If You Can Do All Of This, You Will Be An Effective Leader
Everyone knows that being a leader is difficult, and sometimes overwhelming. This is true for all professions in the field of education but it can be a challenge for principals. During times of a national pandemic, principals are in “Crisis Leadership.” There are several things administrators think about on a daily basis. Leaders are trying to manage the school finance, staff support, parents, students, and sometimes it can be overwhelming, which all affect student performance. Many principals have empowered teacher leaders and administration to help in much of these ideas but ultimately these duties fall on the lap of leadership. Fortunately, Marzano et. al (2005) performed an in-depth meta-analysis of 69 different studies to determine a principal's necessary responsibilities, along with a short description of each.
Responsibility: The extent to which the principal can do everything…
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (Patrick Lencioni) visual synopsis by Dani Saveker
Affirmation - Recognizes and celebrates accomplishments and acknowledges failures
Change Agent - Is willing to challenge and actively challenges the status quo
Contingent Rewards - Recognizes and rewards individual accomplishments
Communication - Establishes strong lines of communication with and among teachers and students
Culture - Fosters shared beliefs and a sense of community and cooperation
Discipline - Protects teachers from issues and influences that would detract from their teaching time or focus
Flexibility - Adapts his or her leadership behavior to the needs of the current situation and is comfortable with dissent
Focus - Establishes clear goals and keeps those goals at the forefront of the school’s attention
Ideals/Beliefs - Communicates and operates from strong ideals and beliefs about schooling
Input - Involves teachers in the design and implementation of important decisions and policies
Intellectual Stimulation - Ensures faculty and staff are aware of the most current theories and practices and makes the discussion of these a regular aspect of the school’s culture
Involvement in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - Is directly involved in the design and implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment practice
Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - Is knowledgeable about current curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices
Monitoring/ Evaluating - Monitors the effectiveness of school practices and their impact on student learning
Optimizer - Inspires and leads new and challenging innovations
Order - Establishes a set of standard operating procedures and routines
Outreach - Is an advocate and spokesperson for the school to all stakeholders
Relationships - Demonstrates an awareness of the personal aspects of teachers and staff
Resources - Provides teachers with materials and professional development necessary for the successful execution of their jobs
Situational Awareness - Is aware of the details and undercurrents in the running of the school and uses this information to address current and potential problems
Visibility - Has quality contact and interactions with teachers and students
Leadership Success helps teachers and students
“The simple fact is that without effective leaders most of the goals of education improvement will be very difficult to achieve” (The Wallace Foundation, 2013). Most readers will already know and expect that all these aspects of a principal’s leadership affect the atmosphere of the school and the way the teachers feel. But surprisingly, this study (Marzano et al, 2005), discovered that there is also a statistically significant relationship between effective leadership of the principal and student achievement, thereby highlighting an even stronger need for effective principals and leaders.
References:
Marzano, M. J., Waters, T., & McNulty, B. A., (2005), School Leadership That Works: From Research to Results, Chapter 4: The 21 Responsibilities of the School Leader. [PDF]. Retrieved 8-7-21 from: principal-project-marzanos-21-responsibilities-of-the-school.pdf
Presence (Amy Cuddy) Visual Synopsis by Dani Saveker Schmidt, T. D. C. (E. (n.d.). The five dysfunctions of a Team (Patrick Lencioni) visual synopsis by DANI SAVEKER. Visual Synopsis. Retrieved September 9, 2021, from https://www.visualsynopsis.com/full-collection/the-five-dysfunctions-of-a-team-patrick-lencioni-visual-synopsis-by-dani-saveker.
The Wallace Foundation (2013). The School Principal as Leader: Guiding Schools to Better Teaching and Learning: 5 Key Responsibilities. [Webpage]. Retrieved 8-7-21 from: https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/pages/key-responsibilities-the-school-principal-as-leader.aspx