Simple Acts That Build Your Leadership Presence | Gwen Moran

Simple Acts That Build Your Leadership Presence

• Prepare Your Mindset

• Express Your Opinion

• Think About The Big Picture

• Find Solutions

• Be Authentic

TED Talk | Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders | Sheryl Sandberg

In this 2010 TED Talk, Sheryl Sandberg focuses on the personal obstacles that impede many women leaders from achieving the same level of success as their male peers.

Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders...| Sheryl Sandberg

Moving From Highly Qualified to Highly Effective Teachers

This is a look at an ASCD briefing on Capitol Hill regarding transforming highly qualified teachers to highly effective teachers, and ways to help struggling teachers.

Highly Qualified | Highly Effective

As educators, we know that highly QUALIFIED does NOT automatically mean highly EFFECTIVE!  We see the evidence and the positive impact through data and in the classroom that effective teachers make.

What makes a teacher effective?

How do you measure teacher effectiveness?

Has teacher quality improved with the majority of teachers having met the law's definition of "highly qualified"?

Is there  a difference in teacher effectiveness depending on the certification route?

Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Great Leader?

David K. Williams  @DavidKWilliams , a Forbes contributor speaks about Aprille Trupiano @aprilletrupiano , an International Business Coach in St. Louis, MO, philosophy of character-based leadership.  Trupiano contends that when leadership principles are instilled and practiced leadership tactics arise as natural behaviors.  Read further about the 5 C's:

1. Demonstrate CHARACTER...Integrity defines leadership!
2. Live your COMMITMENT....Commitment inspires leadership!
3. Express COURAGE...Courage cultivates leadership!
4. Radiate CONFIDENCE...Confidence nurtures leadership!
5. Voice your COMMUNICATION....Communication conveys leadership!

#5 Resonates with me the most.  She stresses communicating freely and honestly,which I feel I do quite well when I do communicate, but my area of growth is  simply "speaking up"....

Do You Have What It Takes To Be a Great Leader?

APIP Participants Engaged in Professional Learning

I have the pleasure of working with my school districts' first and second year assistant principals.  We have implemented an Assistant Principal Induction Program (APIP), which is a two year program aligned with my school district's leadership standards.

Our first meeting was Monday, October 27 and I could not have been more proud of the participants' engagement and enthusiasm around their professional learning.  

Below is a collection of pictures taken during our first APIP meeting!

APIP Rocks!

October 27, 2014

Using Evernote for Student ePortfolios

http://www.edudemic.com/the-best-way-to-build-student-e-portfolios/

Stolen Education Trailer

NAESP Mentoring Training Alexandria, Va

Linda Darling-Hammond: The School Principal as Leader

Delegate...You MUST!

Delegating is assigning responsibility or authority to someone else. The advantages of delegating include:

• Providing growth opportunities for others (developing new knowledge and new skills)
• Reduces your workload
• The process encourages others
• It is a true sign of trust and respect of your faculty and staff
• It extends ownership and team accountability

You must not only delegate, but you must delegate effectively. Dr. Scott Williams,  Department of Management, Raj Soin College of Business,  at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, states that

in order to delegate effectively you must do the following:

• Have a plan
• Define objectives and standards
• Specify the range of discretion
• Involve subordinates in the delegation process
• Clarify performance consequences
• Match responsibility and authority
• Inform others that delegation has occurred
• When problem arise, insist that the sub ordinate recommend solutions
• Evaluate progress and results and provide consequences
• Continue to delegate

Williams provides details of the aforementioned items in the LeaderLetter issue below (Click on link).

http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/LeaderLetter/delegating.htm

Amy Gallo, a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, writes that you should ask others to hold you accountable if you are not delegating.  Another point Gallo makes is the importance of understanding why you are NOT delegating.  You may read Gallo's blog posting below entitled " Why Aren't You Delegating?"

http://blogs.hbr.org/2012/07/why-arent-you-delegating/

References

Gallo, A. (2012, July 26). Why Aren't You Delegating? Retrieved September 13, 2014.

Scott, W. (n.d.). Delegating Strategically. Retrieved September 13, 2014.

The Big Rocks: Priority Management for Principals- By Kim Marshall

http://www.marshallmemo.com/articles/Time%20Management%20PL%20Mar%2008.pdf

The Challenge of Leadership

Whac-A-Mole Leadership -By Steven Weber @curriculumblog

http://edge.ascd.org/_Whac-A-Mole-Leadership/blog/6518322/127586.html

20 Questions to Ask Other Leaders- By Michael Hyatt -@MichaelHyatt

http://michaelhyatt.com/20-questions-to-ask-other-leaders.html

Four Ideas To Have a Successful First Year as Principal -By George Couros @gcouros

http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/4665

New Teachers at the Start of the 2014-15 SY | Caption This!

Three Ways Effective Principals Support Teachers- By Lisa Nielsen @InnovativeEdu

http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2014/08/3-ways-effective-principals-support.html?utm_content=buffer36688&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer&m=1

Time Management Tips For Principals

http://edge.ascd.org/blogpost/beating-the-clock-time-management-tips-for-principals?crlt.pid=camp.ZqFPnvdZjU1b

If You See Something...Say Something! | Leadership Lesson From the TSA -By Kevin Eikenberry @KevinEikenberry

http://blog.kevineikenberry.com/leadership-supervisory-skills/every-leader-can-learn-tsa/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

The Five Ws of Life

Ground Rules for Great Principals-By: We Are Teachers @WeAreTeachers

Teachers were asked to share what they believed to be important qualities in a school leader.

http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2014/08/08/ground-rules-for-great-principals#.U__UyZ77s2Y.twitter

What Truly Caring Will Do...

Cotton

This is really "The Tale of  'Two' Dogs". I must first share with you the back story of a dog named Cotton. I was in my second year as principal and my Office Manager asked if there was anyone who wanted a three-year old Bichon. The dog was too active for her parents and they were planning to take the dog to the pound at the end of the week. 

My husband and I had been discussing perhaps getting a dog, but we would never actually commit to the idea because of our work schedules.  I wasn't familiar with that breed of dog,  so I googled Bichon Frise. Let me tell you...I was so impressed with what I saw and read. We made the decision to get the dog. If you are not familiar with the Bichon Frise, I recommend you google it. They are absolutely gorgeous dogs that are similiar in appearance to the Maltese.  So you can imagine my surprise when I met the current owners to take her home. Her name was Cotton (pictured above).  She looked nothing like the pictures that surfaced when I googled Bichon Frise!  Nevertheless,  it was instant love.  I knew what the end result could be for little Cotton, I loved and cared for her from the moment I received her.

As a school leader we must take what we have and work to bring out the best. We must coach our teachers so they are able to bring out the best in their students.  It is an awesome feeling to see the academic, social, and personal growth experienced in a school year. The lesson learned for me is no matter what "it" looks like there is always potential for something greater. It takes commitment,  dedication, patience, and above all else (in my opinion) love!

We renamed her CoCo Cotton. This is CoCo Cotton about 10 months after joining our family.

CoCo Cotton

The Purpose for Learning...

Developing 21st Century Critical Thinkers

The ability to think critically is simply the ability to think rationally and clearly so that one is able to draw conclusions, ask appropriate clarifying questions, and formulate plausible hypotheses. 

According to Reynolds (2011), the list of core critical thinking skills includes observation, interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, explanation, and metacogntion. 

References

Reynolds, Martin (2011). Critical thinking and systems thinking: towards a critical literacy for systems thinking in practice.  In: Horvath , Christopher P. and Forte, James M. eds. Critical Thinking. New York, USA: Nova Science Publishers, pp. 37–68.

10 Big Ideas of School Leadership

Principal Mike McCarthy of Helen King Middle School in Portland, Maine shares his thoughts on the effective running of a school.  He identifies ten ideas that he has learned in the 30 years he has served as principal:

1.  Your School Must Be For All Kids 100 Percent of the Time

2.  Create a Vision, Write It Down, and Start Implementing It

3.  It's the People, Stupid

4. Paddles in the Water

5.  Find Time to Think During the Day

6. Take Responsibility for the Good and the Bad

7.  You Have the Ultimate Responsibility

8. Have a Bias for Yes

9. Consensus is Overrated

10. Large Change Needs to be Done Quickly

Click on the link below to read further about  Principal's McCarthy's ideas!  Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments.

http://www.edutopia.org/stw-maine-project-based-learning-ideas-principal-leadership

Leaders See Things Differently...

Three Stories Leaders Need to Tell

Stephen Covey - 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Collaboration is Essential!

Collaboration is essential to effective schools.  This means collaboration among ALL stakeholders.  One of the things I tried to to do as a sitting principal was to ensure that I had a strong leadership team.  The meeting of the minds is powerful.  I also made sure that those staff members not a part of the leadership team felt that their voice was heard as well. Being a part of the leadership team meant that you were charged with updating the respective team members as well as soliciting their feedback on topics discussed at leadership.

School Leaders must also make sure teachers have time to collaborate with each other. Common planning time is a MUST!  Teachers benefit immensely  from structured time with their colleagues. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have proven to be a major advantage in increasing student achievement. PLCs result in better teacher and learning.

Actually...Failure IS an Option!

I must admit, after reading Alan M. Blankstein's book "Failure Is NOT an Option" a few years ago, I was all for that concept....I even chose it as a theme one school year.  As I look back, I  see that I took on this theme without the true understanding of its meaning.  I now understand that Failure should not be FINAL...but it is indeed an option! Our mistakes  or "failures" are what allow us to grow, develop, and learn.  

Being a native of North Carolina and a true Michael Jordan Fan, when I don't succeed in the manner in which I would like to, I  always say to myself..."well MJ was cut from the varsity high school basketball team"...I move on, because I know that Failure is NOT final! I can still go on to be and do great things!

I still use the knowledge and information gained through reading "Failure Is NOT an Option", but I apply it differently now. The six principles identified in that book still guides my quest in developing leaders:

Principle #1- Common Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals

Principle #2- Ensuring Achievement for All Students: Systems for Prevention and Intervention

Principle #3- Collaborative Teaming Focused on Teaching and Learning

Principle #4- Using Data to Guide Decision Making and Continuous Improvement

Principle #5 - Gaining Active Engagement From Family and Community

Principle #6- Building Sustainable Leadership Capacity

Steering Great Leaders Into the Principal's Office

This panel of educators led a discussion based on the report "The Challenges of Principal Recruitment, Selection, and Placement at the Fordham B. Institute in Washington, DC on July 31, 2014.

Panelists included:

 Doug Anthony, Executive Director,  Office of Talent Development, Prince George's County Public Schools

Michael Casserly, Executive Director, Council of Great Schools

Mike Miles, Superintendent, Dallas Independent School District

Allison Wagner, Director of Growth, Schools That Can, Milwaukee WI

Moderator: Chester E. Finn, Jr

The primary finding was that principal-hiring practices continue to fall short of what is needed, effectively causing needy schools to lose out on leaders with potential to be great.  The research suggests that better hiring practices alone are only part of the solution.  It is believed that districts must also re-imagine the principal's role so that it is a job that talented leaders want and are equipped to execute successfully.

Leadership Habits

Below, is a list of leadership habits taken from "Lead From Within". I would like to add just a few more I feel are important as well:

Transparency- As a leader, it is extremely important that we are open and honest with our actions and decisions.  Setting clear goals and articulating your vision allows opportunities for stakeholder support.

Staying Connected- I cannot say enough about how social media has changed by mindset, knowledge, and leadership capacity.  Twitter alone has connected me with educators and leaders all over the world.  The plethora of information that is accessible is simply phenomenal.  Peer and Professional Learning Networks have allowed me to gain knowledge that in the past would not have been possible unless I registered and attended a conference.  I am so grateful for social media in this regard.

The Ability to Grow Leaders- Whether you are growing teacher leaders or aspiring school leaders, your ultimate goal as a leader should be to grow other leaders.  I read a quote that stated that the mark of a great leader isn't creating followers-but instead developing other leaders.  This takes me back to my days as a Regional Instructional Specialist.  The Associate Superintendent over that region was an incredible leader.  The expectation of those in that regional office and the principals that served in that region was to be incredible leaders as well.  Every person that worked in that office now holds a school leadership or district leadership position.  I attribute that to the leadership of that Regional Associate Superintendent!

The Task of Leadership

Leadership Is Based on Inspiration and Cooperation

Effective Leadership

Personal Example and Leadership

Character and Leadership

Trends and Leadership

Being Positive

Confidence and Leadership

Four Characteristics of a Learning Leader

A Good Leader Is...

15 Tips for the New Principal

In a blog dated August, 1, 2012, Bill Carozza (@wcarozza) compiled a list of tips for the New Principal in response to the question "What advice do you have for a new principal?"  I will propose a similar question (What advice do you have for a first-year principal?) to principals throughout the country and compile their responses on this blog at a later date. 

Two tips that particularly resonate with me as I look back and reflect on my first year as a principal are "grow some leather and schedule yourself to be with students." Tough skin is a MUST....The principalship is not for the faint at heart.  There are so many competing events during the school day that you MUST, you MUST, you MUST spend (quality) time with students...Even if that means putting it on your calendar!

 The tips are below, but please click on the highlighted link below to read in further detail about each tip.

1.  Meet with all of your staff in the summer. (I will add...if you can or as soon after you are appointed as you can).

2.  Honor the History of your school.

3.  Identify the major players and support them.

4.  ...be fair to all.

5.  Be kind, caring, and respectful in all of your relationships and be willing to apologize.

6.  Focus on school and classroom culture.

7. Budget...

8.  Grow some leather.

9. Get to know your facility.

10. Set fewer and more succinct goals in Year 1

11.  Model great practice.

12.  Keep your "Immediate Supervisor" in the loop (The original tip said keep your "Superintendent" in the loop.  In larger school districts you may have other individuals they you need to report to and not directly to the school's district superintendent, i.e. Instructional Director, Area Superintendent).

13.  Communicate well with your staff and community.

14.  Find a mentor.

15. Schedule yourself to be with students.

15 Tips for the New Principal

Do You Have the Courage to Lead?

Do You Have the Courage to Lead?

How Do Principals Really Improve Schools?

How Do Principals Really Improve Schools?

Technology: SAMR Model for Administrators

Technology SAMR Model for Administrators

The Essential Ingredient in Effctive Communication

The Essential Ingredient in Effective Communication

Integrity, Balance, and Self-Deception

http://www.management-issues.com/opinion/6929/integrity-balance-and-self-deception/

Are You a Leader That Get Results?

Are You a Leader That Get Results?

11 Habits of an Effective Teacher

11 Habits Effective Teacher

Traditional Leadership vs Collaborative Leadership

This is a comparative look at eight major differences between the traditional leadership approach and collaborative leadership. Collaborative leadership has a lot in common with transformational leadership  and  servant leadership.  

One of the ways in which I used collaborative leadership was decision-making through the leadership team.  Advantages of this approach include more involvement and responsibility in implementation.  The open-process of collaborative  leadership helped build trust among my leadership team and entire staff.

Collaborative leadership also encourages ownership and builds commitment to the mission and vision.  As a collaborative leader, you must lead the process, not the people. You become a master facilitator.

A Call to Leadership | Start, Stop, More

Leadership Qualities

Create Effective Teams

Elevate Your Leadership With Questions

The Wheel of Great Leadership

Leadership Habits

Leadership Brand

Feedback Do's and Dont's

Seven Steps Toward The Developing a Remarkable a Team

Three Steps to Leadership Development

Potential MUST be Realized

Idea Shifts in Learning Today

Leadership: How to Get From Good to Great

In this article, Peter Economy discusses ways leaders can motivate, inspire, and support their team:

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Decisiveness
• Integration
• Inspiration

Click on the highlighted link below:

How-to Get From Good-to-Great

Five Apps for Today's Administrators

Five Apps for Administrators

Leadership Lessons From Tim Duncan's Career

I absolutely love taking leadership lessons from non-educational leaders.  It is amazing how you can find leadership lessons in just about everything.  Scott Williams identifies ten great leadership lessons from NBA star Tim Duncan's career.

Click on the highlighted link below:

Leadership Lessons From Tim Duncan's Career

Time Management LessonsI

This article really speaks to me. Time Management was the one thing I struggled with as a beginning principal.  I was a procrastinator to the 10th degree.  I used the excuse " I work better under pressure" as a way to validate the procrastination.

The following three lessons helped me the most:

#6 Get up early
#11 Practice clearing your mind before you work
#14 Keep the distractions you love out of your sight

Number 6 and number 11 works hand in hand for me...When I get up early I am able to clear my mind before the start of my work day. I go to the gym or read something inspirational.

Number 14 is a new lesson that I have had to learn quickly.  When I am working, my phone is put away!!!  Once I began my doctoral program (again), I had to  go as far as deactivating my Facebook account...Yikes....That took more will power than constantly going on there to connect with family and friends.

Click on the highlighted link below to see the list of time-management lessons!  Please share your time-management tips in the comments!

Time Management Lessons

The Five Characteristics of Elite Leadership Teams

Five Characteristics of Elite Leadership Teams

Leadership Lessons From Admiral Michelle Howard

On July 1, 2014, Admiral Michelle Howard became the highest ranking woman in the Navy's 38th Vice  236-year history.  She currently serves as Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

Click the link below to read the leadership lessons from Admiral Howard.

Leadership Lessons From Admiral Michelle Howard

Five Resources to Help Principals Excel

Five Resources to Help Principals Excel

Three Leadership Lessons From Lebron James Return to Cleveland

Leadership Lessons | Lebron James Return to Cleveland

Eight Must Have Competencies for Future Leaders

Daniel Goleman-Eight Must Have Competencies for Future Leaders

Educational Leadership: First-Year Planning

Planning the First Year!

Tips for First-Year Principals

NASSP | Tips for First-Year Principals

Six Principles for Developing Humility as a Leader

Six Principles For Developing Humility as a Leader

What Does It Mean To Be the Lead Learner

Connected Principals | What Does It Mean to be Lead Learner?

Social Media Tips for Educators

Social Media Tips for Educators!

The Most Valuable Talent of a True Leader

Finding and affirming others' talents go hand in hand with building leadership capacity. A sign of a true leader is a leader that develops other leaders.  Lyle Kirtman, president of Future Management Systems, writes about the "Four Steps to Building Leadership Capacity:

1. Leaders examine their own leadership style.

2.  Leaders review the leadership profile of their team. 

3.  Leaders commit to an on-going process.

4.  Leaders maintain a positive culture of change despite barriers

In my experience as a principal, you will find those who will do almost anything to be placed in a "leadership role" (e.g. team leader, grade level chair, department chair), and then you will  find individuals that want nothing more than to be left alone to teach.  You must find the talent that each individual possess.  Don't wait for them to tell you what their strengths are, let their actions speak for them.

Transformation

Real Leaders...

Relate...Motivate...

Connected Educators

Servant Leadership

Leadership & Self Deception - Out Of The Box

Leadership & Self Deception - Life In The Box

From Good to Great: What Defines a Level V Leader?

Jim Collins - Great by Choice - trailer

John Maxwell | The 5 Levels of Leadership

John Maxwell's 5 Levels of Leadership

Educational Leadership with Dr Douglas Reeves

Dr. Freeman Hrabowski - Educational Leadership for the 21st Century

Creativity Takes Courage

Top Qualities for a Principal

The Learning Pyramid

Five Key Practices of Effective Principals

Digital Literacy

Project -Based Learning

21st Century Lifelong Skills