Staff empowerment: creating an empowered work environment in schools

Abstract

Recent conceptions of leadership in the school context suggest a shift from authoritarian models of decision-making towards staff empowerment. Staff thus now have decision-making powers which they lacked in the past. Principals appear to be relinquishing overt control in the interests of staff empowerment. Yet, in practice, it is possible for principals to gain more control than they had before. This article examines some of the issues involved in successfully empowering staff in schools. Not all empowerment programmes are successful and therefore the possible pitfalls in and necessary preparation for effective staff empowerment are briefly outlined. The article concludes by suggesting ways of redesigning school management in order to create an empowered school environment.