Educational Leadership

Titles do not equal leadership. Titles establish a chain of command, and that can get you as far as compliance, but it will never get you true commitment.

Leadership is a topic of interest that lends itself to often raucous debate no matter what your chosen profession. Much like the nature v. nurture arguments of the psycho-sociological world, arguments for and against the importance of either the born or the learned aspects of leadership can be made for any case study on the topic.

Leadership was an on-going topic of discussion and reflective thinking for everyone in a leadership position during my time with the Department of Defense, and the discussion continues to this day amongst professionals of all professions. Based on my experiences and the consensus of survey results from many who have both led and been led, interpersonal skills are more critical to good leadership than technical know-how. Taking that idea into consideration, the traits of good leadership can be summarized in the following 12 points.

A good leader:

• Keeps cool under pressure
• Clearly explains missions, standards and priorities
• Sees the big picture; provides context and perspective
• Can make tough, sound decisions on time
• Adapts quickly to new situations and requirements
• Sets high standards without a “zero defects” mentality
• Can handle bad news
• Coaches and gives useful feedback to subordinates
• Sets a high ethical tone; demands honest reporting
• Knows how to delegate and not “micromanage”
• Builds and supports teamwork within staff and among units
• Is positive, encouraging and realistically optimistic

This summary outlines what was and remains expected of the leaders directly responsible for the lives of their charges and the defense of our nation and its ideals. After more than three decades of experience in the government, public, and private sectors of education, I often wonder why we are so hesitant to ask no less of those so-called "leaders" responsible for educating and developing our future citizens?