Focused on the prize; few people begin their careers wanting to be administrators, but many educators take on the challenge in order to open more doors for students.

How can we enhance the life chances of young people across the diverse communities of our nation? This pressing question starts one on the path toward educational leadership. But the passion to provide workable solutions that develop students' skills, talents, promise and possibilities is what motivates the high quality educational administrator.

We know that highly skilled leaders press through perceived or binding limitations to achieve greatness. They master the art of improving their practice and critical learning from daily events. To paraphrase Mark Twain, the secret of their success is making their vocation their vacation.

Taking on the challenge

Few of us began our careers with school administration as a goal. It was the furthest thing on our minds. Most of us wanted to be teachers -- teachers who made a difference for all students. In the process, we discovered a talent for working with others to improve the educational environment.

Perhaps other teachers sought our advice. Perhaps we discovered a knack for problem-solving in a school setting. But the quest to become more effective -- to help others create positive and responsive environments for young people -- led us to become school administrators.

Most of us took on the challenge of school administration to make a bigger difference for students or to become a teacher of teachers. We wanted to open more doors for students to explore their possibilities.

But the real reason many of us went into school administration is because we each had a mentor(s) that encouraged us to move in that direction. Most of our mentors were master teachers before becoming outstanding school administrators. Without guidance, encouragement and support, the field of school administration is full of pitfalls.

How do educators find satisfaction? The answer is simple. We keep our focus on the prize: student achievement for all students!

Setting priorities and managing time

Focus, focus, focus is the mantra used in Sacramento City Unified School District. If you want results, you certainly have to be focused. But you also must be able to set priorities and manage your time. These are the two top concerns of most administrators who make hundreds of decisions within a week.

Stephen Covey reminds us to put first things first. We must recognize that everything cannot be done. So limiting one's priorities is the first step in balancing your day. These priorities should be based on your short- and long-term goals. Anything not directly related to these goals should be reassessed to determine its importance and value. The least valued tasks should be put on a wait list while the more important tasks are prioritized for completion. Establish timelines for completing the tasks. Record the work schedule and deadline on your personal calendar as a daily reminder.

This is especially important for first-year site administrators. Everything is virtually new to the new administrator who sees the need to get everything completed. They must learn from mentors or colleagues about the value of leading first and managing second. This will come with time and is critical to success.

A good tip for all administrators to use to ensure priorities are met and time is well spent is the educational Swiss cheese approach. Learn to cut your projects into bite-sized, manageable sections with realistic outcomes. Not only will you be more aware of what steps are needed to complete the task, you will develop self-assurance about how to get the task completed.

From manager to enlightened leader

Leadership is both an art and a skill. Coupled with confidence and conviction, good leadership inspires and motivates others to stretch and excel. A new principal often focuses on managing many tasks while thinking, "I wonder if I am leading anything." Enlightened leaders connect with their inner selves. They discover their positive and limiting beliefs. You must know your values and be able to communicate those values to your staff and community.

Moving from being a manager of many tasks to a leader with vision and a motivator of people is truly rewarding. This move is a journey and a learning process about yourself and your development as a teacher, motivator and mentor.

Enlightened leaders know integrity is a value that is not to be compromised. They know relationships are critical to growth and results and that learning is a continuous process for all staff and students. Enlightened leaders teach and motivate teachers. They support and encourage staff, parents and students to be passionate about the learning process.

Enlightened leaders work with staff and the school community to establish the vision and implement strategies to attain the vision. They possess the ability to speak and work with many people to motivate them to the next level.

The enlightened principal knows the goals and believes that each team member and each student will be successful. As a principal moves from manager to a leader, three key elements of leadership become very clear.

First, school leadership is about people development. But this goes beyond the acquisition of skills and the building of teams to include motivating and stretching each staff member to believe in what he or she does and to strive for excellence. It is about building and sustaining the passion and the edge for student success.

Second, enlightened leadership is about vision, action and accountability. The enlightened school leader has a clear, concise and well-articulated vision shared and valued by all staff, students and parents. School activities directly relate to the goals and vision.

Teaching and learning is a very visible priority. Instructional strategies are in place to support excellent teaching and to value the student as a learner. Some of these strategies include instructionally focused staff meetings, grade-level or department planning meetings, regular review of instructional data, regular one-to-one principal-teacher meetings to discuss student progress, and frequent celebrations of success.

Enlightened leaders also understand the relationship of vision, action and account-ability to student achievement. They practice continuous improvement.

Third, enlightened school leaders value continuous education for all staff, students and parents. The principal sets the tone and models this process. Becoming better skilled, trained and capable of moving toward excellence is a value that is practiced regularly and with conviction.

Many activities -- formal and informal -- may be designed to support this value. Activities may include formal academies, workshops, after-school programs, parent education opportunities, reading nights, math evenings, book clubs for teachers and students, and instructional strategy or problem-solving sessions.

Moving from manager to enlightened leader takes passion, desire, courage and persistence. It is a joy to be a principal when the art and skill of leading others comes alive with confidence and passion.

Fostering enthusiasm

Effective educational leaders dig deep. They exude confidence and chase away fears. They take calculated risks when necessary. More importantly, they provide positive energy, encouragement and support to their subordinates in a variety of ways -- in the classroom, through role modeling, and by connecting them to needed data and resources. They ask quality questions, and build strong relationships that foster enthusiasm and trust among staff members.

Enlightened leaders use their effective communication skills and knowledge of district and community resources to motivate and support subordinates while charting a path toward a larger vision.

Passion and joy

In the Sacramento City Unified School District, the joy of leadership has resulted in better student achievement, higher student and staff attendance, improved staff morale and stronger community support. Our administrators not only are achieving mastery of themselves but have developed a strong mission to improve the condition of the American school system. Their passion and joy as leaders have created a highly skilled administrative team.

THE JOY OF LEADERSHIP QUIZ 

A "yes" answer to one or more of the questions below indicates you are on the path to experiencing greater joy in your leadership position.

1. Are you aware of all your resources, particularly the talents of your staff and non-financial resources?

2. Do you frequently update and review all the resources in your Palm Pilot?

3. Can you boil down complex topics and tasks into one understandable idea?

4. Are you willing to experiment with new approaches?

5. Do you effectively remove ineffective programs and staff?

6. Do you know how your leadership plan impacts the future of your organization?

7. Do you teach your staff to use their hidden qualities and team power to accomplish something?

8. Do you implement staff members' ideas?

9. Do you hold people accountable for their own actions?

10. Do you know which energy leaks keep you from being focused?

HIGH IMPACT INTERPERSONAL SKILLS 

Here are a few of the high-impact interpersonal skills needed to build strong relationships and achieve great results with your staff:

* Resource mastery. Be keenly aware of school and community resources. This helps empower staff to create what they need from something that is already there -- at least in part -- instead of waiting for the ideal circumstances or financial conditions.

* Steadfast faith. Hold on to the image of the desired result, share that image with others and believe, without fear or doubt, that the image will become fact.

* Avoid judging staff. Work with staff from a strengths-based perspective rather than from a critical perspective. Even the worst employee has strengths. Find them and use the strengths to achieve clearly identified results. You'll save yourself an enormous amount of wasted time lost to mindless critical banter.

* Have a plan(s). Communicate the plan daily, focus upon the results, and provide clear instructions to the staff members regarding how they can attain their desired results. Share their contributions and their successes.

* Guard your energy. Leadership requires a tremendous amount of energy ranging from motivating and evaluating staff to creating partnerships, programs and budgets. Stillness plays a major role in its conversion from "potential" to "actualized" energy. Take time to rest and replenish. Avoid energy leaks. Angry words, ineffective meetings, distractions or neglecting your own business detract from your performance. Use your energy wisely to complete your mission.

* Have a passionate commitment to the cause. A leader who is passionately committed to the cause will draw much commitment from the staff. This yields higher productivity, creativity and better results.

* Take massive actions. Thought without action is procrastination. The critical mass needed to support positive change occurs through consistent and productive action -- not through chronic complaining and wishful thinking. Condition yourself to act more than you react. Then analyze the results you are getting from your actions. If you don't like the results you are getting, change your approach.

Resources

Sweeney, Jim. (March/April 2000). "Accountability can drive student achievement." Leadership magazine. Association of California School Administrators: Sacramento, CA.

Ellerbee, William and Miller, Susan. (March/April 2000). "A Blueprint for achievement at SCUSD" Leadership magazine. Association of California School Administrators: Sacramento, CA.

The authors are school administrators from the Sacramento City Unified School District. Melissa Brown is assistant superintendent, Community Health and Human Services Division; William Ellerbee Jr. and Susan Miller are associate superintendents of the Elementary School Education Division; and Evan Lum is associate superintendent of the Middle School Education Division, planning and quality improvement.