we lead

Perspectives on school leadership: taking

another look

Thomas J. Sergiovani

How would you explain

“effective leadership”?

If you had only one word to describe leadership,

what would it be?

Typical (wrong)

perspectives on school leadership

1. Schools are formal organisations, not social ones

Instead of being concerned with bureaucratic connections, the author proposes to develop communities instead, where people are held by their commitments to a framework of ideas and values. This helps to honour diversity, while at the same time bring a strong sense of coherence

2. Overemphasis on bureaucratic and personal authority, and

neglecting professional and moral authorities

School leadership should not be about following the principal, but rather following ideas, values and purpose. This means to craft shared visions, and create shared cultures, which build a strong, effective, morally oriented commitment in school.

3. Leadership as behaviour, rather than action

What you know, what you do and what you are trying to accomplish are far more important than how you do those things. Thus, as leaders, we should be measuring up to the certain cognitive characteristics rather than the certain interpersonal ones.

As a school leader, what should you do?

1. Lead with ideas

Come up with effective visions, ideas and values that give direction, order and meaning to community life.

2. Make public

promises

Make public the promises of the ideas that you believe obligates everyone to follow up to try to achieve it.

3. Build organisational character

Build a unique culture of the school, so that they know who they are and they can develop a common understanding of their purpose

4. Be moral

leaders

Have the courage to face the true situations happening in school, and be willing to do something about it.