authentic leadership is lacking in schools

[Kon Bouzikos]

Leadership is the catch word we hear everyday. Yes it does make a difference. A real educational leader is someone who inspires, someone who is a learner, someone who is approachable, someone who listens, someone whoe puts the right structures in schools that allow staff to engage in professional conversations, someone who leads by example, someone who is not afraid to rock the boat and make those hard decisions, good leaders are a rare species especially in schools. Then there is the question of leadership teams, The leadership team is the like the control room of a school. It has to comprise of a dedicated group of individuals who share the school vision, who challenge each other and are not just "good friends, nurturing one another".

Kon

[NinaD]

I agree with everything you've written. I've worked with some amazing leaders and some who are simply not. The best leaders I've worked with have not been competitive, they didn't need to be. Leadership teams, I'm not even going there! We seem to know what needs to be in place to build effective teams & staff, so why isn't it happening in our schools? It's a great question and I'll return after I've given myself some thinking time... Thanks Kon

[Jenny Luca]

I'm beginning to get a bit confused Bharat. What are your intentions for being here? Are you interested in promoting something that you do?

BHARAT KUMAR said:

so ask me on business aspects,life aspects,trading aspects,building aspects etc..

[Angela]

Great point, Kon. In my work, it's sometimes challenging to help people appreciate collegiality as much more than simply being nice to one another. I find that in order for teachers to assume and sustain true leadership roles, the school first needs a well defined vision and strategic plan for achieving it. I met with a leadership team just yesterday, and we spent a long time talking about how difficult it is to lead by example, give teachers the reigns, and initiate courageous conversations within and beyond the team. We're finding that putting protocols in place and emphasizing growth around these professional dispositions is helpful. I think we're in a state of real flux around all of this in our area...transitioning away from antiquated notions of leadership that are more top-down and toward collaborative leadership models. I wonder if spaces like this ning, which provide teachers and kids opportunities to connect and work together, can help them begin developing the skills necessary to work in this way.