Team management in secondary schools

Abstract

The changed political climate in South Africa has contributed to the erosion of the traditional autocratic powers of the principal and the increased demand by teachers to be involved in the making of decisions which affect them directly. This has necessitated a different approach to school management. Team management is one such an approach. The research aims are to determine the nature of team management, the task and role of the principal in facilitating team management and the extent to which team management is implemented in secondary schools attended predominantly by black students in South Africa. The research methods used to achieve the aims are a literature study and an empirical survey. The investigation of the nature of team management revealed that the team management approach is based on the theories of McGregor, Herzberg, Maslow, Likert and Argyris, and that the advantages of team management outweigh its disadvantages. The prerequisites for team management were found to be active leadership, effective communication, participative decision-making and sharing power and authority. The 9,9 (team management) leadership style was found to be the most appropriate for team management. Communication within the teams should accord with Likert's System 4 communication process. With regard to the role and task of the principal in facilitating team management the study revealed that he should create opportunities for staff development and establish good human relations; ensure that the plans of the different teams complement one another in promoting school goals and distribute the work load evenly amongst teams. The principal should also promote the active and effective participation of team members in decision-making. He should treat this participation not as a favour, but as the teacher's democratic right. The principal should also level the decision-making field by ensuring that all participants have sufficient information on the topic under discussion. It was also found that the role of the principal in team building consisted of improving people related and task related skills. From the findings of the literature study a structured questionnaire was developed. The target population for the empirical survey consisted of principals, departmental heads and teachers in schools attended predominantly by black students in the Gauteng province. This part of the study revealed that the majority of principals perceived their leadership style differently from their heads of departments and teachers. The target population in general perceived the communication process with regard to team management in the schools as favourable. However, almost half the number of teachers felt deprived of participation in decision-making on issues which fall under their zone of concern. A few of the most important recommendations of the study are that principals should share leadership and authority with the various team leaders and teachers in the school. They should also rely on expert power rather than on legitimate power. In addition, the professional autonomy of teachers and the managerial authority of principals should be harmonised, while bureaucratic management by principals should be minimised. Overall, it can be concluded that there are traces of team management practices in the schools attended predominantly by black students in South Africa. This means that the usage of the team management approach is limited and should therefore be promoted.