Leadership In Educational Organization

Activity: Inner Animal

Instructions:

1. Review the list of adjectives provided in the handout.

2. Check the boxes of the adjectives that best describe you.
3. Count the total number of checks you have for each set.

Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership

1. Model the Way

Clarify Values
To Model the Way, a leader must first Clarify his/her values. The most admired leaders are
people with strong beliefs about matters of principle. They have unwavering commitment to a
clear set of values. They are passionate about causes. Titles are granted, but it’s your behavior
that wins you respect. If you want to gain commitment and achieve the highest standards, you
must be a model of the behavior that you expect of others.
Set the example
As a leader, you are always being watched by people who are looking for signals. They’re
watching to see what the message is – not in what you say, but it what you do. All people
constantly send non-verbal signals, but leaders are under much closer scrutiny, so your signals
are more powerful. You have to be mindful of the choices you make, because you are setting an
example of what’s appropriate and what’s not.

2. Inspire a shared vision

Envision the Future
Leaders envision the future. They gaze across the horizon of time, imagining the attractive
opportunities that are in store once they and the people they lead arrive at the final destination.
Leaders have a desire to make something happen, to change how things are, to create
something that no one else has ever created before.
Enlist Others
A person with no one to lead is not a leader, and people do not follow until they accept a vision
as their own. Leaders enlist others in a common vision. To enlist people in a vision, as a leader
you must know your people and be able to relate to them in ways that energize and uplift them.
People must believe that their leader understands their needs and has their interests at heart.
Leadership is a dialogue, not a monologue. Leaders breathe life into the hopes and dreams of
others and enable them to see the exciting possibilities that the future holds. Leaders forge
unity of purpose by showing the people they lead how the dream is for the common good. You
cannot ignite the flame of passion in others if you cannot express the enthusiasm for the
compelling vision of the group. You must communicate your passion through vivid language and
expressive style.

3. Challenge the process

Search for Opportunities
 There is always room for improvement. The work of a leader is to create change. And all change
requires that leaders actively seek ways to make things better, to grow, to innovate, and to
improve. Exemplary leaders involve everyone in identifying ways to improve. They encourage
others to speak up and challenge the status quo.
Experiment and Take Risks
Leaders know well that innovation and change require them to experiment and take risks. Even
the most prepared and skilled people never succeed at 100 percent of what they do. This is even
more true when they are taking big risks and experimenting with new, untried concepts and
methods. Risk and experimentation are always accompanied by mistakes and failure. The key
that unlocks the door to opportunity is learning. Great leaders are great learners. You must
create a climate in which people can learn from their failure as well as their success.

4. Enable others to act

Foster Collaboration
A collaborative atmosphere begins by building trust throughout the organization. How can
leaders build trust? Leaders must trust before they can expect to be trusted.
Strengthen Others
Excellent leaders Enable Others to Act by ensuring that everyone feels competent, capable, and
confident. Malcolm Knowles (Adult Learning Theory) made it clear that adults come to any
experience expecting to be treated with respect. That holds true for every day at work. When
others are treated with respect, they exude a deep sense of being in control of their own lives.

5. Encourage the heart

Recognize Contributions
In climbing to the top, peop1e can become exhausted, frustrated, and disenchanted. They are
often tempted to give up. Genuine acts of caring draw people forward. Exemplary leaders
recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence. The payoff is
explained by Jason Cha, senior manufacturing engineer with Abbott Vacular: "This raises an
individual's commitment to excellence because his or her name is associated with a given
project."
Celebrate Values and Victories
Leader's also celebrate the values and victories. Celebrations and rituals, when done with
authenticity and from the heart, build a strong sense of collective identity and community spirit
that can carry a group through extraordinarily tough times.

Five Traits of a Good Educational Leader

All educators take on leadership roles. Teachers are the leaders of their classrooms. Principals are the
leaders of their schools. Every educator and administrator play a part in leading tomorrow’s future. How
inspiring is that? Together, no matter what your role, you are all  making a difference in the lives of your
students.

1. Self-aware
A good educational leader needs a solid understanding of oneself and should also have confidence.
When you believe in yourself, you can accomplish so much more. Have confidence in the decisions you
make, don’t be nervous, and don’t be afraid of what others may think. Plan how you’ll start each day in
ways that will lead your students, school, and colleagues in the right direction to achieve their goals.

2. Excellent communication skills

You can’t lead a group of people if you don’t speak with others! The best educational leaders are
excellent communicators and know how to reach a variety of people in many ways. For instance, a
principal might have one-on-one chats with teachers each week and send out a daily email update. This
way, the principal takes the time to communicate in-person but also makes communication convenient
by emailing the teachers as well. No matter what your job title is at your school, make sure you’re
constantly communicating with your colleagues, students, and others.

3. Resourceful

To be an effective leader, you need to be resourceful and open to new ideas. Especially during tough
economic times, technology helps to change classrooms, and you need to be open to new ideas that will
improve the way students absorb and retain information. You also need to know how to use the
resources you have to the best of your ability—if you aren’t sure, ask someone in the know. Take an
online course. Get the answers you need; others around you will benefit greatly from this type of
leadership mentality.

4. Lead by example

The best leaders in the educational system make it a point to lead by example, and not simply by words.
It’s easy to spell out rules and dictate them from an ivory tower, but this type of leadership will not have
a large impact in your school. As an educator, you have so much influence on students. If you want
students to speak kindly to one another in the hallways, you must always speak kindly, too. If you want
your students to show respect, show them what that means. This method is effective and powerful, and
helps you teach students skills they will need for the rest of their lives.

5. Power of teaching and learning

Perhaps the most important trait of being an educational leader is believing in your students and the
power of education. If you don’t believe in your students or your colleagues, then everyone is doomed
for failure. It’s vital to believe in what your school is trying to accomplish each day, and to convey your
enthusiasm for change, your own motivation to make things better, and your confidence in those
around you. Your words and actions directly impact morale—show others your passion for education,
and they’ll feel it too.

There are obviously so many different characteristics and traits of a good leader, but these are a great
place to start if you’re stepping up to more of a leadership role in your school—whether that’s in your
classroom, on a sports team you coach, or within your district. Show ’em what you got.
ACTIVITY: Find your Inner Animal

Set 1: ________

 Takes charge  Determined  Competitive

 Firm  Enterprising  Purposeful
 Enjoys Challenges  Bold  Goal-Driven
 Decisive  Leader  Adventurous
 Self-Reliant  Assertive

Set 2: ________

 Risk-Taker  Very Verbal  Enjoys Challenges

 Visionary  Promoter  Creative
 Motivator  Avoids Details  Group Oriented
 Energetic  Fun Loving  Optimistic
 Mixes Easily  Likes Variety

Set 3: ________

 Loyal  Thoughtful  Adaptable

 Enjoys Routine  Even keel  Patient
 Systematic  Deep relationships  Tolerant
 Non-demanding  Nurturing  Good Listener
 Dislikes change  Avoids conflict

Set 4: ________

 Deliberate  Practical  Discerning

 Controlled  Persistent  Detailed
 Reserved  Orderly  Analytical
 Predictable  Factual  Inquisitive
 Precise  Scheduled