Who Will Lead?

Post submitted by ASCD Scholars facilitator Tom Hoerr.

A recent article in Education Week said, "Studies are showing that many principals don't stay on the job long, and that those who leave don't take other jobs as school leaders." But that's not news. Each week I read about the impending shortage of school administrators. There aren't enough people choosing to pursue administration, and the attrition rate of those playing a leadership role is too high.

Not only is education subject to political and media pressure created by current measures, but schools are also constantly faced with new, ever-widening expectations and accountability. That may not be bad; after all, we need to know when our performance isn't up to par, and we should have the highest expectations for all our students. At the same time, the fact is that administrators have come under more scrutiny and are expected to do more, with less, and to do it faster and more cheaply. Is this realistic? The data on principal retention suggests that the job isn't worth the toll it takes.

This is not just a problem with building-level administration. Susan Moore Johnson and Morgaen Donaldson, in research completed for Harvard's Project on the Next Generation of Teachers, show that   teacher leadership is stymied by a culture that reinforces the status quo and makes leadership emotionally draining and dangerous ("Overcoming the Obstacles to Leadership"). How much of this is due to demands for increased accountability, the instant omnipresence caused by technology, or the simple fact that we have circled our wagons in defense and are now shooting at one another?

As expectations and accountability have increased, ratcheting up the need for skillful leadership at all levels, we should ask ourselves: What is realistic? What made you pick up the mantle of leadership? What makes the price of leadership worth it, or is that naïve? Should we not bother to seek a balanced equation in our profession and life? How can we go beyond the model of an individual self-sacrificing leader to create the mass of new-and-great leaders needed in the 21st century?

Comments

[Ron Klemp]

I recall a few years ago I was conducting a professional development. I singled out a teacher who had been a graduate student of mine to share an activity that she had done with her classes. It was not the first time that I had cited her work. At the end of the session she approached me cautiously and requested that I not single her out anymore a she was getting some push back from some of her colleagues. I remember smiling at her and saying, "Congratulations, you have now become a 'professional growth' on campus!" But I did honor her request from that point on. I think this points to a tacit agreement out there in schools that the status quo is low risk and that upsetting this equilibrium is a somewhat dangerous proposition. Cultures in schools are in a delicate balance and sometimes teachers may not feel that it is worth the risk to stand out as it makes others look less competent. In that same vein, principals are asked to be the 'instructional leaders' at their schools, amidst the myriad of personnel matters and District mandates. There is a need for people to step out, and leadership means setting a good example of how to become better at what we do. When the culture does not support that need for greater craftsmanship, and when teachers stop learning along this forty year continuum (the time I say it takes to fully learn this job!), then we have a bigger problem. Other professions strive for continuous improvement, no matter what the obstacle. If we accept only adequate, we are passing that attitude on to our students.

[Erin]

This is why it's just easier to close your door and teach.

[Alejandra]

I believe that our profession as any other profession also needs to strive for further professional development. Education is changing and our teaching needs to change too! In this XXI st century society students are digital natives. They've grown up surrounded by technology as an integral part of everyday life, and are comfortable "speaking the language". Our students have changed radically. Therefore, we need to shift our way of thinking about schooling to a 21st century model and reflect upon our daily educational practices. We need to apply a student centered approach in which learning is achieved through students' engagement in motivating activities.
As regards principals, their role is multifaceted and very demanding. Nowadays they spend lots of time on discipline and dealing with difficult students burns them out. But dealing with difficult parents makes matters even worse. Instead of focusing on educational matters, they waste too much time on paperwork that takes a lot of concentration and thought such as reports, evaluations and audits. They also need to be very careful in following the school board procedures.
These are some of the many reasons why people don't want this job. What can be done for principals to remain in their jobs? Perhaps providing support, having the means to attend conferences to enhance their knowledge and to improve the overall school performance. A principal must feel happy and supported, they must meet with success, so as to remain in the principalship.

[Joanne Eliuk]

I think that Erin makes an important observation. It is easier to go into your classroom and shut the door. For a principal, the equivalent is to shut the door to your school and try to harness any control you might have (one thinks of Morgan Freemon in Lean on Me).

This however, will get the same results as a teacher shutting their door: an endless cycle of frustration and antiquated programs. In order to “go beyond the model of a self sacrificing leader”, what principals need to do is to start opening the doors to their community. They need to harness the power that comes with leveraging their parent community, the business community, the health community and all of the other assets that they have at their disposal.

As Tom mentions, education is subject to both political and media pressures and the best way to deal with community expectations is to have them involved in our schools. The more meaningful roles community members have in making our schools a success, the more capacity is built within the school.

The district that I am with only allows their principals to stay in one school for a finite period of time. The school doesn’t belong to the principal - it belongs to the community. If we can shift our paradigm that the principal is solely responsible for creating the culture and climate then we see that the culture and climate can be sustained by the school community.

If we looked at the job of the principal as someone who maps out the community assets and then continues to build capacity within the community itself, then the entire burden of change does not have to rest with the principal and what is more, when principal changes do occur, it doesn’t have be the end of the culture within the walls of that school.

[Scott Herrmann]

The reasons that fewer educators are choosing to become principals, as well as the reasons that principals leave, are probably similar to those of teachers.

We know that less than 25% of new teachers will actually retire from the profession. Reasons for leaving include work load, lack of a safe facility, poor leadership, low salary, a sense of isolation, and lack of influence with regard to the expectations placed upon them.

These factors all impact principals as well. Increasing responsibilities without authority, an increasingly complex bureaucracy and long hours all play a role. Often, even the prospect of a higher salary is not seen as a fair trade off. Many times teachers who become principals actually take a cut in their salary, at least on a per diem rate.

Teachers become principals to influence positive change and serve students. Once in the job, however, the roadblocks they face cause their lofty expectations to collide with reality.

[James Han]

The origin of the word principal comes from the word principalis, meaning first in importance. For many educators, the principal is still the most important personage in schools. An analogy can thus be drawn between the principal and a ruler. Should a principal rule or govern a school? I believe in the latter and perhaps a critical key to effective leadership in the 21st century lies in developing the team of middle managers, or teacher leaders. To effectively wield that delicate balance of power and human relations, principals have to be in contact with the ground. With the increase in administrative responsibilities and work commitments, principals may not be able to be in touch with their school community. Their selection of middle managers will implicitly communicate to the teachers how the principal is like as a leader. Sometimes, a new principal is often saddled with a middle management team inherited from the ex-principal and this team might not share the principal's vision for the school. Sometimes the principal is saddled with the repute and societal expectations or the lack of it for the school. I agree with Alejandra that principals need a lot of support to succeed.

I believe the key to survival and great leadership lies in the team you build around you, and this is an important trait of 21st century leadership. As Tom mentioned, we have to move from the self-sacrificing individual leader to the insightful team leader, maintaining contact with teachers from trusted middle management who in turn are trusted by the teachers. Joanne's comment that the burden of change should not lie on the principal alone aptly represents this view.

[Doreen Knuth]

I agree with Joanne that the entire burden of change does not have to rest with the principal and what James said about the importance of the team. Both are key to creating an environment where new and great leaders want to be. I believe that the role of the principal has to be redefined. We can’t keep layering on responsibilities expecting people to be that individual self-sacrificing leader that Tom alluded to. In Douglas Reeves’ book entitled ‘The Learning Leader’ there is a chapter which talks about hope for the exhausted leader. Reeves (2006) states that one of the most important things to recognize is that we can’t do it alone. We need to find ways to restructure so we can create these systems of support/shared leadership within our schools. I am currently involved in the National School Administration Manager (SAM) Project funded by the Wallace Foundation. Prior to being involved I was drowning in the managerial and instructional responsibilities that come with principalship. I now have a SAM who is responsible for the managerial aspects of running a building, while I focus on teaching practices, student learning and school improvement. What a difference this level of support has made not only for me, but for the staff and students as well! Everyone deserves balance between their professional and personal life. We have to seek ways to garner the support we need so that the price of leadership does not take its toll on the current or future mass of great leaders.

[Elizabeth Clark]

I totally agree with James and Doreen about the importance of a good team supporting the principal, and, in fact, helping him/her govern the school. I have observed good and poor principals and I think the difference lies in the support of the staff. Great principals, like most great leaders, surround themselves with great counsellors and advisors. Teachers, as well as other principals (as in the SAM project?) who are supportive and encouraging can make or break a principal. During the last few years I have seen one principal "train" 2 future principals. One chose not to pursue the career, although I know he would have made an excellent leader. A colleague, a fellow leader in the school, is considering becoming a principal. She is seeking advice and support from former and current principals. My job, as an educator and colleague, is to support her and encourage her, if this is her goal in life. Support, encouragement from peers, and mentoring from past and current principals may result in the right people considering taking on the "mantle of leadership" at the principal level.

[Joseph Semadeni]

Education is a stressful profession, not only for principals, but for teachers as well. I believe there are several reasons for this. The first has to do with the breakdown of the traditional family. Students come to school with problematical issues in their lives, which make teaching more difficult. The media is another factor. Students spend too much time texting, playing video games, and watching TV. This interferes with academics. Another problem is the “I want something for nothing” attitude many individuals have embraced. Maintaining high expectations for apathetic students can discourage even the best educators. Unfortunately, the accountability movement doesn’t take into consideration factors that are beyond educators’ control.

Even though we can’t wave a magic wand and solve the world’s problems, I still think it’s possible to create a mass of “new-and-great leaders needed in the 21st century.” First, we need to identify highly effective leaders and successful schools and then emulate their practices. Second, we need to balance pressure with support. I read an article by Michal Fullan that mentioned how schools need to feel pressure to improve, but they also need to have the support necessary to make changes. The strong emphasis placed on accountability has definitely increased the pressure leaders feel. As Alehandra stated, the time has come to provide schools with the support they need to be successful. Finally, we need to rethink our approach to administrative training programs by placing a stronger emphasis on shared leadership.

[Elizabeth Clark]

I couldn't have said it better! Thanks, Joseph.

[Lori J. Mora]

I wholeheartedly agree with Doreen and Joseph that shared leadership is the key to not only balancing the responsibilities of the administrator but also in grooming and training future leaders. The role of teacher leader is extremely important and valuable as it builds on the strengths and talents of a future leader while still refining teaching practice. Currently working on a campus in which professional learning communities are bringing out leadership qualities in several individuals, it is thrilling to see individuals starting to share hidden talents that have been “behind closed doors” and not benefiting their colleagues. Problem solving and collaboration are at an all time high and the amount of time the principal and I have to spend on managing teams has been greatly reduced. Now our time with teams is truly focused and spent on refining our practice and meaningful, thoughtful discussions on student achievement. I did not consider going into administration for much of my career fearful that I would lose sight of why I went into education, to have an impact on students and their learning. Thankfully, I worked with an administrator who believed in seeking out the eagles on his campus and honoring their talents and strengths by sharing leadership roles. With the safety net he provided, many chose to become risk takers, professional developers and lifelong learners and became better teachers and colleagues along the way. A few of us even chose to become leaders and have continued the practice of building capacity within our campuses and grooming leaders of our own. I have come to appreciate the honor and privilege involved in leading those who have the passion for teaching, the vision for change and the desire to “affect eternity.” As leaders, I believe this is our commitment and obligation to working towards the improvement of 21st century leadership.

[John Gabriel]

I'm still trying to catch up on this blog, but just a couple of thoughts: admin programs need to focus on some of the more tangible and practical aspects of being a principal while also focusing on becoming an assistant principal (because you generally have to serve in that role before you can become a principal), and all leaders in their schools need to make it a priority to identify and mentor potential leaders within their building in order to replenish the ranks of formal leaders.

[Dana Paykos]

I apologize for the length of this entry. This topic really resonated with me.

One thing seems obvious; we are experiencing a pretty Big Problem. One question I have grappled with this week is “What do you mean by lead?” My trusty on-line dictionary yielded, “To show (someone or something) the way to a destination by going in front or beside them”. That is a pretty awesome task!
Through my experiences, I have never worked with an individual, as in one person, who had developed the experiences and craft wisdom to understand to the point of mastery, all the interwoven components of a school system. I have found no one person capable of “showing others” the ways to all the educational destinations. Tom’s prompt talks about how the single hero, doing more, with less, and doing it faster and more cheaply has proven to be unrealistic. “The data on principal retention suggests that the job isn't worth the toll it takes.”
The concept of a single leader possessing “the total package” may be a myth. The calculus does not support it.
I enjoyed Doreen’s writings, which described her experiences with the National School Administration Manager (SAM) Project. Her “SAM” allows her to focus on teaching practices, student learning and school improvement. I think that in a large school, involving a few “SAMs," each filling roles and responsibilities, matching their individual affinities and passions could work to allow the “instructional leaders” the opportunity to devote extended time to instructional excellence.
I agree with James when he notes, “ A critical key to effective leadership in the Twenty-First century lies in developing the team of middle managers, or teacher leaders.” Teams of leaders would have to rely on peers with balanced egos and a yearning for synergy. My experiences have shown me that some folks are great at discipline, others at coordinating administrivia, and others at organizing and coordinating student activities and extra curricular activities and still others love curriculum and instruction.
My own story of joining the ranks of the “leaders” frames some additional thoughts. This year marks my thirty-third consecutive year in public school education. I spent my first thirteen years trying to become proficient in teaching middle school and high school science. I later completed a master’s degree in Science Education and had a concentration in graduate level biology courses. I taught General Science and AP Biology. I was fortunate enough to be considered somewhat successful and I was asked by our superintendent to take on a new role as a district level k-12 supervisor of curriculum and instruction in mathematics and science.
At thirty-six years of age, and with thirteen years experience and a master’s degree under my belt, I left the walls of my own comfortable classroom and ventured into the lives and classrooms of my peers. In retrospect, I don’t think that any coursework prepares one for the lies just beyond your own door. My years of classroom teaching were generally enjoyable. I think I experienced the same bumps and bruises which most new experience as they develop their craft knowledge. What I did not expect and what entirely threw me were the deep-rooted dysfunctions, which had been kept behind the closed doors of a few of my peers. Teacher leaders, supervisors and administrators are forced to confront and interface is the many forms and faces of formidable dysfunction which have the potential overtake any well read, well intentioned newly minted and appointed “leader”. I experienced what Tom noted when he cited Susan Moore Johnson and Morgaen Donaldson’s research completed for Harvard's Project on the Next Generation of Teachers, showing that teacher leadership is stymied by a culture that reinforces the status quo and makes leadership emotionally draining and dangerous ("Overcoming the Obstacles to Leadership").
As Tom’s prompt illustrates, the survival rate is not good.
For the past twenty years, I managed to move beyond survival and have at times thrived. I was a math/science supervisor in my first leadership position and for the past ten years, have been what could be thought of as our school’s coordinating supervisor. I have line authority over eight other supervising department chairs in my high school and in my current role, formally evaluate their performance.
In each position I have held, I first stumbled and fumbled in interfacing with the great and not so great folks who were on my teams. I persevered until situations improved and the recalcitrant embedded dysfunctions slowly receded to the point where they were manageable. I have now watched as my most successful supervising department chairs, each one deeply steeped in discipline specific content knowledge, and each becoming more and more confident in pedagogical expertise, have endured the pain and strain of navigating the new waters of their individual departments. My supervisors are all great folks! However, each and every one has had to commit to at least three years of indefatigable stamina, fortitude and plain hard work before they were able to shepherd sustained improvements in curriculum, assessment and instruction. As each has gained his/her footing, they have all impacted positive change. Each supervising department chair has spent many, many hours developing their on subject-centered teams who are inculcated in the philosophy of working as teams in seeking continuous improvement.
I have worked hard to do as Jim Collins advises in “getting the right folks on the bus”. Developing a well-coordinated team who, from the start, recognizes the importance of each “niche” in the ecosystem and exhibits open communication, value common purpose and strive for synergy have maximized the talents of all.
I stress this to amplify that it has taken a long time to learn this one component of the “system”. I have been an active student, reading, studying, listening to and dialoging with some of ASCD’s most recognized thinkers and best known author such as J. Pollock, A.Zumuda, D. Reeves, G.Wiggins, J.McTighe, R. Marzano, J.Brown, and many others. I have attended countess workshops and seminars building my experiences and pedagogical knowledge. Many times, I thought I had failed!
I am trying to emphasize two points. First, I think I would need an additional twenty years in order to have a shot at mastery in just Curriculum and Instruction. I can only now speak of any “Hypotheses” I may have with any degree of confidence. I am now approaching the time in my career where I could retire and yet it is only now that I am feeling that I have garnered the knowledge and experiences to lead in this one area. My second realization comes after spending many years interacting with al levels of administration. I think I may be on the right track in offering that while I feel that Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment are by far the most exciting entity in education, there are many leaders whose passions lie in other areas. I have been fascinated about instruction since I was in first grade. I was always more interested in how my teachers interacted and taught than the actual subjects which I was enrolled. To me, that was normal. The day I learned the term “pedagogy” I was awestruck and inspired by the notion that folks actually studied this stuff. Madeline Hunter, Charlotte Danielson, Jay McTighe, Douglas Reeves, Robert Marzano and Janie Pollock may be my pedagogical Soul Mates. Okay, that may be a bit of a stretch. However, it is no stretch to offer that many who are employed to lead in our system are not interested in what those folks have to say.
As long as their leadership results in, busses arriving and leaving in a safe and timely manner, a safe school, well cared for buildings, adequate supplies and equipment, good lunches, and plenty of clubs and extra curricular activities, and good sport teams, I am happy. By leaving curriculum, instruction and assessment to my team of passionate leaders of pedagogy, we have done better. I am happy that I don’t have to deal with all those other hugely important areas of school life. I would be a lousy leader in those areas. In referring to the definition of leadership, I could not lead or barely walk beside others when it comes to improving the cafeteria food. I am not a picky eater!

My argument here is that perhaps, as my fellow bloggers have suggested, we have been utilizing the wrong model. Maybe, if we were to work hard to purposefully develop the affinities’ and passions of each of our staff and we worked just as hard to build a cohesive team whose foundation rests upon respect for the requisite expertise of each component in the system, we could do better. If that were to happen, perhaps collectively, we would no longer be watching our battered Lone Rangers limping off in the sunset. Instead, we may be too busy building the foundation for human success.

[Tracy Broccolino]

Lori, I appreciate your willingness to identify leaders on your campus. Part of leadership is looking for the next leader to fill your shoes. Many great leaders had mentors who groomed them and helped them become leaders. When a principal taps these rising leaders, s/he also builds the very team to provide the much-needed support.

Becoming a leader is always a risk. You must go into with eyes wide open.

[Tom Hoerr]

Wow, these are great posts! I read them at night, tired and weary, and find myself becoming energized. Anyone want to Skype at midnight? (That was a joke!)

Throughout these responses there seems to be a realization that the the roles of leaders have evolved. Regardless of venue or title, leadership in schools has become more complex. We all see and feel that. A key, I believe, is expanding the number of those who play leadership roles, regardless of their title. To get the additional leadership, formal leaders need to give away some of theirs.

[James Han]

Tom, I agree with you on the need for distributed or shared leadership. It is indeed tricky for a school principal or leader to be omnipresent or aware of all without excessively controlling all around them. A huge amount of trust is needed to macro-manage yet not overly micro-manage.

[Erica Rico]

I would like additional information regarding the leadership courses aligned to these at Harvard, and/or how to become a part of leadership coaching for principals.
The new young principals feel lost in the myriad of paperwork and are unsure of how to be supportive mentors and leaders to their teachers, while responding to all the testing data.

[Andre Potvin]

For the first time in the 20 years that I have been with our school board, I am seeing a real shortage for principals and vice-principals. And of course, the big question is why.

The job has changed over the recent years. There have been significant increases in demands for being the true 'instructional leader' from the Board and ultimately, the Ministry of Education in Ontario. At the other end, the number of contraints placed on our school leaders from the various union groups including teachers is creating a significant fustration level.

I ask whether school leaders are losing their autonomy to really 'lead'? Are they caught in the middle trying to balance the accountability from school boards and ensuring collective agreements are being satisfied, all the while ensuring effective instructional practices in a safe learning environment!! This is quite a feat and becoming increasingly non-attractive to those who would make excellent leaders. They see the work load and the tremendous pressure on our school leaders.

A further reality is that the remuneration gap between the highest paid teacher and the school administrator is too small. Of course, no one is doing this for the money(that's for sure!!), however, there is a reality when you look at the difference in stress level. I've had numerous teachers tell me,' why would I want your job when you are not nearly paid enough for what you do?' I believe that this will have to be looked at as the number of responsiblities and expectations increase for school leaders.

Another key question is how are we able to attract the right leaders for this new leadership style emphasizing instructional practices, accountability and results based on data?

The bottom line is that no one can be an effective leader if they are not able to maintain an effective balance between work and home. The well being of our school leaders must be part of our discussion and future planning for effective succession.

[Cathy MacDOnald]

Tom, I agree that formal leaders need to give away some of their leadership. In doing so, their leadership is strengthened. It is striking to observe how a principal's leadership style can impact a school's environment. I have experienced different leadership styles with a change in principal but the staff remaining constant. The best leadership is one that is shared. As Dana commented, if we purposefully develop the affinities and passions of each of our staff, we can build a cohesive team "whose foundation rests upon respect for the requisite expertise of each." Just as we identify and honor the affinities and passions of our individual students in building a positive, respectful, engaging classroom environment, it is important to do likewise with teachers in building a positive, respectful, engaging school environment where all stakeholders are valued.

[Jen Morrison]

Wow everyone. “Who Will Lead?” generated a pretty fabulous conversation. It was great that Tom chimed back in halfway through the dialogue. (Just so you know – he wasn’t really kidding when he mentioned Skyping at midnight.)

First it was clear that no one really believes in the viability of an individual self-sacrificing leader. Dana said it well. “We have been utilizing the wrong model. Maybe, if we were to work hard to purposefully develop the affinities’ and passions of each of our staff and we worked just as hard to build a cohesive team whose foundation rests upon respect for the requisite expertise of each component in the system, we could do better. If that were to happen, perhaps collectively, we would no longer be watching our battered Lone Rangers limping off in the sunset. Instead, we may be too busy building the foundation for human success.”

Over and over, your comments emphasized connections, teamwork, and increasing involvement as the key in keeping good principals, and I would suggest, keeping good leaders at all levels. Joanne wrote about throwing open the school doors to involve the community. James talked about “macro-managing” through teacher leaders. Elizabeth spent some time discussing the importance of mentoring from past and present leaders. At the same time, as Andre mentioned, we have to consider pay issues, and as Scott wrote, reduce the roadblocks to leadership principals face, like increased responsibilities without authority, an increasingly complex bureaucracy, and long hours.

Lori’s story illustrates for me the connection between maintaining the strength of current leaders while developing new ones. “Thankfully, I worked with an administrator who believed in seeking out the eagles on his campus and honoring their talents and strengths by sharing leadership roles. With the safety net he provided, many chose to become risk takers, professional developers and lifelong learners and became better teachers and colleagues along the way. A few of us even chose to become leaders and have continued the practice of building capacity within our campuses and grooming leaders of our own.” I suspect Lori’s principal was also energized and supported by the new leaders he/she worked to develop. Sharing leadership – or as Tom, puts it, expanding leadership – supports the existing formal leader, creates a vehicle for staff development, and builds the next generation of leaders. Talk about leadership multi-tasking!

Thanks to Doreen for sharing two important resources on this topic: Douglas Reeves’ book, The Learning Leader, and the National School Administration Manager (SAM) Project funded by the Wallace Foundation (see http://www.wallacefoundation.org/Pages/SAM.aspx). We hope that our dialogue as ASCD Scholars creates just this kind of supportive leadership network for you, just as it does for Tom and me. It will be good to keep the importance of building shared leadership at home in mind as we move toward planning for the Annual Conference in San Antonio.