Ready, set, lead! Earning a credential doesn't mean you're ready to lead. That comes with lots of experience.Ours is one of the most demanding professions, leadership in education. It requires us to serve as facilitators, visionaries Visionaries may refer to:
When I earned my administrative services credential credential verb To determine or verify titles, qualifications, documents, completion of required training, and continuing education, in those persons who function in a professional or official capacity–eg, ER physician, neurosurgeon, etc. Cf Credentials. , it meant that I had attended all of the classes, listened and participated during seminars. The state of California California (kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). was now saying I was ready to be a leader. What I quickly learned was that all the classes and seminars didn't really prepare me for the joy of leadership. That came with day-to-day experience and developing the trust of the people I work with. Leadership develops as you perform your job; it is like changing a flat tire on a car while it is still moving. There is no greater joy for me than the feeling that all is humming along with my team and we are moving in the direction that is getting results. Results in our business mean that students are succeeding. The ability to be creative on the job is an important factor to my sense of joy. It is the ideas and the practices that we generate together that give an idea life. It is also important that the ideas and systems that are in place support the purpose and goals of the organization. You cannot lead alone, and for me the "joy of leadership" means being part of a team that is building leaders among leaders. In our district we took the opportunity to look at how principals support each other and how to best develop our elementary team. We have established "cohorts" that are made up of principals in an area or region who have common needs and similar demographics The attributes of people in a particular geographic area. Used for marketing purposes, population, ethnic origins, religion, spoken language, income and age range are examples of demographic data. . Each cohort cohort /co·hort/ (ko´hort) 1. in epidemiology, a group of individuals sharing a common characteristic and observed over time in the group. 2. has five principals. The cohorts meet at the beginning of each principal meeting for one hour. They are facilitated by an elected cohort leader to guide the discussion. They also meet with me and our elementary directors every other week to discuss and problem-solve, and are used as a "think tank" for the elementary division. Much of the joy of leadership for me comes from empowering those whom I lead to be leaders themselves. Other ways I maintain the joy of leadership include the following: * Team-building I believe that teams should be made of diverse thinkers. I like to use the Gregoric Style Delineator de·lin·e·ate tr.v. de·lin·e·at·ed, de·lin·e·at·ing, de·lin·e·ates 1. To draw or trace the outline of; sketch out. 2. To represent pictorially; depict. 3. , which can quickly identify thinking patterns that can help a group, such as concrete vs. abstract conceptualizations. This helps give direction on day-to-day implementation. Identifying the particular styles of team members will help the team bring projects to completion. * Goal-setting It is always important to look at how your organizational structure  This article has no lead section.To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, one should be written. supports your goals and direction. Does it send the right message for your organization? We have in place a coaching model that has helped improve student achievement at our Title I schools. We had some schools on the low-performing lists three years ago, and our board gave us permission to look within our organization to see how we service and support those schools. Beginning with the overall structure of the district, our superintendent reorganized re·or·gan·ize v. re·or·gan·ized, re·or·gan·iz·ing, re·or·gan·iz·es v.tr. To organize again or anew. v.intr. To undergo or effect changes in organization. to make schools the focus. In the past, the district was divided between the instructional side and the operations side. This structure led to conflict, and schools did not always receive the support they needed. The new structure has no sides but puts the schools at the top, with support provided by all departments in the district. The three major divisions of the district are elementary education elementary education or primary education Traditionally, the first stage of formal education, beginning at age 5–7 and ending at age 11–13. , secondary education and educational services. All other departments support the directions of those divisions. * Taking care of mind and body Stephen R. Covey cov·ey n. pl. cov·eys 1. A family or small flock of birds, especially partridge or quail. See Synonyms at flock1. 2. A small group, as of persons. talks about "sharpening For image sharpening, see . Sharpening is the process of creating or refining a sharp edge on a tool or implement. The term has a wide application but can be expressed as the creation of two intersecting planes which produce an edge that is sharp enough to cut through the target the saw" in "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" (1990). I believe that you must make time to take care of yourself through daily activities and involvement in arenas outside of your job. Exercise, whether it is just a daily walk, the almighty golf game or a gym experience, is very important to your overall well-being. I like to share my goals of fitness with all on my team so that they can encourage me. We need to talk with each other about how we are taking care of ourselves, and share the understanding that by taking care of yourself, you are contributing to the team. This sets a culture that it is an important part of leadership. Taking care of the mind requires the ongoing stimulation that is needed to be creative and a problem-solver. Reading the books and journals of the trade will help you understand the processes and strategies that enhance your leadership and are important to your professional development. Reading materials can come from a variety of areas, from Robert Fisher and William Ury's "Getting To Yes" (1981), which helps with win-win strategies A win-win strategy is any strategy that allows both, or all, parties involved in a negotiation or another activity to be successful to a degree. Conflict resolution In conflict resolution a win-win strategy , to something as light and powerful as the book, "Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results," by Stephen C. Lundin (2000), which gives us some operating tools for day-to-day leadership. Leadership in education will always be a challenge. After 26 years in education, I still enjoy the excitement of making things happen to improve the education of our students. I know that my excitement must be shared, because no one in our profession leads alone or makes a difference by themselves. Never forget why you are in this profession, and always remember that as a leader you are valued because of your abilities to inspire, motivate and build teams. Here's to the joy of leadership. L. Steven Winlock is associate superintendent, elementary education, for Elk Grove Unified School District The Elk Grove Unified School District is a school district in southern Sacramento County, California, U.S.A. The Elk Grove Unified School District is the fifth largest school district in California and the largest in Northern California. (e-mail: lwinlock@edcenter.egusd.k12.ca.us). |
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