Thinking about Leadership

“We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own.“     -     Ben Sweetland

I recently read an article by Robert Hurley on the Trustworthy Leader.   It was interesting to review the major elements of his trust model.  According to the author there are six areas in which a leader can help build trust:

1.  Create similarities: Establish common values and a common identity.

2.  Align interests with those whose trust you want.

3. Demonstrate concern.

4. Develop and demonstrate capability in the matter at hand.

5. Create a track record of predictability and integrity.

6. Communicate, communicate, Communicate – and do it clearly and openly.

Trust in leaders and leadership is critical to a functioning organization and it is the actions of leaders in this area that sets the tone for the rest of the organization.  Our job as leaders is not complete until we embed trust in the basic culture of the system.  It is the culture of a school or district that is the important factor in helping the individuals deliver on the promises of a “Dream”.  If we as leaders and the entire organization is trusted, then the individuals in that organization will try to excel at the tasks and opportunities presented to them. 

I was once asked why I thought that the development of trust was of such importance.  It is my belief that schools and districts that have high trust leaders actively engineering high trust organizations enable the organization to move forward with its intended goals while those with low trust will constantly struggle in their attempt to be a truly successful organization.

Trust is vital, it is earned, and it is strategically developed.  Leaders must always place the development of trust at the forefront of their leadership actions.  Trust is build one action at a time.

An important consideration for trustworthy leaders is to help remove obstacles and barriers to the development of trust in the organization.  Some strategies to consider are :

1.  Break down toxic hierarchy and replace it with effective and integrated networks.

2. Support and mentor the growth and development of others.

3. Remain fixated on common outcomes and goals.

4. Help develop skills in others that allow the organization to be excellent.

5. Communicate openly and honestly.

The effects of leadership are critical to any organization and the development of trust is paramount in the requisite skills of leaders.

“The trouble with communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished.”     -     George Bernard Shaw

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November 21, 2012 by Tom Grant

” Change is a leader’s friend, but it has a split personality: its nonlinear messiness gets us into trouble. But the experience of this messiness is necessary in order to discover the hidden benefits — creative ideas and novel solutions are often generated when the status quo is disrupted.” – Fullan, 2001

“But changes in behaviour do not follow the creation of a personal belief system; they precede it. Behaviour does not stem from a rational consideration of evidence, but from an emotional attachment to a trusted colleague.” – Reeves, 2006

I read in Gino Bondi’s recent blog a reference to a 2012 Harvard Business Review article where Michael Watkins outlined Seven Key Shifts that happen as a person moves from a managerial role to a leadership role. This can occur as part of a role or a mental change on the part of leaders. Here is his list:

1. Specialist to Generalist

2. Analyst to Integrator

3. Tactician to Strategist

4. Bricklayer to Architect

5. Problem Solver to Agenda Setter

6. Warrior to Diplomat

7. Supporting Cast Member to Lead Role

Each is self-evident but for more information read  the following article.   “How Managers Become Leaders: 7 Shifts”“. From my perspective, the shift is reinforced by our own orientation to leadership but also by our intentional behaviours as we practice our roles. Those leaders who understand these shifts and have a clear and understandable theory of leadership will make more efficient shifts and be more effective leaders.

Many researchers and writers provide guidance and direction in this area through the development of Leadership Frameworks. The following might be of some interest to you the reader.

Rick DuFour contends that effective Professional Learning Teams must be supported by leaders who can facilitate the growth of teams through the application of four questions.

1. What is it we want our teams to know and be able to do?

2. How will we know when teams know it?

3. What will we do when teams don’t have it?

4. What will we do when teams already have learned it?

He suggests that having answers to these questions guides our behaviour which can then fit into the leadership framework of our choice.

“One of the most essential responsibilities is clarity— clarity regarding the fundamental purpose of the organization, the future it must create to better fulfill that purpose, the most high-leverage strategies for creating that future, the indicators of progress it will monitor and the specific ways each member of the organization can contribute both to its long-term purpose and short-term goals.” – Rick Dufour

In our district we have adopted a grand systemic framework for leadership that can be applied to any professional in any position in the district.  We believe that the true professional is a leader in their specific context.   Mindful Leadership is our collective attempt to articluate the framework in visual form. 

In his classic leadership essay, “The Servant as Leader”, Robert Greenleaf describes effective leaders as those who are emotionally and socially intelligent leaders. The competencies he articulates include:

- self awareness

- self management

- social awareness

- relationship management

Most recently the Wallace Foundation in the January, 2012 article “The Principal as Leader: an Overview” articulated the following framework that describes what effective principals do. In short they believe effective leaders perform five Key functions well. These are:

1. Shaping a vision of academic success for all students

2. Creating a climate hospitable to education

3. Cultivating leadership in others

4. Improving instruction

5. Managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement

A set of beliefs or a framework that aligns with your beliefs would be important to guide behaviours, act as a blueprint for self- reflection and orientation to personal growth.

“Unleashing the power of organizations and networks of all sorts to create the changes needed in the coming years will require millions of gifted and dedicated leaders of all sorts, many of whom will not come from obvious positions of power or have gotten permission for their efforts. This does not imply that leadership from those in positions of authority is unimportant, only that it is insufficient. – Senge, Smith, Kruschwitz, Laur & Schley, 2008

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“I can think of nothing so conspicuously missing in the effort to improve our schools as the continuous engagement of teachers and principals in constructing visions – in contemplating, for instance, what constitutes desirable leadership, what children should learn, and what the teaching profession might become.  

     -     Roland Barth

Recently Principals and Vice Principals articulated managerial skills required to ensure their success as school leaders.  They listed, sorted and prioritized a series of strategies they saw as important to the successful completion of their work.  The skills were in many areas of their responsibilities including school based finances, human resources building oversight. 

Eikens and Twadell in their recent book “Leading By Design”, suggested that effective leaders are tenacious in their focus and commitment to studying successful leadership practices in an attempt to develop their own repertoire of behaviours and skills as leaders.  They further argued that we as leaders must go beyond the development of a series of isolated skills and strategies.  Leaders in their mind should develop the ‘practice’ of leadership which is much more than a strategy.  Leadership ‘practice’ is a holistic approach where the practitioner utilized a variety of options that are generalized to the overall practice of leadership.  According to the authors leadership is the application of strategies from a palate of options that are suitable to a diverse range of contexts and circumstances.  .

Leaders must have skill.  They must be able to apply that skill in their context.  They also have many characteristics in common.  Effective practice according to the authors share the following common characteristics.

· They are applied to leverage change

· They are systemic

· They are engaged to align words with deeds

· They are dynamic and responsive

· They can be replicate by current and future leaders.

A very interesting book that can be summed up as the application of the science and the art of leadership.

“Evidence in both business and education indicates that effective leaders have a “bias for action.”  They have an overall sense of direction, and start into action as soon as possible, establishing small scale examples, adapting, refining, improving quality, expanding, reshaping as the process unfolds.  This strategy might be summed up as “start small: think big,” or the way to get better at implementing planning is more by doing than planning.”

     -     Michael Fullan

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“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”     -     Bill Gates

After spending a morning with Andy Hargreaves discussing his new book “Professional Capital” I was left with a reinvigorated perception of how good our district is and how much farther we can go in the fulfillment of our Dream of “Learning Without Boundaries.”

According to Andy system leaders must be focused on the development of Professional Capital. We must individually and collectively accept the responsibility of growth and development as practitioners. We must know why public education exists, its intentions and planned outcomes and our roles in attainment of that mandate.

His sense is that we need to articulate the skills and orientations required for success in our context: in classrooms, schools and districts or systems.

His hope is that we can reflect on our progress in this area and set collaborative goals to improve as educational leaders.

The skills he articulates are really not much different from the ones we have articulated for ourselves many times. Like Ben Levin, Linda Darley-Hammond and others there is a clear sense of the skills required.

According to Andy it is that time in history where we can clearly articulate our Dream, its pillars and collaboratively work towards supporting learning and teaching.

With this as a goal we will be revisiting the “Learning Without Boundaries” framework, presenting the document for stakeholder review and finalizing the document in early 2013.

I look forward to our collaborative investments in the development of our district’s “professional capital”.

“Leadership is about going somewhere.  If you and your people don’t know where you are going, your leadership doesn’t matter.”     -     Ken Blanchard

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On behalf of the District Leadership Team and myself I would like to welcome our community to the 2012/13 School Year. Let’s hope that this will be a terrific year for all learners and our whole community.

I recently read an article called “Educators Back-To-School Hopes and Fears”.

The author asked twitter followers what they are most looking forward to this upcoming school year. The enthusiasm, excitement and hope of educators was very evident. They look forward to building relationships to enhance engagement, making learning relevant and helping young learners meet their goals. They articulated many other aspirations for the year as well as some fears and concerns regarding funding, the perception of the community on our profession and the difficulty with meeting the diverse needs of learners in classrooms.

The sample was evidence of the positive outlook of educators towards the profession and to the task of teaching and learning. The sample of answers mirrored the comments I have heard from educators in our district. We, in the Coquitlam School District, return to our schools and classrooms with a sense of renewal and a passionate commitment to supporting teaching and learning in every classroom, in every school throughout the district.

This year will be a very busy one and my wish for all is that it is satisfying in every way for us all.

We continue the journey of articulating our intentions and hopes through a further refinement of our Dream; “Learning Without Boundaries”. We continue to support all students both in their learning and in preparation for their as yet undefined futures. We face the challenges and opportunities of new curriculum, new Education Plans, new facilities and new directions.

This district will continue to evolve, reinvent and review approaches to learning and do so with a commitment developed over a long and successful history. As always we commit to collaboration and mutual support. As I indicated in my opening I look forward to a terrific year and wish us all many learning successes. I am inspired by the educators who “teach like pros” on a daily basis as we further develop our “professional capital”. Have a great school year.

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