Educational Leadership MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Educational Leadership - Download Free PDF

A responsible leader plays a crucial role in guiding and making decisions that benefit individuals, organizations, and society. Leadership is not just about holding power but about using it wisely to foster trust, fairness, and growth.

Key Points

• A responsible leader exercises authority by listening to people’s concerns and making fair decisions.
• True leadership involves understanding the needs and challenges of the people they serve. By actively listening to different perspectives, a leader ensures that decisions are well-informed, balanced, and just.
• Fair decision-making promotes trust and cooperation, creating a positive and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued.
• A leader who considers public concerns fosters unity and progress, ensuring that policies and actions benefit the majority while respecting individual rights.

Hence, it is concluded that A responsible leader exercises authority by listening to people’s concerns and making fair decisions.

Hint

• Ignoring the needs of society leads to poor leadership, as it disconnects the leader from the people and creates dissatisfaction and unrest.
• Making unfair rules without consultation is an authoritarian approach that results in resistance and dissatisfaction, undermining trust in leadership.
• Suppressing public opinion contradicts democratic leadership principles, as responsible leaders encourage dialogue and constructive feedback rather than silencing voices.

Leadership is the ability to guide, inspire, and influence people toward achieving common goals.

Key Points

•  A leader is one who influences others by inspiring, guiding, and encouraging people toward a shared objective.
• Leadership is about motivation, vision, and effective decision-making, whether in a community, workplace, or social setting.
• Leaders can emerge in various fields, including education, business, and social movements, without necessarily holding political or financial power.

Thus, it is concluded that Leader is one who influences others.

Leadership styles are characterized by how leaders interact with their team members and how they approach decision-making and task delegation. These styles have a significant impact on team dynamics and overall productivity.

Key Points

• The type of leader who has no confidence in themselves and believes that workers can do the work independently is a Laissez-faire leader.
• This style is characterized by minimal interference from the leader.
• Laissez-faire leaders allow employees to make decisions and complete tasks on their own, with little guidance or oversight.
• The leader may have limited involvement, trusting the workers to manage their own work.

Hint

• Democratic leader encourages participation and shared decision-making, fostering collaboration and input from team members.
• Autocratic leader is highly controlling and makes decisions without consulting others, believing in their own authority and expertise.
• Lay leader refers to a non-professional or non-expert leader, often in community settings, without any specific implications related to confidence or task delegation.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Laissez-faire leader'.

Leaders in various fields play critical roles in guiding and influencing groups. Depending on their training, responsibilities, and roles, leaders can be categorized into different types. 

Key Points

• The type of leader who has received specialized training and is paid for fieldwork is called a Professional Leader.
• These leaders are experts in their respective fields, possessing specific skills and qualifications that allow them to manage tasks, guide teams, and carry out specialized work.
• They are compensated for their work, often in a professional or organizational setting.

Hint

• Autocratic leaders make decisions unilaterally without input from others, but this term does not specifically refer to a leader with specialized training.
• Lay leaders are typically individuals who lead without formal training or payment, often in informal settings.
• Democratic leaders encourage participation from group members in decision-making, but the term doesn't specifically relate to specialized training or paid fieldwork.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Professional leader'.

Extension work involves community-based efforts aimed at improving social, economic, and environmental conditions. 

Key Points

• The type of leader required in extension work is a local functional leader.
• These leaders are respected individuals within the community who have the ability to influence and guide people in areas that directly impact the community’s well-being.
• They may not necessarily hold formal titles but possess local knowledge and trust, which makes them effective in communicating and promoting new ideas or practices.

Hint

• Caste leaders typically have influence based on social groups, but their role may not always align with the goals of community development in extension work.
• Lay leaders are general community members without formal leadership roles, but they may contribute to extension activities.
• Religious leaders hold influence primarily in spiritual matters, and while they can play a role in community work, they may not be the most appropriate leaders for extension work unless their influence directly aligns with the objectives.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Local functional leader'.

The teacher is a very important component of the teaching-learning process. The teacher has to play different roles in order to facilitate the learning process and to provide direct and real-life experiences.

• Mainly, the teacher has to lead the students and guides them for a better learning experience through the various teaching-learning activities.

Key Points

The following qualities are a pre-requisite for a teacher to play the role of a leader in the teaching-learning process: 

• The teacher should follow the style of "laissez-faire" leadership in which the leader provides direction, to implement plans, and to influence their followers or "children".
• The teacher should allow his students to make decisions and he should correct or guide them if they are going in the wrong direction.
• He must have a motivating spirit as he has to motivate the students to try out the things beyond their comfort zone so that they can explore and learn new skills.
• He must present ideal ideas and perspectives so that students can learn from them and follow them in a similar type of situation or circumstances.
• He must support the modern perspective as well because a good leader should not only appreciate the old traditional perspectives of thinking but also support the modern perspectives to maintain the balance between his decisions.

​ Important Points

• The interpersonal skills of a leader should be given more importance like his way of representing ideas and motivating others as compared to the social skills i.e., how he represents his cultural and social values and his attractive personality.

Therefore, the first option, i.e., ideal ideas and motivating spirit becomes more relevant as compared to the other three. 

Leadership can be described as the process of influencing group activity to achieve specific goals. Thus, the person in a group who has the ability to convince others to work willingly is the leader.

• A leader leads and directs others and gives their efforts a goal and direction.
• Although the leader is a member of the group he leads, he stands out from the others.
• According to George R. Terry, "Leadership is the practice of inspiring people to strive voluntarily for group objectives."

Key Points

• Characteristics of successful leaders in the organization through which they can influence others:
  • Having a clear future vision
  •  Communicating and expression skills
  • Good decision-making skills
  • High level of passion and dedication
  • Holding good morals and values 
• Leadership is a process of influencing the behaviors of others to work willingly and enthusiastically for achieving predetermined goals. Three important components of this definition:
  • An interpersonal process between one person or a group.
  • Can’t have leaders without followers.
  • The criterion for effective leadership goal achievement; however, does not empathize with the enthusiasm with which the receiver of the communication will act. 
• Many years ago, James MacGregor Burns distinguished two styles of political leadership: transactional and transformational.
  • Transactional leadership focuses on an exchange between leaders and followers, but transformational leadership is more concerned with the followers' changing needs, values, and beliefs.
• In contrast to transactional leaders that behave in one of the ways Avolio notes that transformational leaders characterized by idealized leadership, inspiring leadership, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration represent a cluster of interrelated styles aimed at the following:
  • Improving the circumstances
  • Transforming followers into leaders 
  • Restructuring businesses to give them fresh strategic focus
  • Inspiring people by providing an energizing vision and high ideal for moral and ethical Conduct.

​Hence, we can conclude that leadership can only be done by one who has high ideal.

Leadership may be defined as a process of influencing group activities towards certain goals.

It is the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group objectives".

Key Points The transformational acts of leadership include -

• Motivating, Influencing, guiding, and directing the behaviors of others. 
• Ability to strengthen the interests of the whole group and not just of an individual.
• Involving people fully in a great project.
• Defining objectives, goals, and outcomes.
• Guiding and directing other people and providing purpose and direction to their efforts.

Hence we conclude that Neither I nor II is a transformational act of leadership.

Additional Information 

There are a number of theories that provide explanations regarding various aspects of the leadership phenomenon-

• Trait Theory - It determines the traits of a leader as physically strong and well-built, intelligent, honest, and mentally mature.
• Behavioral Theories: These are based on the belief that leaders can be identified by reference to their behavior in relation to their followers.
• Situational Theories: In the situational theories of leadership the success of leadership depends upon the situation in which the leader operates.

Leadership style is the pattern of behaviour that a leader exhibits, in influencing his/her subordinates towards the goals of an organization. Leadership styles change from group to group and also from situation to situation.

Key Points

Laissez-faire leadership: 

• Laissez-faire leadership is characterized by a hands-off approach, where leaders give minimal guidance or direction to their subordinates.
• They allow individuals or teams to make decisions and handle tasks independently.
• In this style of leadership, leaders often avoid making decisions themselves and instead, delegate decision-making authority to others. This can result in a lack of direction or guidance, as leaders may be hesitant to take charge or provide clear instructions.
• As a result, decision-making is postponed or left to the discretion of the individuals or teams involved.

Additional Information

Autocratic Style

• The autocratic style of leadership is also known as the authoritative style or directive style of leadership, in which the autocratic leader retains most of the authority for himself/herself.
• An autocratic leader gives orders to his/her subordinates and expects that subordinates should give complete obedience to the orders issued.
• In this type, the decisions are taken by the leader without consulting others. 

Democratic Style:

This style of leadership is also known as a participative style of leadership, which can be further categorized as consensus, consultative and democratic.

Hence, it can be concluded that in Laissez-faire leadership, leaders postpones decisions whenever possible.

Leadership may be defined as a process of influencing group activities towards the achievement of certain goals.

Key Points

• Leadership is to create and achieve a vision about influencing, motivating, and giving motivation to individuals.
• Leadership is a continuous process whereby the leader influences, guides and directs the behaviors of subordinates.
• The leader can influence the behavior of his subordinates at work due to the quality of his behavior as a leader.
• The purpose of leadership is to get the willing cooperation of the workgroup in the achievement of specified goals.
• The success of a leader depends on the acceptance of his leadership by the subordinates.
• Leadership requires that while group goals are pursued, individual goals are also achieved.

Hence, we can conclude that leadership is to create and achieve a vision about influencing, motivating, and giving motivation to individuals.

Curriculum leadership is not be determined by an individual’s title or years of experience. According to Wiles (2009), Curriculum leadership is the essential function of school leadership, so it can be carried out by both a principal and by teachers. 

Key Points

• Curricular leadership is discussed by Fidler (1997) as instructional leadership. He believed that the principals of a school have an impact on the professional work of the school, including the teaching and learning which goes on in the classrooms. 
• He presented two points of view from which instructional leadership can be considered: a functional approach and a process approach.
• The functional approach involves leaders in defining the school mission, managing curriculum and instruction, supervising teaching, monitoring learner progress, and promoting an instructional climate. The process approach looks at ways this might be accomplished. 
• An instructional leader helps teachers to implement effective teaching strategies. This help might include ideas for planning lessons in teams with other teachers. S/he also shares instructional methodologies which are appropriate for the school.

Hence, it is clear that 'Serving as a mentor for novice teachers' is not a role of a leader under the functional approach of instructional leadership.

Hint

• Serving as a mentor for novice teachers is a common role of teacher leaders under mentoring leadership. Mentors serve as role models; acclimate new teachers to a new school; and advise new teachers about instruction, curriculum, procedure, practices, and politics. Being a mentor takes a great deal of time and expertise and makes a significant contribution to the development of a new professional.

"Leadership is the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group objectives"

Key Points

• Leadership is a process that influences people so that they can work enthusiastically in the desired direction.
• Breakdown in the organization will be the result of weak leadership.
• Due to weak leadership, all the members of the organization will try to assert their authority.
• Under weak leadership, no person will act according to the rules but will try to make rules according to his own.
• In such a situation, a difference of opinion will arise between all the members of the organization.
• And this will lead to a breakdown in the organization.

Hence, we can conclude that a breakdown in the organization will be the result of weak leadership.

Leadership:

• Leadership style is the pattern of behaviour that a leader exhibits, in influencing his/her subordinates towards the goals of an organization.
• Leadership style change from group to group and also from situation to situation.
• When a group lacks the sense of direction or purpose, directive style can be adopted by a leader, and when groups are clear of the organizational goals and objectives and perform well, non-directive styles can be adopted by a leader. 

Important Points

Situational Approach to Leadership:

• The Situational Leadership theory of Hersey and Blanchard identifies four styles of leadership, which is based on the relative amount of task and relationship behaviour that a leader engages in.
• Task/Directive Behavior is the extent to which a leader spells out the duties and responsibilities of employees by giving direction and setting goals. Relationship/Supportive Behavior is the extent to which a leader engages in multi-way communication with the employees by adopting measures such as listening, providing encouragement and coaching.
• Thus the four styles of leadership identified by Hersey and Blanchard include the following:
  1. Telling Style (Directive style) :
     • The telling style is seen as highly directive as the leader pays more attention to the task and less importance to the relationship.
     • This style can be used by leaders where the followers are unable and unwilling to take responsibility and they need the direction of leaders in clarifying the goals expected of them;
  2. Selling Style:
     • Selling style is adopted by a leader, when the followers are unable to take the lead, but are willing and confident.
     • In such situations, the leaders exhibit high orientation towards both task and relationship.
     • The selling style is also very directive but in a more persuasive and guiding manner.
  3. Participating Style:
     • In participating style, the leaders give less direction and there is more collaboration among leaders and employees.
     • In this style, the leader just shares the ideas, as the employees are able to do, but unwilling due to lack confidence and thus, there is high relationship and low task orientation in this style.
  4. Delegating Style:
     • In this style, the leader just delegates the tasks to the followers and is kept informed of progress, as the followers are able to do, willing and confident to take responsibility. Thus, in this style, low relationship and task orientation is shown by the leader

Five bases of power were identified by French and Raven in 1960, which laid the groundwork for most discussions of power and authority in the latter half of the twentieth century. These five types of power are coercive, legitimate, reward, referent, and expert. Power can be manifested through one or more of these bases.

Coercive power:

• This type of power relies on threats and punishment in order to influence because this type of power is easy to use and achieves quick results. It is used frequently.
• It has two critical drawbacks, however.
  1. The low-power person dislikes the high power person and is motivated to end the relationship as soon as that becomes possible.
  2. The use of coercive power requires that low power person be watched so that helshe does not try to deceive or avoid the grip of the high power person.

Reward power:

• This relies upon positive reinforcement as a means of influence.
• In this case, the low-power person is motivated to stay in the relationship. Keeping a watch is not necessary.
• Reward power is costly to high-power individuals because low-power persons are influenced as long as the high-power person continues to possess rewards.

Legitimate power:

• This exists when a person has a specific role, for example, as the headteacher, head boy or head girl in a school.
• One cannot 'use up' legitimate power, but this power is limited to specific domains.

Expert power:

• Expert power is taken by an expert in a certain area.
• The use of expert power does not require that low-power persons be watched.

Referent power:

• This comes to those who are liked and admired. When we want to be similar to those we admire, we change our behaviour to be like theirs.
• Referent power does not weaken, when it is used nor does it require surveillance.

Information power:

• Information power is held by those who possess information that someone needs or wants.
• For example, a teacher can influence students because of the fund of information he/she has. 

Hence,

Leadership:

• Leadership style is the pattern of behaviour that a leader exhibits, in influencing his/her subordinates towards the goals of an organization.
• Leadership style change from group to group and also from situation to situation.
• When a group lacks the sense of direction or purpose, directive style can be adopted by a leader, and when groups are clear of the organizational goals and objectives and perform well, non-directive styles can be adopted by a leader. 

Important Points

Situational Approach to Leadership:

• The Situational Leadership theory of Hersey and Blanchard identifies four styles of leadership, which is based on the relative amount of task and relationship behaviour that a leader engages in.
• Task behaviour is the extent to which a leader spells out the duties and responsibilities of employees by giving direction and setting goals. Relationship behaviour is the extent to which a leader engages in multi-way communication with the employees by adopting measures such as listening, providing encouragement and coaching.
• Thus the four styles of leadership identified by Hersey and Blanchard include the following:
  1. Telling Style:
     • The telling style is seen as highly directive as the leader pays more attention to the task and less importance to the relationship.
     • This style can be used by leaders where the followers are unable and unwilling to take responsibility and they need the direction of leaders in clarifying the goals expected of them;
  2. Selling Style:
     • Selling style is adopted by a leader, when the followers are unable to take the lead, but are willing and confident.
     • In such situations, the leaders exhibit high orientation towards both task and relationship.
     • The selling style is also very directive but in a more persuasive and guiding manner.
  3. Participating Style:
     • In participating style, the leaders give less direction and there is more collaboration among leaders and employees.
     • In this style, the leader just shares the ideas, as the employees are able to do, but unwilling due to lack confidence and thus, there is high relationship and low task orientation in this style.
  4. Delegating Style:
     • In this style, the leader just delegates the tasks to the followers and is kept informed of progress, as the followers are able to do, willing and confident to take responsibility. Thus, in this style, low relationship and task orientation is shown by the leader

Key Points

Additional Information

Leadership Theories/Studies and the corresponding Leadership Styles:

• The poka-yoke method (meaning in Japanese: yokeru=prevent poka=mistake) is a method to prevent human errors using distractions and the inattentiveness of the worker.
• The term “poh-kah yoh-ka” was implemented during the 60s by Shigeo Shingo, an industrial engineer in Toyota that is considered a pioneer in the field of “zero quality control”.
• Firstly, using this method will enable new processes and new workers in the organization, work correctly already from their first time. (thus, decreasing expenses of mistakes and training)
• Secondly, using this method fits perfectly with the continuous improvement culture which is a part of the “lean management” arsenal.
• On top of that, using this method can drastically improve the quality and reliability of the product and of different procedures.
• The poka-yoke has a few levels:
  • Warning – prior instruction, signs, and documentation
  • Disclosure – an indication of a correct/incorrect action
  • Correction – correction after the error
  • Prevention – automatic action or active indication before the error occurs (just like Mobileye)
  • Immunity – where an error is impossible to occur (for example USB Type-C cable connects both sides)

In conclusion, the poka-yoke method is one of the most important and influential work methods in the lean management sector. This method makes it possible to ensure a high-quality product w hile effectively reducing quality control costs.

C.K. Prahalad:

• Prahalad begins his book: "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid" with a simple yet revolutionary proposition: If we stop thinking of the poor as victims or as a burden and start recognizing them as resilient and creative entrepreneurs and value-conscious consumers, a whole new world of opportunity will open up.
• He was the most creative management thinker of his generation.
• He revolutionized thinking on two big subjects, business strategy, and economic development, and made a significant contribution to a third, innovation.

Walter Shewhart:

• He is best known for Control Charts - Control Charts laid the foundation of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and modern quality improvement practices, including Six Sigma.
• Control charts are also known as Shewhart charts (after Walter A. Shewhart ).
• Shewhart classified the causes of variation as "assignable cause" and "chance cause".
• The original founder of the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) is Walter A. Shewhart.  Edwards Deming promoted the use of the PDCA cycle for process improvement and later changed it to the PDSA cycle (Plan-Do-Study-Act).