication to manage these school heads' leadership pitfalls.
Keywords: School Heads, Leadership Pitfalls, Sectarian Schools, Program Recommendation
INTRODUCTION
In today’s dynamic educational landscape, effective leadership is crucial for the success of schools and their stakeholders and for creating a positive and productive learning environment. School leaders encounter numerous and various challenges, including issues related to stress management, communication breakdown, and decision-making dilemmas.
Any educational institution’s success heavily relies upon its leadership’s effectiveness. Being at the helm, school heads play a pivotal role in shaping their school's academic and administrative landscape.
They are the people in the organization being looked up by subordinates who mirror the organization’s goals, demonstrate great intelligence, have exceptional discernment and judgment, especially in practical matters, have a strong ability to handle complaints and disputes with unfailing intelligence and good humor, learn and understand in dealing with problems, compose, have strong positive values and moral manifesting discipline as a way of influencing constituents in their quests to lead the organization by example, exemplifying integrity and accountability as imminent in the position they hold in the organization. But no matter how leaders are being pictured, people should bear in mind that there are ‘NO LEADERS WHO HAS NO FLAWS”. Nielsen (2023), an author and leadership expert, emphasizes that great leaders are not flawless. People trust and respect leaders who openly acknowledge their weaknesses and mistakes. Authenticity matters more for it creates stronger connections than perceived perfection.
According to Maxwell (2024), a renowned leadership guru, even though having blind spots is a normal part of life, there’s a choice that everyone has to make. Individuals have to acknowledge the areas that they need to grow in and take action, or they are going to continue to be unaware and stay where they are. He believes that leadership isn’t about being perfect. It’s about making mistakes and learning from them. Imperfections are part of growth and development.
It is worth noting that true leadership lies in vulnerability, learning, and embracing authenticity. Leadership pitfalls are potential problems, hazards, or dangers that are easily encountered but not immediately obvious.
Leadership pitfalls have different categories: personal, digital, organizational, environmental, and motivational. These different pitfalls produce various emotional injuries that plague school leaders. It is worth mentioning the importance of early sufficient and recognition of knowledge of leadership pitfalls that may lead to the achievement of the desired performance of the school leader in general and with the institution in particular.
With the multi-tasks placed on the shoulders of school leaders, being persons of so many roles, they are prone to pitfalls that if not managed may lead to their under-performance in particular the failure of the organization in general. Drucker (2024) a financial journalist and an investment analyst, a world-famous management consultant whose ideas transformed business leadership from reactive to proactive mentioned that leaders cannot manage other people unless they manage themselves first. In Drucker’s own words: Leadership is doing the right things.” it must start by managing yourself.
There are leadership pitfalls internationally and locally that delved towards school leaders.
This study aimed to explore the common pitfalls that school heads encounter in their leadership roles and provide a robust foundation for recommending programs that address these challenges.
Identifying and understanding these pitfalls are essential for growth, and success and allow leaders to address them proactively.
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