Effective Leadership

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• Effective Leadership
• Session 3.5
• Pete Bylsma
• Sue Shannon

March 2008 WERA Conference


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Session Overview

• Characteristics of Effective Leaders
• What Research Says About
• Effective Leadership in Schools
• Effective Leadership in Districts

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Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• Effective leaders are found in both private and
  public sector organizations.
• Effective leadership is multi-faceted.
• Most writers view effective leaders as people who
  do certain things and have certain qualities.

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Per Jack Welch,former General Electric CEO

• Leaders need
• Head (intelligence, competence, wisdom, savy)
• Heart (emotional intelligence and soft
  relational skills such as empathy, understanding,
  and communications that foster candor and
  openness)
• Guts (the self confidence to make hard decisions)
• Character (prerequisites of humility,
  trustworthiness, strong work ethic)

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Per John Wareham(The Anatomy of a Great
Executive)

Mask shortcomings
Mind
Head on straight (maturity)
Energy
Misdirect with resumes
Resume
People skills
Work habits
Means to get you where you are headed
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Per Jim Collins (Good to Great)

• Level 5 Executive
• Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical
  blend of personal humility and professional will
  (fierce resolve)
• Level 4 Effective Leader
• Catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of
  a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher
  performance standards
• Level 3 Competent Manager
• Level 2 Contributing Team Member
• Level 1 Highly Capable Individual

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Common Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• 1. They establish and pursue a simple, clear, and
  compelling vision.
• Know what should be, inspire others to work
  toward it
• Vision is not too complicated, is constantly in
  view
• Continuous communication in multiple forms to
  reinforce the message

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Common Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• 2. They understand their environment.
• Proactive and flexible when dealing with external
  variables influencing the work (economic and
  political conditions, competition, beliefs and
  values of the local community)
• Advocate for supportive conditions, policies, and
  laws through networking, building relationships
• Foresee the implications of others actions and
  adjust accordingly

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Common Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• 3. They think and plan strategically.
• Understand internal and external challenges and
  the multiple ways needed to address the challenge
  (see the big picture and know what levers to
  pull)
• Work with others and use a range of information
  and data to design and implement a sound
  multi-system strategy to address obstacles and
  help them meet their goals
• Establish aligned structures and systems that
  work well together

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Common Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• 4. They select and support talented people.
• Recognize need to develop other leaders
• Know how to select and develop other leaders who
  can spread the message of the mission
• Have good people skills and encourage, inspire,
  and recognize their staff when appropriate
• Help staff acquire the skills and knowledge
  needed to do their work

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Common Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• 5. They are learners.
• Listen to other perspectives, encourage diverse
  perspectives, seek honest feedback
• Balance the urgency to meet their goals with
  reflection to learn from their successes and
  failures
• Take calculated risks and have the courage to
  admit when things do not go as planned
• Learn from mistakes and are willing to change
• Remain optimistic and resilient when problems
  arise

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Common Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• 6. They have integrity.
• Have a strong moral code that guide their actions
• Honest, fair, and just when dealings with others
• Treat others with respect, have high regard for
  all types of people
• Keep their word and follow through on their
  commitments(walking the talk creates trust,
  motivates others to do the same)
• Actions are consistent with their values and
  goals.

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Common Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• 7. They get results.
• High expectations, passion for excellence for its
  own sake
• Track record of accomplishing goals by working
  hard and smart
• Set goals and select metrics to measure progress
  toward the goal
• Inner intensity to improve, sense of urgency
• Creative problem-solvers who persevere and
  persist
• Use lessons learned from listening to change
  practice, generate new ideas
• Hold themselves and others accountable for results

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Common Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• 7. They get results (continued)
• Action-oriented, decisive, willing to make hard
  decisions after receiving enough information and
  assessing context
• Not afraid to move (or remove) staff who do not
  produce
• Use small victories to build momentum and
  confidence that can eventually get big results
• Accomplish goals by reflecting all the other
  characteristics

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Characteristics of Effective Leaders

• Effective leaders often have a combination of
  certain skills and knowledge, dispositions, and
  values that motivate and inspire others. In
  general, they are
• intelligent, insightful, productive, versatile,
  flexible, creative, optimistic, hopeful,
  confident, energetic, hard working, decisive,
  disciplined, courageous, organized, approachable,
  proactive, fair, compassionate, trustworthy, team
  players

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Nine Characteristics of High-Performing Schools
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Characteristics of Improving School Districts
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Nine Characteristics Effective Leadership

• Leadership is essential to implement all the
  characteristics of high performing schools
• Deeper Understanding of Effective Leadership
• Distributive leadership
• Sustainable leadership
• Lateral capacity building
• Relational trust

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Nine Characteristics Effective Leadership
(cont.)

• Leadership Attributes and Behavior
• Demonstrate value-added leadership
• Build community of learners/leaders
• Promote second-order change
• Leadership Approaches
• Develop positive respectful relationships
• Create collaborative professional learning
  communities
• Focus on learning

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Characteristics of Improved School Districts
Effective Leadership

• Leadership is at the center when implementing all
  characteristics of improved districts.
• Focus on All Students Learning
• Dynamic Distributed Leadership
• Sustained Improvement Efforts over Time

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Improved School Districts Effective Leadership
(cont.)

• Focus on All Students Learning
• Focus on all students learning to high standards
• Share beliefs values, have clear goals shared
  vision of change
• Hold all district staff, programs operations
  responsible for student learning

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Improved School Districts Effective Leadership
(cont.)

• Dynamic/Distributed Leadership
• Exhibit dynamic leadership, united in purpose,
  visible in schools, interested in instruction
• Expand to encompass central office, principals,
  teacher leaders and others
• Provide moral leadership that moved from talking
  to doing, to ensure students learn

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Improved School Districts Effective Leadership
(cont.)

• Sustained Improvement Efforts over Time
• View education improvement as long-term
  commitment processes
• Persevere, persist, and stay the course
• Help staff internalize the changes

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Small Group Discussion

• Form small groups select a recorder, speaker
• Discuss the questions for reflection
• Select 2 or 3 key ideas from your discussion from
  your experiences about effective leadership
• Share in whole group

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Leadership in Action Professional Experience

• Questions for Reflection
• How do school/district leaders develop share
  their vision for improving student learning?
• How is school/district leadership distributed
  throughout the organization?
• How do leaders create political will moral
  responsibility in schools, districts, and
  communities to take action to provide equity
  excellence in learning for all students?

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Leadership in Action (cont.)

• 4. How do school/district leaders communicate
  their commitment to school improvement?
• 5. How do school/district leaders maintain
  stability and sustain improvement in a climate of
  political social change?