Ideal Images of Educational Leadership in Mexico City and South Texas

Educational Forum, The, Winter 2006 by Slater, Charles L, Boone, Mike, �lvarez, Isa�as, Topete, Carlos, Et al

Abstract

This study used a qualitative approach to analyze ideal images of educational leadership among administrators in Mexico City and South Texas. Looking at educational leadership from a cross-cultural perspective revealed issues that are hidden when working in just one culture. Though both groups indicated that participation, clear communication, planned change, and attention to values were components of their best leadership experiences, there were subtle differences in how they discussed each dimension.

This study examined ideal images of educational leadership among administrators in Mexico City and South Texas. How did the two groups conceive of ideal leadership, and what were the differences and similarities in leadership? The answers to these questions within each culture are important in defining the direction of educational administration preparation programs. A cross-cultural approach highlights and contrasts what each group values.

Participants in the study wrote essays describing their ideal leadership experiences. A qualitative, open-ended approach was used to analyze the themes expressed in each essay. The themes of the two countries were compared, with particular attention to culture and values.

Cultural Considerations

Culture gives leadership different and varied forms. Some aspects of leadership are universal, and others are particular to a culture. Over the years, anthropologists and researchers have proffered numerous definitions of culture. Geertz (1973, 89) described culture as the way people "communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about attitudes toward life." Trompenaars (1993, 26) considered culture to be "man-made, confirmed by others, conventionalized, and passed on for younger people or newcomers to learn." Dimmock and Walker (200Oa, 146) defined culture as "the enduring sets of beliefs, values, and ideologies underpinning structures, processes, and practices which distinguish one group from another." Hofstede (1980, 25) viewed culture as "the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from another."

People attain culture as members of a society, and their behavior is shaped and influenced by that society's cultural rules. Native culture becomes ingrained in the unconscious. Offerman and Hellman (1997) agreed with many cultural theorists that this ingrained cultural behavior rarely is replaced by another set of behaviors, even after extended residence in a society with different cultural norms.

People have cultural patterns of behavior, perceptions, and cognition that seem natural and universal to them. They often are unaware that these patterns are, for the most part, culturally based, and that individuals of other cultures may differ in how they characteristically act, perceive, and interpret behaviors in any given situation. According to Albert (1996), lack of cultural knowledge may lead to serious misunderstandings and possible conflicts among members of different cultures.

Hallinger and Leithwood (1998) contended that understanding the impact of societal culture on educational practices and policies is essential to any research endeavor. They suggested that Hofstede's (1980) cultural dimensions are useful in cross-cultural studies of educational leadership-at least in the early stages.

Dimmock and Walker (200Oa) recognized the impact of globalization on educational research and suggested a framework for undertaking cross-cultural educational research similar to that of Hallinger and Leithwood (1998). Dimmock and Walker (200Ob) agreed with Hofstede (1980) that cultural dimensions allow researchers to describe, measure, and compare cultures. They also recognized that culture is learned and that societal and organizational culture are different. They cautioned that though Hofstede's dimensions are useful in cross-cultural studies, there is a tendency to view these dimensions as polarized alternatives rather than degrees on a continuum.

Leadership practices and styles also are influenced by culture. Offerman and Hellman (1997) observed that cultural values are strong predictors of leadership behavior. They applied Hofstede's (1980) cultural dimensions in their exploration of variations in leadership behavior and emphasized the concept of culture when examining leadership theory and practice.

Leadership Models

Leadership has existed in some form in all human societies throughout history. Though leadership is worldwide, scholars and researchers do not agree on a definition. Burns (1978, 2) stated, "Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth."

Leithwood and Duke (1998) reviewed a sample of English language journals to identify the most common leadership concepts under discussion. They came up with six models of leadership: instructional, transformational, moral, participative, managerial, and contingent. These models can serve as reference points for cross-cultural studies. Pozner (2000), in his work with Latin Americans, wrote about the challenges of education and designed a model of leadership that included many of Leithwood and Duke's considerations. Pozner (2000, 16) defined leadership as being able: