BREAKIN

G

RANKS

10 S

KILLS

FOR S

UCCESSFU

L SCHOOL

LEADER

S

EFFECTIVE LEADERS KNOW:

Managerial “stuff” gets in the way.

You can’t do it alone.

How did you get to be as good as you

are?

BUILDING CAPACITY

Think of a successful leader you have worked with.

Jot down the traits and behaviors that made him or her effective.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE?

SKILLS

KNOWLEDGE

ATTITUDES

TalentsContext

(workplace)

Motivation

Context(life)

How do you get better?

21st Century Principal Skills

Setting Instructional DirectionTeamworkSensitivity

JudgmentResults OrientationOrganizational Ability

Understanding Own Strengths and Weaknesses Development of Others

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

RESOLVING COMPLEX PROBLEMS

DEVELOPING SELF AND OTHERS

COMMUNICATION SKILLS Oral Communication Written Communication

THREE CONSISTENTLY WEAK AREAS:

Setting instructional directionWritten communicationDevelopment of others

Because effective leadership practice is critical to school reform, principals and other school leaders must encourage aspiring leaders and staff members to engage in personal examination and development of their own professional capacity. In doing so, educators grow personally as they contribute to the sustainability of improvements to their schools.Breaking Ranks: 10 Skills for Successful School Leaders, NASSP

Not everyone can be a secondary school

principal.

Most people don’t have the will to do

your job.

252 business organizations were studied, and ¾ of the executives interviewed were concerned about the quality of leaders they were getting.

SETTING INSTRUCTIONAL DIRECTION: A DEFINITION

Implementing strategies for improving teaching and learning including putting programs and improvement efforts into action. Developing a vision of learning and establishing clear goals; providing direction in achieving stated goals; encouraging others to contribute to goal achievement; securing commitment to a course of action from individuals and groups.

BEHAVIORAL INDICATORS

Articulates a vision related to teaching and learning Articulates high performance expectations for self

or others Encourages improvement in teaching and learning Sets clear measurable objectives Generates enthusiasm toward common goals Seeks to develop alliances outside the school to

support high-quality teaching and learning Acknowledges achievement or accomplishments Seeks commitment to a course of action

HOW DO YOU PUT IT IN ACTION?

To begin to assess your capacity in setting instructional direction, reflect on what it looks like when you perform each of the behaviors. List some specific examples from your own practice as evidence that you can and do perform each behavior.

REFLECTION In which skills do you feel you are

strongest? Give an example of why you feel this way.

Which skills will need further attention? Why?

What will you plan to do in order to increase your leadership capacity?

ADDITIONAL READING Mindset by Carol S. Dweck Transforming School Culture by Anthony Muhammad Leaders of Learning by Richard DuFour and Robert

Marzano Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell Good to Great by Jim Collins Confidence by Rosabeth Kanter

CONTACT INFORMATION Phil Lewis

PhilLewis@moassp.org

573-445-5071

Kathie Lewis

kathleenlewis@ymail.com

417-437-4614

LaVietta Prichard

LaViettaPrichard@hotmail.com

417-438-0629

LEADERSHIP: IT’S A PROCESS