-
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
in these conditions?
Reflection Time
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.
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
sylvani
Education in Philadelphia.
E-mail:
.
HARRIS SOKOLOFF
is exec
for School Study Councils
at University of Pennsylvania.
You’re invited
to see our new look!
We’re proud to unveil our new,
user-friendly website. You’ll notice changes
like an updated navigation bar and easy-to-use drop-down menus that make searching a cinch.
4ibAh
MARZANO
Research Laboratory
marzanoresearch.com
888.849.0851
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:1
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SEPTEMBER 2013 SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR
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