Carroll M. Helm is currently Associate Professor of
Education at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina. Prior to coming to Belmont, he was Associate
Professor in the graduate program at the University of the Cumberlands in
Williamsburg, Kentucky. Additionally, he has taught graduate and undergraduate
courses at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee and East Tennessee State
University in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Helm has
held positions as a teacher, principal, director of special education and
director of pupil personnel in the area of public education, and served as dean
of a community college off-campus center.
He holds an earned doctorate from East Tennessee State University, a
master’s in educational administration from the University of Tennessee at
Knoxville, and a bachelor’s of science degree from Carson-Newman College in
Jefferson City, Tennessee.
Dr. Helm
has published articles in the Journal of Educational Research, Middle School
Journal, and the Clearing House for Educational Publications. His current research interests focus on
teacher dispositions and their effects on student self-esteem. Closely related is his interest in
identifying and assessing leadership dispositions, and their possible effect on
teacher effectiveness and morale. He
resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The purpose of this manuscript is to examine key differences
between effective leadership traits and leadership dispositions. Essential leadership dispositions are
identified
NCATE (
National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education) places
a great deal of emphasis on teacher dispositions, but leadership dispositions
are not specifically identified. The
assumption is that all professional school educators should possess these
dispositions. By identifying those
characteristics or traits common to effective leadership, a model correlate for
leadership dispositions is created.
Leadership traits/characteristics and leadership dispositions are not
the same. The paper places the emphasis
on what the effective leader should possess as an internal value orientation as
opposed to what they must do as a leader.
One author listed over 150 things a leader must do to be successful.This
paper identifies only five key dispositions that are essential to any leader. These dispositions include: integrity, courage, caring, a strong work
ethic and highly developed critical thinking skills. The distinction is also
made between a manager and a leader.
The conclusion is reached that
there is a rudimentary difference between those things a good leader must do,
and those dispositional qualities a good leader must possess. Courage is
identified as the single most important disposition a leader must possess, but
admittedly, the hardest to identify.
