Leadership

Effective Leaders Are Consistent, Stand Up For What They Believe, and Collaborate

By John Almond - July 1, 2010

In my previous article on this topic (published June 10, 2010), I focused on a few characteristics and attributes of highly effective leaders.  Those mentioned were: demonstrating a good work ethic, being friendly toward teachers, and basing decisions on what’s best for kids.  There are certainly many other factors, however, that can help define effective leadership.  The factors discussed below are intended to provide food for thought as you develop and hone your skills as an effective public school administrator.

1. Be Consistent in Decision Making.  Employees within the school district work force expect leaders to be consistent, particularly in terms of their own behavior.  Mood swings and temper tantrums are quickly noticed by others and lead employees to withhold what could be valuable information.  Openness and consistency in the decision-making process is imperative to success.
2. Be a Decision Maker.  As a superintendent or principal, you are in a decision-making position.  Therefore, after seeking input from others and carefully researching the issue, make the decision.  By and large, employees want the district/school leader to consistently push a point of view and make decisions supported by that point of view.
3. Be Consistent with Discipline.  A vast majority of administrative positions deal in one-way or another with discipline.  Whether it involves a student or a staff member, your reputation for consistency in this area plays a vital role in the perception of your success.
4. Stand Up for your Beliefs.  In school administration, a leader is sometimes going to be attacked, criticized, and accused of making a mistake.  When this situation occurs, the administrator has to stand behind his or her own beliefs and value systems.  In addition, an effective school leader stands behind the decisions of fellow staff members as long as they have followed appropriate protocols.
5. Collaborate and Delegate.  As a leader, we have to have confidence in our fellow staff members.  A confident leader empowers others by demonstrating a willingness to collaborate and by delegating authority.  The responsibilities placed on superintendents and principals in today’s society are extraordinary.  Collaboration and delegation, if implemented correctly, can help relieve some of the stress level while giving ownership to fellow employees and building capacity in others.
6. Recognize Power Brokers.  Within every educational setting, there is a formal power structure and an informal power structure.  For superintendents, the ultimate local power broker is the district’s Board of Trustees.  In addition to the Board, however, effective district and school leaders recognize that power brokers can surface at any time as different issues emerge.  This type of influence can come from parent groups, union leadership, a government official, an individual teacher, a secretary, or a custodian to name just a few.  In one sense, leadership is the ability to recognize divergent opinions and put the pieces of the puzzle together to reach specific goals.

In my next article, I will continue to share other factors worthy of consideration as we continue to explore effective leadership.

(To read the previous article in this series, click here.)

Editor's Note:  John Almond is the Executive Director of the Small School Districts Association (SSDA), and a Senior Advisor with the educational consulting firm Total School Solutions (TSS).