This book provides a timely and comprehensive response to the widely acknowledged serious failings in our current knowledge of organizational leadership and culture, providing an ecologically inspired approach which unifies knowledge and practice across all of the pivotal organisational elements of leadership, culture, teamwork, creativity, complexity and wisdom. Drawing on case studies from Australia and New Zealand, Branson and Marra argue that just as ecosystems are systems of connected elements through which the energy needed to maintain the health of the system must readily flow, an organisation is also a connected system that equally requires a healthy flow of energy in order to achieve its core purpose. Their theory of organizational ecology describes how organizational connectivity, as revealed by the quality of the relationships among the people and the parts of the organization, provides the conduit through which the essential energy (in the form of knowledge, information, ideas, innovation, and support sharing) must flow. Through the application of the theory of organizational ecology, Branson and Marra illustrate how a leader must grow their leadership knowledge and wisdom in order to develop the organization's people and culture so that it is fully able to accomplish the desired vision, mission and core purpose.

This book provides a timely and comprehensive response to the widely acknowledged serious failings in our current knowledge of organizational leadership and culture, providing an ecologically inspired approach which unifies knowledge and practice across all of the pivotal organisational elements of leadership, culture, teamwork, creativity, complexity and wisdom. Drawing on case studies from Australia and New Zealand, Branson and Marra argue that just as ecosystems are systems of connected elements through which the energy needed to maintain the health of the system must readily flow, an organisation is also a connected system that equally requires a healthy flow of energy in order to achieve its core purpose. Their theory of organizational ecology describes how organizational connectivity, as revealed by the quality of the relationships among the people and the parts of the organization, provides the conduit through which the essential energy (in the form of knowledge, information, ideas, innovation, and support sharing) must flow. Through the application of the theory of organizational ecology, Branson and Marra illustrate how a leader must grow their leadership knowledge and wisdom in order to develop the organization's people and culture so that it is fully able to accomplish the desired vision, mission and core purpose.

This book is intended for students, leaders and managers who wish to explore the personal relevance and conceptual bases of educational leadership and organizational management and to develop their expertise in this field. It is a book written for both scholars and practitioners. The general public will also appreciate the accessible language in the book. There are two goals in the experiential learning process. One is to learn the specifics of a particular subject matter, in this case, educational leadership and organizational management. The other is to learn about one’s own strengths and weaknesses as a learner. This book is focused on the analysis of prevalent theories and concepts and their application to the development of leadership and management skills, and the knowledge and attitudes required to solve real world problems in the workplace. For decades, students have focused their studies of educational leadership and organizational management theories in classroom settings without actual opportunities to apply these theories in the workplace. A profound and significant lesson learned in history is that we must follow the principle of integrating theory with practice (unity of theory with practice). Then, we can follow the policy of walking on two legs, an analogy made by the late Chinese chairman, Mao Ze Dong.

Like the bestselling first edition, this introductory textbook succinctly presents concepts and theories of educational leadership and organizational behavior and immediately applies them to problems of practice. The second edition includes a new chapter on organizational culture, expanded overage of organizational structure, systems, and leadership, and additional case studies and scenarios representing real problems of practice.

With new coauthor Leslie Gonzales, Russ Marion maintains the tradition of well-balanced, well-researched, and lively discussions of classic and contemporary leadership theories and their applications. The extensively revised Second Edition adds coverage of leader-member exchange theory, sensemaking, group conflict, and critical race and critical feminist perspectives, as well as a fuller treatment of transformational leadership. The authors begin with a brief look at the pros and cons of general entity- and collectivist-based approaches to leadership, reflecting key debates in the leadership literature. Next, readers encounter the history and applications of specific entity-based theories, followed by a discussion of conflict theory, which provides an apt transition to the exploration of collectivist ideas. The book finishes with coverage of critical theory, institutionalism, and population ecologytheories that focus more on the organizational context for leadership than on leadership styles. Throughout this updated edition, the authors use metaphors and real-world examples from inside and outside educational contexts. Numerous figures, case studies, roundtable discussions, group activities, and reflective exercises engage readers and accelerate learning. Link Forward and Link Back sections reference upcoming or previous chapters to show that theories are dynamic. Leadership in Education, Second Edition, raises the bar for understanding and reinforcing practical applications of various theories in settings and situations that school administrators are likely to encounter.

David Hurst has a unique knowledge of organizationsÑtheir function and their failureÑboth in theory and in practice. He has spent twenty-five years as an operating manager, often in crises and turnaround conditions, and is also a widely experienced consultant, teacher, and writer on business. This book is his innovative integration of management practice and theory, using a systems perspective and analogies drawn from nature to illustrate groundbreaking ideas and their practical application. It is designed for readers unfamiliar with sophisticated management concepts and for active practitioners seeking to advance their management and leadership skills. HurstÕs objective is to help readers make meaning from their own management experience and education, and to encourage improvement in their practical judgment and wisdom. His approach takes an expansive view of organizations, connecting their development to humankindÕs evolutionary heritage and cultural history. It locates the origins of organizations in communities of trust and follows their development and maturation. He also crucially tracks the decline of organizations as they age and shows how their strengths become weaknesses in changing circumstances. HurstÕs core argument is that the human mind is rational in an ecological, rather than a logical, sense. In other words, it has evolved to extract cues to action from the specific situations in which it finds itself. Therefore contexts matter, and Hurst shows how passion, reason, and power can be used to change and sustain organizations for good and ill. The result is an inspirational synthesis of management theory and practice that will resonate with every readerÕs experience.

Grounded in the theory of sociologist Karl Weick, this edited volume explores key concepts of educational leadership and organizational learning. Chapter authors analyze and reflect on the implications of Weick’s thinking on leadership preparation and development. Providing a thorough understanding of the influence of his ideas in education, this volume unpacks the ways in which Weick’s ideas influence and shape organizational learning and educational leadership and policy today.