0.4 Davis, s., & Leon, r. the big 20: critical principles and  (Page 3/9)

Organizational perspectives

1. Contextually Adept

Conceptions of great leadership vary widely and are complicated by its highly contextualized nature. Where leadership emerges, when it emerges, and with whom often makes the difference between attributions of greatness and mediocrity (consider, for example, the emergence of Winston Churchill as a wartime leader in Great Britain and his rapid descent from prominence once the war ended). The essence of great leadership rests mainly upon the confluence between the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of the leader, the circumstances upon which leadership behaviors are expressed, and their subsequent impact on the perceptions of others and valued organizational goals (Goffee&Jones, 2001).

2. Systems Thinkers

Great leaders see the interconnectedness between seemingly disparate organizational stimuli and environments. They understand the systemic relationships (and their effects) that exist between the various structures, processes, and behaviors in and around their schools (e.g., the nexus between effective teaching and student discipline, between student achievement and resource allocation, etc.). This “wide angle view” allows them to better anticipate and manage the consequences of intentional and serendipitous individual behaviors and organizational events. Moreover, through systems thinking they are better able to foster a cohesive organizational culture, identify and capitalize on opportunities for organizational growth, and reduce asynchronous goals, behaviors, and activities (Senge&Sterman, 1990). Essentially, great leaders are able to see both the disaggregated and aggregated features of their schools and how to leverage them to the best advantage of students and teachers.

3. Crafters of Culture and Climate

While culture and climate are indelible features of all organizations, great leaders deliberately and strategically shape (and reshape) the culture and climate of their schools to advance powerful teaching and learning. Culture reflects what we believe and value, and how we act with our students, families and each other (Schein, 1985). Climate, on the other hand, typifies “what it feels like around here” and is evident to any newcomer or visitor to the school (Cohen, McCabe,&Michelli, 2009). Every new-hire, staff development activity, goal setting process, formative or summative evaluation, and even every staff meeting is an opportunity to build, shape, and develop the school’s culture and climate to support a high functioning school that serves all students equally well. In their book Reframing Organizations, Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal (2003) propose that effective leaders shape organizational culture structurally (e.g. rules and regulations), politically (e.g. influence strategies), symbolically (e.g., role modeling), and through the potency of their professional relationships.

4. Cultivators of Leadership

Great leaders understand that in schools the capacity to lead others resides in all constituents, including students, classified staff, certificated staff, administrative staff, parents, and district office officials. Moreover, for a school to operate anywhere near its full potential, all stakeholders must be encouraged and supported in their efforts to exercise leadership. Distributing leadership is essential if schools are to meet the challenges of disproportionate levels of achievement among student subgroups, uneven teacher quality, high dropout rates, and other manifestations of an economically stratified society that confront so many schools and districts. Effective schools are not organized anarchies or places where individuals jockey for personal advantage and status, but rather, are places where each stakeholder leads through the example of his/her expertise, quest for knowledge, accountability for the welfare of the whole organization, and a commitment to promoting a professional culture of collaboration, inquiry, and shared vision (Davis&Leon, 2009). Finally, great leaders do not subscribe to the flimsy (yet enduring) theory that leaders are born, not made.