In an effort to provide the best supportive leadership group for educational institutions in Malaysia, middle leaders need to be empowered with various knowledge and skills. Middle leaders are the link between top management and a group of educators and also the support staff. Therefore, middle leaders need to have various competencies to balance their functions as leaders and followers at the same time. However, this middle leader's position is like a sandwich, causing them to be stuck meeting the needs of the top leaders and the group they lead. This study aims to test the validity of the measurement model for the construct of spiritual competencies among mid-matriculation college leaders. A questionnaire instrument containing constructs and nine items of spiritual competencies was presented to a total of 162 middle leaders. The findings of this study show that the measurement model tested is fit with the data in the field. The RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.988, TLI = 0.983, and ChiSq/df = 1.896. In addition, the values of convergent validity (AVE = 0.743) and composite reliability (CR = 0.953) also exceeded the minimum value required in structural equation modeling (SEM). This study also presents a new construct by taking important items in the context of competencies involving middle leaders that are appropriate to the context of educational leadership in Malaysia as an expansion to the existing competencies model.
Aswatun, H., Indah, H. U. & Noven, K. (2020). Pentingnya kompetensi leadership pada guru MI. Indonesian Journal of Islamic Educational Management, 3(1), 10-20
Belasen, A., & Belasen, A. R. (2016). Value in the middle: cultivating middle managers in healthcare organizations. Journal of Management Development. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-12-2015-0173
Beram, S., Awang, M., Ismail, R & Noor, N. (2021). Application of the Fuzzy Delphi Method to organisational leadership competencies for educational middle leaders. Management Research Journal, 10, 82-93.
Beram, S., Awang, M., Ismail, R., Noor, N., Gengatharan, K. & Syariff M. Fuad, D. R. (2022). Personal leadership competencies of Malaysian Matriculation College middle leaders. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 11(3),1617-1624
Beram, S., Awang, M., Ismail, R., Ramalu, R. R., Noor, N., Yoong, S. M., & Samichan, A. (2023). Professional Leadership Competencies for Malaysian Educational Middle Leaders. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 31(4).
Boyatzis, R. E. (1982). The competent manager: A model for effective performance. New York: Wiley
Boyatzis, R. (2008). Competencies in the 21st century. Journal of Management Development, Vol. 27, pp. 5–12. https://doi.org/10.1108/02621710810840730
De Nobile, J. (2018) Towards a theoretical model of middle leadership in schools. School Leadership & Management, 38(4), 395-416, DOI:10.1080/13632434.2017.1411902
Ding, J., Kuo, J., & Tai, W. (2019). A fuzzy evaluation model of choosing a middle manager for an international shipping service provider, Brodogradnja, 70(1), 93–107. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.21278/brod70107
Dubois. D. D., Rothwell, W. J., Stern, D. J. & Kemp, L. K. (2004). Competency-based human resource management. Palo alto, CA: Davies-Black Pub.
Fabio Bento, Tayo Adenusi & Puspa Khanal (2023): Middle level leadership in schools: a scoping review of literature informed by a complex system perspective, International Journal of Leadership in Education, DOI: 10.1080/13603124.2023.2234329
Fariza, A. & Ahmad Marzuki, M. (2020). Pembentukan organisasi cemerlang: amalan qudwah hasanah dalam kepimpinan organisasi pendidikan sebagai asas dorongan motivasi kerja yang kompeten. Journal of Human Capital Development, 13(1), 31-56
Grootenboer, P. (2018). The Practices of School Middle Leadership. Leading Profesional Learning. Springer Nature Singapore Ptd Ltd.
Grootenboer, P., Edwards-Groves & Ronnerman, K. (2014). Leading practice development: Voice from the middle. Professional Development in Education, 41(3), 508-526.
Gurr, D. (2018). School middle leaders in Australia, Chile and Singapore. School Leadership & Management, 1-19. Retrieved from https://10.1080/13632434.2018.1512485
Hair, J. F., W. C. Babin, B. J. & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed): Pearson Education, Inc
Hair, J. F., Matthews, L. M., Matthews, R. L., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). PLS-SEM or CB-SEM: updated guidelines on which method to use. International Journal of Multivariate Data Analysis, 1(2), 107. doi:10.1504/ijmda.2017.087624
Hallinger, P., and W. C. Wang. (2015). Assessing Instructional Leadership with the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale. New York: Springer Science Press.
Harris, A., Jones, M., Adams, D. & Cheah, K. (2018). Instructional leadership in Malaysia: A review of contemporary literature. School of Leadership & Management, 39(1), 76-95. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2018.1453794
Hodge, D. R. (2007). The spiritual competence scale: a new instrument for assessing spiritual competence at the programmatic level. Research on Social Work Practice, 17(2), 287-295 Doi: 10.1177/1049731506296168
Irvine, P. A., & Brundrett, M. (2017). Negotiating the next step. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 47(1), 74-90. Retrieved
from:https//doi.org/10.1177/1741143217720457
Jones, M., Adams, D., Hwee Joo, M. T., Muniandy, V., Perera, C.J. & Harris. A. (2015). Contemporary challenges: Principal’s leadership practices in Malaysia. Journal of Education, 35(3), 353-365
Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia. (2006). Standard Kompetensi Kepengetuaan Sekolah Malaysia. Genting Highlands: Institut Aminuddin Baki.
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. (2010). Standard Kualiti Pendidikan Malaysia. Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia: Putrajaya.
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. (2013). Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia 2013-2025. Putrajaya: Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia [Malaysia Education Development Plan 2013-2025. Putrajaya: Ministry of Education Malaysia].
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (2018). Laporan Tahunan 2017 Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia. Putrajaya: Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia
Kragt, D. & Day, D. V. (2020). Predicting leadership competency development and promotion among high-potential executives: the role of leader identity. Frontier in Psychology. 11(1816), 1-16. Diperoleh daripada doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01816
Lipscombe, K., Tindall-Ford, S., & Lamanna, J. (2023). School middle leadership: A systematic review. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 51(2), 270-288.
Lu, J., Woo, H. & Huffman, K. (2018). Spiritual Competency Scale: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 1-17
Lynn, M. R. (1986).Determination and quantification of content validity. Nursing Research, 35, 382-385.
Manz, C. C. 1986. Self-leadership: Toward an expanded theory of self-influence processes in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 11(3), 585-600
McClelland, D. (1973). Testing for competence rather than for “intelligence”. American Psychologist, 28(1), 1-14
McLagan, P. (1989). Model for HRD practice. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development.
Ruzaimi, M. F., & Yunus, M. J. @ N. (2016). Konsep kolaborasi dalam komuniti pembelajaran profesional: Satu tinjauan dalam perspektif Islam. Malaysian Journal of Society and Space 12 issue, 10(1-9).
Saputra, N. (2021). Manajemen Dan Kepemimpinan Kontemporer: A Scholarly Practitioner Perspective. Scopindo Media Pustaka, Surabaya
Noor, N. S. B., & Janan, D. (2021). Penerokaan dan pengesahan instrumen penerimaan aplikasi flipgrid berdasarkan modifikasi model TAM dalam pembentangan video pelajar: Analisis faktor penerokaan (EFA). JuKu: Jurnal Kurikulum & Pengajaran Asia Pasifik, 9(2), 1-11.
Roselena M., & Mohd Izham M. H. (2015). Kepimpinan berkualiti: Perspektif mengenai kompetensi yang diperlukan untuk memimpin dengan berkesan [Quality leadership: A perspective on the competencies needed to lead effectively]. Jurnal Pengurusan, 45(2015): 143-154
Siraj, S., & Ibrahim, M. S. (2012). Standard Kompetensi Guru Malaysia. Prosiding Seminar Kebangsaan Majlis Dekan Pendidikan IPTA 2012
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016). Research Methods For Business (7th ed.). United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons
Slocum, Jr. J.W., Jackson, S.E. & Hellriegel, D. (2008). Competency-Based Management, USA: Thompson South-Western.
Spencer, M. Lely & Spencer, S. (1993). Competence At Work, Models for Superior Performance. John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Tabachnick, B.G. & Fidell, L.S. (2013). Using Multivariate Statistics. 6th ed. Boston, MA. Allyn & Bacon
Tay, H.Y., Tan, K.H.K., Deneen, C.C., Leong, W.S., Fulmer, G.W. & Brown, G.T. L. (2019): Middle leaders’ perceptions and actions on assessment: the technical, tactical and ethical, School Leadership & Management. Retrieved from https://doi.org/ 10.1080/13632434.2019.1582016
UNESCO (2018). Sustainable Development Goals 4 and its Target. Diperoleh dari https://en.unesco.org/node/265600
Vasconcelos, A. F. (2019). Spiritual intelligence: A theoretical synthesis and work-life potential linkages. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 28(1), 109-134
Way, S. A., Simons, T., Leroy, H., & Tuleja, E. A. (2018). What is in it for Me? Middle Manager Behavioral Integrity and Performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 150(3), 765–777. Diperoleh daripada https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-016-3204-9
Wei, Y.C. (2018). The Department Chair’s Troubles: Leadership Role of Middle Managers. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, 21(4), 100–111. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/155545891876748
Widi, F. W., Mustaqim, P & Ratni, N. W. (2020). The character of leadership in human resources development: a critical review. International Journal of Management, Innovation & Entrepreneurial Research, 6(2), 1-9
Awang, Z. L. S. H., & Zainudin, N. F. (2018). Pendekatan mudah SEM: Structural Equation Modelling. Bandar Baru Bangi: MPSW Rich Resources Sdn.Bhd.
Beram, S., Noor, N., Gengatharan, K., Yuet, F. K. C., Dahari, M., & Johannis, N. J. (2024). Measurement Model of Spiritual Leadership Competencies for Educational Middle Leaders in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(12), 2023–2035.
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
