Tennessee Technology Center directors: Organizational effectiveness and leadership frame analysis

In this study, I examined the leadership orientations of effective and ineffective directors who were identified by the vice chancellor of vocational education using a multiple perspective framework developed by Bolman and Deal. This study of leadership perceptions of TTC directors sought to identify common cognitive orientations that may help account for their particular success or failure as leaders.; The cognitive frames used by the directors in this qualitative study were identified using interviews, self-ratings by the directors, and ratings by their faculty and staff using the Leadership Orientations Survey developed by Bolman and Deal. Directors' self ratings of leadership style were highest on the human resource frame. The faculty and staff of the effective directors perceived them to use the political frame most often. The faculty and staff of the ineffective directors perceived them to use the human resource frame. The faculty and staff of the effective directors rated their directors higher than the directors rated themselves. The faculty and staff of the ineffective directors rated their directors lower in every area than the directors rated themselves.; The interviews brought out that the directors were most likely to use the political frame and least likely to use the symbolic frame in recounting critical leadership incidents. In defining leadership, however, they were most likely to use the human resource frame and least likely to use the political frame. All four ineffective directors stressed the human resource frame. Of the four effective directors, one stressed the structural frame, another stressed the human resource frame, and two stressed the political frame.; Three of the effective directors used three frames, and one used all four. The ineffective directors used one predominantly, human resource, and tried to use at least one other, either political or structural, but admitted that they had problems in these areas. This study supports the theory that successful administrators have a balanced leadership style and use three or more frames effectively.