Characteristics of effective leaders
From Bruce Hammonds:
Principals and teachers, as well as students , will need to be seen as active energetic, ‘users, seekers and creators ‘ of their own learning, to slightly adapt a phrase from the New Zealand Curriculum. Leaders create powerful inspirational stories that give others permission, or courage, to act.
Key roles of such creative leadership will be;
1 To see leadership as one of providing direction -an enlightened view of the future. Leadership is an issue of purpose not personality.
2 With this in mind, once the direction has been clarified, the three most important requirement of leadership are: communication, communication ,communication.
3 Leaders have to have a recognisable point of view if they are to challenge current expectations.’It is what we know already that often prevents us from learning’, Claude Bernard. Leaders never adopt they adapt - everything is judged according to the schools vision, values and shared beliefs. Such leaders know when to say no - they control their change agenda.
4 Leadership is all about purpose. It is purpose that creates consensus, commitment and collegiality.
5 Leaders focus on making explicit to the wider team what is important. To do this they limit and focus innovations valuing clarity and doing fewer things well; quality not quantity. Such clarity reduces overload complexity and provides a sense of security and hope which , in turn, develops empowerment and improving of decision making.
6 Leaders manage the heart; they say thanks to those who have made the effort; they model the way.
7 Leaders always expect the best and expect everyone to continually improve; they do this by clarifying expectation and by building an environment of trust.
8 Leaders treat others with empathy and apply the ‘golden rule’ in all their interactions. They must be seen as trustworthy and must practice what they preach
9 Leaders ensure all understand what criteria staff members have to live up to and how success is to be judged. See point 2
10 Leaders hold people accountable to agreed commitments even when it would be easier to ignore.Leaders show moral toughness, seeing any conflict as an opportunity to focus on what is important.
11 Leaders give recognition to those who show initiative or appropriate behaviour building on strengths member have by continually providing feedback and encouraging sharing.
12 They support those who need help the most - providing whatever help is required.
14 And they encourage leadership by all to achieve the school’s vision.
An interesting list and good to see the intrapersonal and moral emphasised. The team of teachers is important in a schoola and high trust is vital!
Learning and Teaching, opinion, professional learning | admin | 29 May 2008 |
