Part II: Applying Leadership Principles

For Part II of this Performance Task, you will explain how you apply emotional intelligence and authentic leadership to handle ethical challenges and manage change.

Imagine that you are the new director of Little Flower Child Care Center. Review the “Overview of Early Childhood Care Center” document to learn more about your staff and their leadership style and temperament. You are faced with two concerns from parents regarding staff at your center:

1. Families are concerned about the ethical reliability of a staff member who was arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI). The DWI arrest was published in the local newspaper and a constituent of parents voiced outrage. Families of the children in the center are calling for the teacher’s resignation. (See the “Parental Letter” document.)
2. Another group of parents have voiced concerns about staff members who are texting on their mobile phones while caring for their children. You have issued a new policy banning cell phones during work hours, except in the case of emergency. Many of your staff members are unhappy with this change and have voiced their resistance to you during a weekly staff meeting. They say that it is an unfair rule that disrespects their personal freedom and family obligations. Nancy Ruiz, Leeza Knowles, and Danielle Freed are particularly vocal about their discontent with the new policy. See the “Memo to Center Staff” document.

Using the information from the three documents and your knowledge of the “Code of Ethical Conduct” in the early childhood care field write a 2- to 3-page response in which you:

1. Provide a detailed explanation of the strategies you will use to address the ethical dilemma of the DWI.
2. Explain how you will manage the change regarding cell phone use at the center.
3. Explain how your actions are informed by your understanding of authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, leadership style and temperament, and the NAEYC “Code of Ethical Conduct.”