Collaborative Leadership and its Impact on School Improvement: A Critical Analysis

Abstract

When we are talking about school leadership, the school principal's picture as an effective leader came into our minds. But in the world of the 21^st century, the extra responsibilities imposed on the school principal make it more complex to fulfill her / his duty as an effective leader. Therefore, an approach that emphasizes collaborative decision-making should move away from 'single person' leadership. When there is a failure in school improvement, lack of leadership is a major contributing factor. In this context, collaborative leadership can make a differentiation in the traditional way of the leadership concept through its shared responsibility. Collaborative leadership encompasses the specific actions taken by leaders to improve teaching instruction, create strong relationships with all stakeholders and make a positive effect on learning outcomes. This article is based on empirical studies, mainly the role of collaborative leadership on students’ outcomes and school improvement. In this context, the author first tries to give the conceptual understanding of collaborative leadership in details, and secondly, consider the empirical evidence from various research studies to know how collaborative leadership affects school improvement. Finally, this article concludes by restating the need for future of collaborative leadership and its role in improvement of schooling particularly in the Indian school context.