1

Leadership Style and Philosophy

Erika Dixon

College of Education, Grand Canyon University

EAD 501: Foundations for the Developing Leader

Micaela Swan

August 24, 2022

 2

Personal Values and Beliefs

Leadership in a school system is one of the most rewarding and most difficult jobs to

fulfill. Running a successful school requires a vision with measurable and attainable goals. A

leader must be able to communicate and work with stakeholders, parents, teachers, and students.

Stake holders help approve and support the vision. Teachers play a crucial role. They need

adequate training, supplies, and the opportunity to build their skills. Parents and students

understand the vision and participate in it willingly when the Leadership of the school shows that

they value integrity and honesty. A good leader will try to involve the community in the

successful running of the school. There are many people trained and experienced to help build a

successful school through their expertise. A leader is responsible for the day-to-day events

including the management and the operation of the buildings and funds provided to the school.

They make sure the tools for assessment, curriculum, and instruction are effective and being used

to create positive student outcomes (NPBEA, 2015).

I believe a combination of servant and authentic leadership styles would fit my future

goals as a leader. To build a successful school program I would work to make sure the needs of

the staff and students are being met. They need to feel supported physically and emotionally.

By putting their needs first, our school would create an environment of trust and integrity.

Leading through honesty and integrity builds confidence in my character. Creating goals and

visions together as a team starts the plan for successful outcomes. Following through with

honesty in the good and bad outcomes builds trust. Correcting the problems and taking

responsibility builds respect. Applying servant and authentic leadership to a school will create a

positive environment where students can thrive, and outcomes show growth that happens

through team effort applied throughout the year.

 3

Leadership Style

Authentic Leadership can be divided into five sections including: being passionate about

the purpose being presented, showing that your values are followed up by your actions, working

hard to build connections within the relationships that you have with your staff and students,

being consistent with expectations for yourself and others shows strong self-discipline, and being

compassionate with those around you (Northouse, 2019).

Servant Leadership is based in strong communication and empathy. Applying servant

leadership causes you to think of your time as a steward of the school. You create a strong

community through conceptualities and foresight. The school community is healing and aware

of needs of the members of the community alike. Staff and students are persuaded to participate

and grow because they can see and feel how you are serving and supporting them (Northouse,

2019).

Integrity and Fairness

As a school leader it is so important to act with integrity. Be where you are supposed to

be, with who you are supposed to be with, doing what you are suppose to do. Be honest with

things are good and bad. Build trust and faith in your ability to lead by being who you say you

are. With this in place fairness becomes easy. Fairness does not always mean equal. As a leader

you develop strategies to help all student and teacher be success. That does not mean they will

receive everything exactly the same. It means that their circumstances and needs will be

accommodated for to find success.

Model of Effective and Inspirational Leadership

Preparing for leading a school have given me the opportunity to develop my leadership

philosophy. With this philosophy in place, I am able to create the model I believe will be
 4

successful when I run a school. First, I will talk with current staff and stake holds find out what

has been effective and what needs improvement. Then, together we will create a plan or vision

for the school that will have measurable achievements at different intervals starting at six months

and continuing for five years. From there we will plan appropriate professional development

that will support the goals for our newly created school vision. Classroom curriculum will be

approved and used with fidelity. Assessment data will be one of the tools used to create positive

student outcomes. Staff with be met with and the plan adjusted as necessary to achieve the

vision that was decided upon. As the leaders I will be responsible to meet the emotional and

physical needs of the staff, to encourage them to use the resources provided to stay mentally and

physically prepared to do their job with confidence and efficiency.

Conclusion

Creating this Leadership philosophy is a steppingstone in the direction of growth toward

positive leading techniques. It starts with a theory that changes to meet the demand of the

situation. It requires a positive attitude that is contagious to the school community. For me it is

based of the guiding principles of integrity and honesty, being truly authentic in what I do and

how I handle each relationship at the school. My behavior and follow-through will show my

integrity (Belyh, 2019). That the values I deem relevant and important are also the core of who I

am and how I lead the school. The vision for the school will be reflected in the values that are

important to creating that school environment. Leading the school can be difficult and full of

responsibility but in the end, it is completely worth it. Student success and positive growth,

happy teachers and staff, and a plan created together will make the school environment positive

and inviting.
 5

References

Belyh. (2019). How to Develop a Philosophy that Inspires.

https://www.cleverism.com/leadership-philosophy-guide/

National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA). (2020). Professional Standards

for Educational Leaders.

http://www.npbea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-Standards-for-

Educational-Leaders_2015.pdf

Northouse, P.G. (2019). Leadership Theory and Practice (8th Ed.). Published by Sage

Publications LTD.