Behavior of People in Authority

As school administrators we need to consider the proposition that the filling of role high in authority to cause a difference in behavior.

“The superior frames and transmit decision with the expectation that they will be accepted by the subordinate. The subordinate expects some decisions and his conduct is determined by them.”

1.Authority based upon rational grounds.

position is the center of authority

authority rest in duly constituted law and order

2. Authorities based upon traditional grounds

Derives from a long historylegitimate sense of rightness

monarchy is an example of this type

3. Authorities based upon charismatic grounds

The leader has exceptional characteristics

leader is above all others

Types of Authority

Organization of Staff

Staff is obedient to

Rational

Traditional

Charismatic

Bureaucracy

Retainers

Personal staff, Servant

Rational delegation

Ad hoc delegation

Directly no delegation

Impersonality of BureaucraticLeader

Administrator in a bureaucratic organization owe their authority to the position and not primarily to their own talents.

In public schools, the administrator derives his authority from the position, be it superintendent or principal.Teachers owe allegiance to the position of superintendent and principal and not the man.

The administrator being tuned to the personality behave in such a way as to minimize personal relationship with teachers, parents and students.

Behavior and Amount Administrator

Recent research has been very helpful in clarifying the relationship that exist in the power structure of an organization. Suppose we look in a meeting of the superintendents council in a rather large school system.

The council composed of:Superintendent

Two assistant superintendents

Seven principals

One of the principals is young (thirty years old), who just been appointed to his position. During the course of the meeting the new principal doesn’t say very much. When he does talk, he directs his comments to the superintendent. He is very careful not to be critical of the other people at the table. He listen very intently to the superintendent and agrees with him on practically every point.