•Based on what you have learned so far, what are the top 3-5 characteristics you believe a successful principal must possess?
As I was rereading this week, I thought to myself how much I have learned this past three weeks, becoming a leader is not easy. From all the readings, I realized a lot of the leadership qualities theorists were talking about, how much I already do. Covey stands out for me because a lot of his habits hit home. I can relate to Habit 2. This is the ability to control one's environment, rather than have it control you, as is so often the case. Self determination, choice, and the power to decide response to stimulus, conditions and circumstances. In my school, which is an open space school, I cannot let what goes on in other classes bother me. I have to focus on what is going on in my room. Habit 6 - synergize®
Covey says, "this is the habit of creative co-operation - the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which implicitly lays down the challenge to see the good and potential in the other person's contribution." Everyone is working together to succed at a certain goal.
I keep 0n going back to the reading we did by Murphy, and the quote that he saw on the door when he got his new job, "Notice
The objective of all dedicated department employees should be to thoroughly analyze all situations, anticipate all problems prior to their occurrence, have answers for these problems, and move swiftly to solve these problems when called upon. However...When you are up to your ass in alligators it is difficult to remind yourself that your initial objective was to drain the swamp." (Murphy 2007) This quote shows me how I need to wear different hats in order to be successful as a leader.
In a article recently published by Education week examining effective school principals it found that "high student achievement is linked to collective leadership": the combined influence of educators, parents, and others on school decisions." (Education Week 2010) Leadership has to a combined effort because teachers and administrators have to work together to get results. This goes back in what I stated that there has to be synergy
among the staff.
As I finish week three, the big picture is coming into focus. I can see that being a leader is not an easy job. As I state on the voice thread, there is going to be failure in many places. I feel you cannot just put someone in a situation everything is not going to go smoothly at first. One quality I feel that a successful principal must have is the ability to overcome failure. Another quality that i think is very important is communication. A principal has to be able to communicate with her/his staff, the community around them and the district office administrators. Another trait that is very important is the ability to ask questions. Murphy states " Administrators need to recognize and acknowledge their ignorance and then take action." (Murphy 2007) And the most important trait that a authentic leader has to have a vi son which has to be carried out by the rest of the teachers. Murphy writes, "A leaders vision is the grain of sand in the oyster, not the pearl." (Heifetz and Sinder, 1987, pp. 194, 197) I have come to realize that I possess a few of these characteristics but I have more work to do.
In conclusion I ask myself if I have answered Evans three questions for being an effective leader:
- How do I define my role as a leader?
- What inspires the best in staff?
- What are my strengths?
I have just begun to answer those questions and by the end of this course I hope to have them answered.
References:
Evans, R. (2007). The authentic leader. The Jossey-Bass Reader on
Educational Leadership, 135-156, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Steven Covey, Author of 7 Habits of Highly Successful People – (The Transformational Leadership Report, 2007)
Study: Effective Principals Embrace Collective Leadership. (2010,July). Education Week (Vol 29, Issue 37). Education Week.
Murphy, J. T. (2007). The UHEROIC SIDE OF LEADERSHIP-NOTES FROM THE SWAMP. The Josey-Bass Reader on Educational Leadership, 51-62 San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
To view the article click here:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/07/23/37principal.h29.html?tkn=TPSFHsBZuH0HBDh9RLJDV9CKGg%2Fwv9g%2BGhCo&cmp=clp-edweek
Believing you have the skills to control your environment is essential to leading and managing. It doesn’t make you a victim to situations (a very typical trap) and keeps you on the path of self determination, empowering you to make decisions toward continuous improvement. Addressing circumstances that you can control, such as your particular class in your open school, environment, demonstrates Covey’s principle. It’s not surprising that the quote about forgetting to drain the swamp is so meaningful to you—you want to control the environment but not forget the vision. This concept is central to effective leadership.
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