Comments on: What Is School Leadership? http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/23/what-is-school-leadership/ ...For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:45:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Angela Stockman http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/23/what-is-school-leadership/comment-page-1/#comment-6218 Angela Stockman Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:18:59 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=5340#comment-6218 I've learned a great deal about the importance of vision and leadership over the last twenty years, and Larry, I have to say this--the way you frame this is fantastic. It's not enough to simply have vision as a leader--it's important that the vision of those you are leading aligns to yours. Some leaders attempt to accomplish this by demanding it. Others try to inspire it through charisma. Great ones are truly compelled by the vision of those they work with. Rather than seeking to impose their vision upon the group, they allow the group to shape a collective vision. I'm eager to hear your thoughts about process, too. Should great leaders nurture the use of common processes for achieving this vision? If so...how could that happen in a way that is equally meaningful? I’ve learned a great deal about the importance of vision and leadership over the last twenty years, and Larry, I have to say this–the way you frame this is fantastic. It’s not enough to simply have vision as a leader–it’s important that the vision of those you are leading aligns to yours. Some leaders attempt to accomplish this by demanding it. Others try to inspire it through charisma. Great ones are truly compelled by the vision of those they work with. Rather than seeking to impose their vision upon the group, they allow the group to shape a collective vision. I’m eager to hear your thoughts about process, too. Should great leaders nurture the use of common processes for achieving this vision? If so…how could that happen in a way that is equally meaningful?

]]> By: David Ligon http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/23/what-is-school-leadership/comment-page-1/#comment-6215 David Ligon Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:27:03 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=5340#comment-6215 I agree with the idea that for leadership to be effective, it must be a distributed form of leadership. According to McREL, "Distributed leadership implies shared responsibility and mutual accountability toward a common goal or goals for the good of an organization... Leadership is accomplishing together what individuals cannot accomplish alone." My experience has shown that a leader is not only responsible for establishing the vision but creating a buy-in among stakeholders to build a collective efficacy--where a common goal is achieved through combined efforts. Maxwell's Law of Connection is essential in this mission, because leaders must connect with those who follow them to build solid relationships, formed from mutual trust and respect, in order to succeed collectively. Educational leadership also requires knowledge of, and involvement in, curriculum, instruction and assessment. In McREL's Balanced Leadership Framework, research has identified 21 factors which play a crucial role in determining the success of managing first and second order changes in educational reform. Some of these are: promoting a positive culture among staff, providing order through rules and procedures, ensuring teachers have the necessary resources, providing focus, discipline, visibility, communication, outreach, contingent rewards, soliciting input, inspiring teachers as well as having the ideals and beliefs to implement positive change (to name a few). Effective leadership is transformational, serves others, requires situational awareness, and often calls for sacrifice toward the greater good. Good leaders also rely upon intuition, timing, and empowering others as necessary ingredients for success. I agree with the idea that for leadership to be effective, it must be a distributed form of leadership. According to McREL, “Distributed leadership implies shared responsibility and mutual accountability toward a common goal or goals for the good of an organization… Leadership is accomplishing together what individuals cannot accomplish alone.”

My experience has shown that a leader is not only responsible for establishing the vision but creating a buy-in among stakeholders to build a collective efficacy–where a common goal is achieved through combined efforts. Maxwell’s Law of Connection is essential in this mission, because leaders must connect with those who follow them to build solid relationships, formed from mutual trust and respect, in order to succeed collectively.

Educational leadership also requires knowledge of, and involvement in, curriculum, instruction and assessment. In McREL’s Balanced Leadership Framework, research has identified 21 factors which play a crucial role in determining the success of managing first and second order changes in educational reform. Some of these are: promoting a positive culture among staff, providing order through rules and procedures, ensuring teachers have the necessary resources, providing focus, discipline, visibility, communication, outreach, contingent rewards, soliciting input, inspiring teachers as well as having the ideals and beliefs to implement positive change (to name a few).

Effective leadership is transformational, serves others, requires situational awareness, and often calls for sacrifice toward the greater good. Good leaders also rely upon intuition,
timing, and empowering others as necessary ingredients for success.

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