Ostensibly, there are five levels of authority. My favourite author, Dr. John C. Maxwell, writes about it in his heroic book titled Equipping 101. Firstly, we have position, the most basic kind of authority springing from a person’s stance on the organisational chart. It does not extend beyond the parameters of the job description. Secondly, there is competence, the type of authority based on a person’s professional capabilities. It is the ability to do the job. Followers revere competent leaders. More so, when they evince vast expertise.
Thirdly, we have personality, a type of authority connected to personal characteristics such as radiance, brilliance, appearance, comportment and charisma. Fourthly, there is integrity, which springs from a person’s character. It entails being honest, truthful, reliable and responsible. The fifth level of authority is spirituality, which somewhat is the highest one. It develops from people’s experience with God, and His power working through them.
Focusing on my main thesis, I can postulate that Principals in schools are figures of authority. Then, teachers should stand out as figures of authority in different spheres. Maybe, when they are on duty, teaching in classroom or while on any instructional platforms. In a great text titled the Teacher’s Influence, Samuel Muriuki points out five forms of teachers’ authority as legitimate, charismatic, expert authority, reward and coercive. One glad day, when muses matriculate into my mortal mind, the penman will shed bright light on two other forms of authorities: Moral and spiritual.
- Legitimate Authority
Principals and teachers exercise legitimate authority in relation to their positions, or jurisdictions. Wielding TSC numbers and deployment marks their legitimate authority. This authority can also be due to the right of command. The fact that principals and teachers are in certain positions, legitimate authority evinces itself. Unlike the other forms of teacher authority, legitimate or legal authority is not cultivated.
- Expert Authority
In actual sense, this type of authority springs from expertise, experiences and exposure. It is an influence over opinions, ideas, insights, information; substantiated by recognised definite and specialised knowledge. In the case of preceptors, expertise refers to subject matter, knowledge, pedagogy and methodology. Expert authority entails high level of knowledge and skills the teacher wields as well as the ability to impart learners with requisite knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and skills. For Principals, expert authority manifests in their leadership and management éclat. John Quincy Adams, the 6th President of United States summarised it: “If your actions inspires others to dream more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”
Moreover, teachers can augment their expert authority by having the marvellous mastery of various concepts and content presented in their areas of specialisation. They can go back to school, attend seminars and workshops to become better and brighter. They can confer with their contemporaries in order to fine-tune what they know. They can read books widely and wildly. In a colossal sense, teachers who become generators of viable ideas and bright-eyed insights in their spheres of influence, also command expert authority. Publishing books, contributing in the dailies, and sharing expert opinions in talk shows — gels expert authority of preceptors.
- Reward Authority
Somewhat, everyone enjoys receiving rewards, awards and good gifts. Giving of gifts is one of the 5 Love Languages, as perfectly brought out in Garry Chapman’s beautiful book. Other love languages include: Words of affirmation, giving gifts, quality time, acts of service and physical touch. People good at dishing out gifts stand to understand the language of love. Whoever can reward, appreciate and approve people can win hearts and minds with a lot of ease. It is always the heart first. For both Oriental and Occidental knowledge acknowledge: to lead yourself, use your head, but to lead others, use your heart.
Then, people in lofty levels of leadership — positions of power and authority — can purpose to give rewards and awards to their subjects. In a school set up, teachers have the power to reward students in umpteen ways. They can use some effective rewards such as acknowledging good grades, giving special responsibilities, focusing on positive forms of reinforcement, being prone to privileges and praise, recognitions, encouragements, edifications, and anything else that can be taken for granted that students ravenously desire that can be given as a form of extrinsic motivation. Students should feel valued and treasured by teachers. This is one of the best ways to leg up their intrinsic motivation.
- Charismatic Authority
Ideally, teachers express charismatic authority when they show respect and affection towards learners. In another heroic book titled Be a People Person, Dr. John C. Maxwell postulates that CHARISMA stands for — Concern, Help, Action, Results, Influence, Sensitivity, Motivation and Affirmation. Concern focuses on the ability to show that you care. Charismatic Principals and teachers are conscious of the wise words of Theodore Roosevelt, “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Help focuses on the ability to reach out. Educators should possess the gift of grace. Why? Because the Greek word ‘gift’ is ‘charisma’ — meaning the ‘gift of grace’. Action is all about the ability to make things happen. In the distant past, when Evangelist John Wesley was asked why people seemed to be attracted to him, he answered, “Well, you see, when you set yourself on fire, people just like to come and see you burn.”
Results focuses on the ability to produce. Educators who have a puissant impact on learners never confuse activity with productivity while holed up in the school environment. Influence means the ability to lead. Teachers are lifters, ladders and leaders to students. Leadership is influence. Nothing less. Nothing more. Sensitivity is leans on the ability to feel and respond. With basic counselling training, Introduction to Psychology and Education Psychology, teachers should wield basic helping skills like empathy, Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR), active listening, reflection of feelings, self-disclosure, symbolic nourishment, and many more. Motivation means that educators are able to give hope and help. Ability to foster hope, in the years of yore, is what made men of God great and glorious. They became beacons of light and hope to plenty of people.
For instance, Isaiah talked of God doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:18-19). Jeremiah talked of God having good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). John — the revelator — talked of a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21). Jesus, rabbi — a great teacher ― talked of being born again (John 3). Affirmation is the ability to build up using wise words of encouragement.
Then, William Arthur Ward talked about four types of teachers: A mediocre teacher who tells. A good teacher who explains. A superior teacher who demonstrates. A great teacher who inspires. “Without inspiration”, said Johann Gottfried Von Herder, “the best powers of the mind remain dormant: there is a fuel in us ignited with sparks.”
Therefore, charismatic authority evinces itself through educator’s exceptional personal quality (personality) and ability to inspire loyalty and obedience from the students. A charismatic Principal or teacher induces students and pupils to form emotional attachments. In a broader sense, teachers that are likeable, pleasant, pleasing, charming, fond, or funny, find it easy to assert charismatic authority. Over and above, tutors can develop this type of authority only if they manage to establish steadfast rapport with students: knowing them well. Establishing cordial relationships with them is of great essence. Investing in students is not an exercise in futility. In some sense, when teachers make deposits in the ‘emotional bank accounts’ of students, they can make withdrawals as opportunities to influence acceptable behaviour.
- Coercive Authority
In this type of authority, educators use of disincentives, punishments, or negative reinforcement to mould the desired type of behaviour. Teachers have in their power the right to use disincentives, withhold privileges, give out stern warnings, point out dire consequences, or issue punishments to students. By doing this, tutors exercise their coercive authority. Coercive authority implies that students have refused to follow rules and regulations. Then, woe betides them; they face the music. No student should go scot-free after contravening the raft of school rules. No matter how much of the other forms of authority a teacher wields, without some modicum of coercive authority, it is likely that some impertinent student will take advantage of their freedom to cross lines without the concern of boundaries. Albeit, as teachers assert coercive authority, they should desist from being prone to ineffective coercive authority like shame, guilt, personal attacks, embarrassment, harassment, witch-hunt, withdrawal of affection and public humiliation. Teachers should praise in public, but criticise in private. Love to glorify, but loathe to vilify.
© Victor Ochieng’
The writer is an editor, author, trainer, and peripatetic speaker.
vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
Get more stories from our website: Education News
To write to us or offer feedback, you can reach us at: editor@educationnews.co.ke
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
