The Big 6

If you're in education I am sure that by now you know titles don't matter. We are all leaders! Whether it be in the classroom, at the building level, or in central office. Your title should not define you. What should define you is your passion and purpose for the position you're in.
How do some of the greats define leadership?

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." John Quincy Adams

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." John F. Kennedy

"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." John Maxwell

"What you do has far greater impact than what you say." Stephen Covey

This summer I took a course that made me reflect on what educational leadership truly is. For one of our assignments we had to create what we considered to be the main principles in leadership. So, here are my Big 6 In Educational Leadership:

Principle #1:Leaders Learn

Leaders “prepare organizations for change and help them cope as they struggle through it” (Kotter, 1990).
As an Ed Leader you are the lead learner in implementing new technology and instructional strategies for your organization. Stay up to date on cutting edge tools and strategies. Be there for others as they start to embrace new ideas. Understand your organization's vision and mission ensuring that your efforts help keep them in the forefront. Grow yourself and help grow others.

Principle #2:Leaders BTE

Leaders Bring the Energy. Leaders need to be contagious with their energy. You must inspire through framing. “Effective framing of an organizational mission will ensure emotional impact particularly in terms of building a sense of confidence and excitement about the future” (Conger, 1991).
Leaders motivate their people by using analogies and stories that connect them emotionally to the mission of the organization. "Keep your message simple and focused and repeat it consistently" (Conger, 1991).

Principle #3:Leaders Take Action

John Maxwell states that "leadership is influence." Leaders understand their position in the organization. They pour everything they have into their job and their people/students with passion and purpose.Leaders can "do this by very clearly and explicitly seeking contributions, challenges, and collaboration from the people who report to them, using their positional power not to dominate but rather to drive the decision-making process" (Hamm, 2006). Leaders understand that doing is more powerful than saying.

Principle #4:Leaders Develop

A leader empowers others to grow and get uncomfortable
Leaders trust first and develop structure within their organization. Bolman & Deal state that, “at any given moment, an organization’s structure represents its best effort to align internal workings with outside concerns” (2008).
Leaders develop strategies to respond to problems or be proactive before problems occur. Leaders must develop their problem solving skills so they can be sound in their discretion and choice (Zaccaro& Klimoski, 2001).

 Principle #5:Leaders Evolve

"Leadership, by contrast, is about coping with change. More changes always demands more leadership" (Kotter, 2001).
Leaders must adjust and influence strategies based on the situation. You can't always rely on just one strategy to work for every occasion (Grenny, Maxfield, & Shimberg, 2008). Leaders should be open to change and adapt when needed. Leaders will guide their organization to evolve because of the rapid pace in which technology is evolving.

Principle #6:Leaders Build Relationships

A leader must understand the importance of buidling positive relationships with others. Here is something to think about, “the fact that people always respond to you in a certain way may say more about you than about them” (Bolman & Deal 2008).  Leaders "often fail to get things done because they rely too much on reason and too little on relationships” (Bolman & Deal, 2008). A good quote to remember, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Theodore Roosevelt. Leaders play a  role in developing a culture where individuals can thrive, discover their talents and have an opportunity to use their best selves daily" (Buckingham, 2011).

I believe that by focusing on the Big 6 we can lead from anywhere! We can help implement change or cause change ourselves. We have to be willing to do what is best for kids and not best for policy. If you had to create your own what would they be? If you had to create and Ed Leadership vision what would it say? 



Would love to hear your feedback on these because they are still a work in progress.

#HappyToHelp

John

Big 6 Prezi 

Sources

Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (2008). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Buckingham, M. (2011). Strong leadership. Leadership Excellence, 28(1), 5.

Conger, J. A. (1991). Inspiring others: The language of leadership. Academy of ManagementExecutive, 5(1), 31-­45.

Grenny, J., Maxfield, D., & Shimberg, A. (2008). How to have influence. MIT Sloan Management Review, 50(1), 47-­52.

Hamm, J. (2006). The five messages leaders must manage. Harvard Business Review, 84, 114-­123.

Kotter, J. (2001, December 1). What leaders really do. Best of Harvard Business Review, 85-96. 


Zaccaro, S. J., & Klimoski, R. (2001). The nature of organizational leadership: An introduction. In S. J.Zaccaro & R. Klimoski (Eds.), The nature of organizational leadership: Understanding the performance imperatives confronting today's leaders (pp. 3-­41). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.