Competency 4.02 Effective Leadership
What makes an Effective Leader?
There is a real difference between a leader(manager) and a LEADER. As I was reading about leadership, what struck my most was that many people see management as an assigned position, whereas leadership is more of an earned position. Someone who is assigned to a management position, may also have the vision and passion that causes them to be viewed by others leader. Someone who may not currently be in a management (or in education--administrative) position, may find themselves in leadership positions (either as a committee leader, team leader, technology leader) because of their leadership skills Warren Bennis makes these distinctions between leaders and managers:
- The manager administers; the leader innovates.
- The manager maintains; the leader develops.
- The manager focuses on system and structure; the leader focuses on people.
- The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust
- The manager has a short range view; the leader had a long range perspective.
- The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
- The manager has his eye on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon.
- The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
Managing the Dream: Leadership in the 21st Century Bennis, Warren. Training. Minneapolis: May 1990. Vol. 27, Iss. 5; p. 44
Leadership skills necessary for effective leadership
Although there are some people who are “born leaders”, there are certain skills that are evident in effective leaders. In order for a school to operate smoothly and effectively, an educational leader must have a wide range of skills and a basic understanding of all school operations. Some of the most essential include the following:
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A leader must hold fast to their beliefs and mission. They should always keep the “Why we are here” in the forefront. |
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Communication not only includes one’s ability to effectively get a point across, effective communication enables leaders to listen to other people's point of view. Although it is not possible to please everyone all of the time, a good leader is able to initiate change while keeping in mind how this change will affect all parties involved. |
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A good leader needs to know the climate and culture of the organization. They need to be patient with those who are struggling with the change while being supportive of those who are aware of the change and collaborating with those who have acceptance. They need to be respectful of these differing levels and treat individuals as individuals. |
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Team building does not happen by just making groups. The leader is a key player on a team because he or she must facilitate, guide and encourage the group to work cooperatively to accomplish a goal. He or she not only needs to move the group to begin a task but to actually to work through the whole process of completing a task and understanding the group process is the first step. |
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Leaders need to have good research skills. It is important that they know what is out there. That they have researched the possibilities before implementing any one strategy. This way they can be accountable for their decisions. |
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There is a business side to education as well. An effective leader needs to be responsible for the business of education and be able to budget and manage all financial and business aspects. |
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A leader needs to be a creative problem solver, prioritize, reason & see things from different points of view. |
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Organization is another key skill for effective leaders. Some tasks that require organization include: establishing a budget, scheduling—specialists, duties, classes, meetings, committees, managing building space & availability for events. All of this requires a keen sense of organization. |
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