Leadership Philosophy
There are many aspects involved in effective educational leadership. Leaders mobilize others to want to make extraordinary things happen. Effective leaders “use practices to transform values into actions, visions into realities, obstacles into innovations, separateness into solidarity, and risks into rewards” (Kouzes and Posner, 2014). If a leader is to meet the Connecticut Standards for School Leaders, I believe that the five main leadership quality types found in an effective leader are Visionary, Collaborative, Compassionate, Ethical and Transformational. All of these are a means to an end to communicate and reach a vision that is student-centered and includes diverse learners and their needs.
VISION - The leader must have the organizational vision necessary to direct the followers into its future and the ability to articulate this vision (Conger and Kanungo, 1988). It begs the question, “Where do we want to go?”, or even, “What do we want our school to look like?” Many leaders in the field consider effective communication crucial. The vision of the leader must be articulately communicated, shared and stewarded (monitored) by the school community. The leader must engage members of the school community in establishing goals that support the vision, involve the school community of exploring alternatives that can enhance goal attainment, and employ formal and informal assessments to monitor progress toward this vision.
COLLABORATION - Vision is extremely important as are the means by which the leader directs followers. The first important facet of effective leadership is collaboration. For the vision to be attained, the followers (school community) must be in agreement with the vision, value it, and be willing to change in order for it to succeed. The “Professional Learning Community” (Eaker, DuFour and DuFour, 2002) is a valuable concept in the realm of collaboration. It is essential to having a solid foundation that consists of a collaboratively developed and widely shared mission, vision, values and goals. Teams work independently to achieve common goals and focus on results with a commitment to continued improvement. All of this is needed in an effort to collaboratively communicate and improve student achievement through assessment data.
TRUST - Collaboration builds trust within a community. This trust within the community builds positive relationships among stakeholders, thereby inspiring in them a desire to succeed. The leader must know the personalities of the followers to have good understanding on how to motivate them (Keirsey and Bates, 1984). This leads to another major attribute a leader must possess - compassion.
COMPASSION - A leader that displays kindness and empathy fosters a nurturing, positive environment (Benigni, 2007). The compassion displayed by a leader promotes honesty and creates a higher level of trust.
ETHICS - Honesty and integrity displayed by a leader shows respect to the followers. This leads to another major attribute that a leader must be – ethical. Honesty and trust encourages ethical behavior that goes both ways, from leader to follower, from follower to leader. A leader that is ethical garners respect from the followers. Followers become more apt to trust and respect the vision of the leader. Ethical behavior need not be a visible attribute. A quiet, ethical leader can display trust and value in the followers. Sometimes the leader needs to step back and let the followers develop their leadership abilities to carry forward toward the shared vision.
TRANSFORMATIONAL - Important skills necessary for transformational leaders are the abilities to see the complete picture, to concentrate on continuing school improvement, to foster a sense of ownership within the school community, and to create and work in teams (Leithwood, 1992). These skills move the followers toward a mission that should include a nurturing, student centered climate where student success is monitored through assessment data. The transformational leader encourages change in others, steers them in the direction of the vision, and leads by being a role model in the development toward this vision.
COMMUNICATION - In addition to the above leadership qualities, the successful leader must have the ability to impart the above knowledge and skills. The leader must possess extraordinary written, interpersonal, and oral communication skills to effectively use these attributes to their full potential.
Specific to the school setting, I must agree agree with research compiled by the Marzano Research Laboratory. According to the Marzano Research Laboratory, the top qualities for a principal should include:
VISION - The leader must have the organizational vision necessary to direct the followers into its future and the ability to articulate this vision (Conger and Kanungo, 1988). It begs the question, “Where do we want to go?”, or even, “What do we want our school to look like?” Many leaders in the field consider effective communication crucial. The vision of the leader must be articulately communicated, shared and stewarded (monitored) by the school community. The leader must engage members of the school community in establishing goals that support the vision, involve the school community of exploring alternatives that can enhance goal attainment, and employ formal and informal assessments to monitor progress toward this vision.
COLLABORATION - Vision is extremely important as are the means by which the leader directs followers. The first important facet of effective leadership is collaboration. For the vision to be attained, the followers (school community) must be in agreement with the vision, value it, and be willing to change in order for it to succeed. The “Professional Learning Community” (Eaker, DuFour and DuFour, 2002) is a valuable concept in the realm of collaboration. It is essential to having a solid foundation that consists of a collaboratively developed and widely shared mission, vision, values and goals. Teams work independently to achieve common goals and focus on results with a commitment to continued improvement. All of this is needed in an effort to collaboratively communicate and improve student achievement through assessment data.
TRUST - Collaboration builds trust within a community. This trust within the community builds positive relationships among stakeholders, thereby inspiring in them a desire to succeed. The leader must know the personalities of the followers to have good understanding on how to motivate them (Keirsey and Bates, 1984). This leads to another major attribute a leader must possess - compassion.
COMPASSION - A leader that displays kindness and empathy fosters a nurturing, positive environment (Benigni, 2007). The compassion displayed by a leader promotes honesty and creates a higher level of trust.
ETHICS - Honesty and integrity displayed by a leader shows respect to the followers. This leads to another major attribute that a leader must be – ethical. Honesty and trust encourages ethical behavior that goes both ways, from leader to follower, from follower to leader. A leader that is ethical garners respect from the followers. Followers become more apt to trust and respect the vision of the leader. Ethical behavior need not be a visible attribute. A quiet, ethical leader can display trust and value in the followers. Sometimes the leader needs to step back and let the followers develop their leadership abilities to carry forward toward the shared vision.
TRANSFORMATIONAL - Important skills necessary for transformational leaders are the abilities to see the complete picture, to concentrate on continuing school improvement, to foster a sense of ownership within the school community, and to create and work in teams (Leithwood, 1992). These skills move the followers toward a mission that should include a nurturing, student centered climate where student success is monitored through assessment data. The transformational leader encourages change in others, steers them in the direction of the vision, and leads by being a role model in the development toward this vision.
COMMUNICATION - In addition to the above leadership qualities, the successful leader must have the ability to impart the above knowledge and skills. The leader must possess extraordinary written, interpersonal, and oral communication skills to effectively use these attributes to their full potential.
Specific to the school setting, I must agree agree with research compiled by the Marzano Research Laboratory. According to the Marzano Research Laboratory, the top qualities for a principal should include:
- Is willing to and actively challenges the status quo
- Has quality contact and interactions with teachers and students
- Recognizes and rewards individual accomplishments
- Involves teachers in the design and implementation of important decisions and policies
- Provides teachers with materials and professional development necessary for the successful execution of their jobs
- Monitors the effectiveness of school practices and their impact on student learning
- Establishes clear goals and keeps those goals in the forefront of the school's attention
- Establishes a set of standard operating procedures and routines
- Is directly involved in the design and implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices
- Fosters shared beliefs and a sense of community and cooperation
- Adapts leadership behaviors to the needs of the current situation and is comfortable with dissent
References
Benigni, M. (2007, March). The Compassionate Leader. American School Board Journal,
194(03). Retrieved from
http://www.asbj.com/MainMenuCategory/Archive/2007/March.aspx
Conger, J. & Kanungo, R. N. (1988). Charismatic Leadership: The Elusive Factor In
Organizational Effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Eaker, R., DuFour, R. & DuFour, R. (2002). Getting started: Reculturing schools to become
professional learning communities. Bloomington, Indiana: Solution Tree.
Keirsey, D. A. & Bates, M. (1984). Please Understand Me: Character and Temperament Types I.
Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company.
Kouzes, J. & Posner, B. (2014). The Student Leadership Challenge: Five practices for becoming and exemplary
leader. San Francisco: The Leadership Challenge.
Leithwood, K. A. (1992). The Move Toward Transformational Leadership. Educational
Leadership, 49, 8-12.
Waters, J. T., Marzano, R. J., & McNulty, B. A. (2003). Balanced leadership: What 30 years of
research tells us about the effect of leadership on student achievement. Aurora, CO:
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
Benigni, M. (2007, March). The Compassionate Leader. American School Board Journal,
194(03). Retrieved from
http://www.asbj.com/MainMenuCategory/Archive/2007/March.aspx
Conger, J. & Kanungo, R. N. (1988). Charismatic Leadership: The Elusive Factor In
Organizational Effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Eaker, R., DuFour, R. & DuFour, R. (2002). Getting started: Reculturing schools to become
professional learning communities. Bloomington, Indiana: Solution Tree.
Keirsey, D. A. & Bates, M. (1984). Please Understand Me: Character and Temperament Types I.
Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company.
Kouzes, J. & Posner, B. (2014). The Student Leadership Challenge: Five practices for becoming and exemplary
leader. San Francisco: The Leadership Challenge.
Leithwood, K. A. (1992). The Move Toward Transformational Leadership. Educational
Leadership, 49, 8-12.
Waters, J. T., Marzano, R. J., & McNulty, B. A. (2003). Balanced leadership: What 30 years of
research tells us about the effect of leadership on student achievement. Aurora, CO:
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.