New Superintendent Articles

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many parts of it are relatively recent additions to the superintendent’s work For example, subur ban districts that once were homogenous now are multiethnic. And not long ago, office secretaries answered the phone; now the superintendent carries a cell phone and answers from anywhere. And in the manner of spiderwebs, all pieces of the map connect to all other pieces and often interact with each other. The map encapsulates the increasing com plexity of the superintendent’s job and poses the big question: How does one lead effectively Our reading and discussions suggest the starting place is to have a clear sense of mission and pur pose buttressed by core values and to live and teach these in every moment. Then those one leads can understand how to act in ways that take the organization toward its goals without needing tight supervision and correction. in these conditions? Reflection Time

A recent IBM Institute report makes this point in describing the three precepts of Bausch & Lomb’s high-performance behavior strategy, Earning Trust, Growing and Helping Others Grow, and Sharing Accountability Many other dimensions extend this precept — create a sense of urgency, increase connectiv ity and diversity, watch for the butterflies that can help your organization soar, support risk, make time and space for collaboration. Most important is this: Make time for reflection. If one is caught in day-to-thy decisions, reactive behavior and maintaining control, then one is not leading but instead being led by the events and people in one’s environment. JAMES (TORCH) LYTLE, a former superintendent, is professor of practice and chair of the Teaching, Learning and Leadership Division at University of Penn sylvania’s Graduate School of Education in Philadelphia. E-mail: jhlytle@gse.upenn.edu. HARRIS SOKOLOFF is executive director at Center for School Study Councils at University of Pennsylvania.

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