Innovative Instructional Leadership: Truth 8 - 10

Innovative Instructional Leadership: Truth 8 - 10


The following post coincides with the reading of the Chapter 8 - 10 in the book The Truth About Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.


This will be the final post concerning the book The Truth About Leadership.  The authors have done a wonderful job building on previous concepts that are time-tested through research and experience.  They have interviewed and obtained narratives of the examples from real-life practice.  Today we look at the application inside and outside of the classroom.

My ability to look inside relates to how I interact and empower my students to become better leaders.  There were many concepts throughout the chapters, but a few stood out over others that applied to my instructing and leadership inside the classroom.

Leadership is an Affair of the Heart (chapter 10)

When I show the students in my classroom the love I have for learning and music education, they can't help themselves from jumping on board the learning train.  Just the other day I found myself watching an insightful documentary titled Crescendo: The Power of Music that tells the story of El Sistema, Venezuela's youth orchestra program that continues to bring social transformation to millions of disadvantaged youths.

See the TED talk below which discusses the powerful program...

Watching this film rejuvenated me in my classroom and I found myself teaching with a spark I had forgotten I had.  The director in a band setting controls the context of the classroom on a minute by minute basis.  I often refer to the board in the front of our room that daily states...

Photo Courtesy of http://facingmygoliath.com/attitude-is-everything/

I was able to demonstrate to my students that I have passion!  Passion for music, for learning, and for empowering them as learners.

Chapter 10 also discusses the idea of showing recognition to the people you lead.  I strive to do this on a daily basis.  Giving props goes a long way in the classroom, especially when students don't expect it.  I recently put up a list on my wall of all 200 of the students I teach.  My goal is to contact each student and their parents and give recognition about achievement.  This may all year, but I have no doubt that the effort will be well worth the reward.  Through giving recognition, I believe I am empowering my students to achieve even more.

Lead By Example (chapter 8)

I have found that with co-workers the best work I can do is the work I do myself.  I have found that others follow a positive example that is set for them.  This means that I cannot ask anyone to do something that I am not willing to do myself.

Sometimes this task is as simple as taking out the trash and keeping the space clean.  While I often find myself confused and frustrated as a manager of our auditorium space, I have recently found relief.  As I take a little time to create new ideas and keep the space organized, others have be doing the same.  Through taking pride in the space, the need for verbal instruction has ended.

I often use this method inside my classroom as well.  Instead of asking students to keep their personal spaces organized and clean, I do it for them.  It only takes one time.  The will not leave their materials out and in disarray.  By opening myself up to doing the task I am requiring of others, my students often achieve the goal without direct instruction.

Leading by example outside of the classroom relates directly to getting things done.  So often I find that we talk about what we want to do and how we want to do it, but just getting it done is often more productive and a more positive approach.  Less talking, more doing is a great way to get others to follow.

Life-Long Learner

I find that the leadership trait that I find myself using most often is the best leaders are the best learners (chapter 9).  I have a passion for learning and a self-inquiry into how I learn.  I feel that in an innovative world where the problems of tomorrow are not known yet today, the best trait that I can continue to hone in on is a continued growth model.  How do we grow?  Through learning.

While in some instances learning comes naturally, in others it doesn't.  I find that I have to continue to challenge myself by putting myself in uncomfortable situations.  This sometimes means going into a situation where I am considered the "green" individual in the room.  While uncomfortable and at times fearful, I believe this to be necessary to continue to develop my trait of learning to be a positive, supportive, and productive leader.

Final Thoughts

As I read through this book I continued to be reminded about how I feel about leadership.  What kind of leader do I want to follow?  I come to the conclusion that leaders are not self-absorbed or hierarchical.  Leaders are supportive, empathetic, and life-long learners.  It's okay to be wrong and it's okay to admit that you don't know the answer.  I challenged myself to come up with two words that would describe the kinds of leader I aim to be.  They are...

Positive and Productive

Onward!

Innovative Instructional Leadership:Truth 5 -7

Innovative Instructional Leadership: Truth 5 - 7


The following post coincides with the reading of the Chapter 5 - 7 in the book The Truth About Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.

I continue to be impressed with how this book looks at specific ideas of good leadership and dives deep into what it takes to execute those ideas.  The book is concerned with both the objective parts of leadership and the challenges which one must overcome in order to be a successful leader and make change.  Chapters 5-7 discuss the 3 main "truths" of leadership: you can't do it alone, trust, and the role of challenges.  The narratives in the book give excellent examples of the challenges of becoming a successful leader and the tools needed to overcome those challenges.  The book does a good job of building on one "truth" as it introduces another.  

Trust (Chapter 6)

This chapter starts out with an undeniable fact that trust is imperative to being a successful leader.  On pg 75 the book states that people "trust a stranger more than their boss."  As a leader of change, this shows just how important it is to build a foundation of trust between the people you are working with right off the bat.  

Change cannot happen without trust.  This coincides with the previous chapter Truth 5: You Can't Do it Alone.  Change requires multiple people.  In order to build relationships with those people trust must happen.  Change is all about relationships.  People must be willing to follow you in order to implement an idea.  As leaders we must empower other people to work towards a common goal.  If someone says that they will do something, we must trust it will get done, or else the potential change will stall in its tracks.

Trust is protection.  Trust is communication.  Trust is the ability to get something done.  While we know we need trust, getting trust is not always easy.  One must first trust before they can be trusted.  This isn't  always easy.  Especially when you are a leader.  While in a position where people are listening to you, it's not always easy to open yourself up.  I as a leader must first trust others before they can trust me.  What does this look like?

In a perfect world if I trust other people then they will in a sense put their trust in me.  If this was the case, change would be much easier than it is.  Being at the center of change means be willing to trust other people even when they don't deserve your trust.  The knowledge that you pass onto others about your personal life, personal ambitions, and perhaps even personal challenges can be used against you.  As leaders we don't have the option though.  We must trust all involved in the change in order to get them to trust us.

Check out this New York Times Op-ed article, The Evolution of Trust, where David Brooks takes a look at the change of "social trust" in our society.  He uses an excellent example of the company Airbnb which wonderfully shows of how social trust is changing in our society and the effects of such a shift.

You Can't Do It Alone (Chapter 5)

Having a group of people that share your vision is priceless.  In order to get to that collaborative vision it is important to trust.  We must understand that change doesn't happen by ourselves.  It takes a support team.

When thinking of my own support team I first think of the people that I work with day to day.  These are the people who know me and understand how I work.  These are the people that trust me and I trust them.  These are the people that I can confide in and know that a mutual trust exists.  

Beyond that it is natural to look towards people who share a similar vision beyond the context of content area.  For me, this includes my Winona Cohort for the Innovative Instructional Leadership Class, the department of specialists. and other teachers in the building that take an innovative approach towards learning.  When executing change, it is imperative to gain multiple perspectives from different people from different backgrounds.  This will ensure a broad connection to many different types of people when implementation begins.

The challenge in reaching out beyond day to day associates is the unknown.  People who don't know you often are skeptical.  So the question is how do I build trust with people who do not know me on a personal level.  The answer is simple.  Make it personal.  In order to build positive relationships, we must open ourselves up by trusting the people that surround us.  Even though a risk, it is well worth the reward to build trust.

Final Thoughts

I enjoy how all the different "truths" presented thus far build into a way of change and a way of leadership.  I continue to learn new perspectives throughout the book.

Additionally, chapter 7 discusses grit.  Here is a wonderful application of grit in education.

Onward!

Innovative Instructional Leadership: Truth 2 - 4

Innovative Instructional Leadership: Truth 2 - 4


The following post coincides with the reading of the Chapter 2 - 4 in the book The Truth About Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.

Why Education?

As I continue the journey of learning about myself and developing leadership skills and empowerment, I find that I am here due to a deeper foundation of values and moral obligations.  While I have not yet discovered the roots, I continue to define myself with specific values and beliefs.  Those have brought me to where I am today.

Musical Interest: Through my musical interests came the opportunity for me to be embraced by the world of education.  I went into a post-secondary setting with ambitions to be a philosopher, anthropologist, and sociologist.  Little did I know that music education and the leadership behind working with students in music would draw me into a lifetime of continuous development and growth in the world of education.  I was able to dream and follow that dream both as an educator and a musician.  I didn't know it at the time, but that dream was just a few chapters in a larger book of leadership, education, and seeking out a better tomorrow.

Time for work

The Fog

As I continue to be an educator and advocate for students, staff, music education, and many other areas of academia, I have to remember that the fog will lift.  This helps me to get up for work everyday and before my feet hit the floor say "it's going to be a great day."

Now in defining a great day, that doesn't always mean that everything is going to go how I envision it.  What I mean by a great day is that it's an opportunity to make a change, to put myself out there.  With not knowing what tomorrow brings, I maintain the belief that we have to take advantage of these opportunities.

The fog is all the stuff that keeps us from taking advantage of our opportunity to work in education.  Often times the fog is ourselves making excuses and getting in the way of what could be.  It's imperative to be successful, we must look past the fog.

Top 5 Values and Beliefs that keep me coming back!

1.) Potential: I value that the people around me and the students I come into contact with are leaning towards unlocking their potential.  This excites me and no doubt makes me want to work harder and be better.

2.) Growth: I find the status quo to be good for yesterday, but far from worthy of tomorrow.  This appeals to myself, my program, my colleagues, district, and beyond.  We must reach in order to be successful!

3.) Challenge/Grit:  I enjoy a challenge.  Not for challenge sake, but for a reason.  While not always comfortable and not always enjoyable, I want to challenge myself and others.  My hope is to also empower those around me to challenge themselves to be better than they think they are.

4.) Purpose:  With so much to accomplish in the world, why would we do anything without purpose.  I am empowered when a clear purpose is added to the equation.

5.) Professionalism/Integrity:  I find that it is integrity that wraps up so many attributes that I find essential to success.  I feel that I am part of the fabric of a larger system that is seeking out a better tomorrow.  Not that today is bad, but tomorrow  could be better.

Credibility

I often think with having a title you need to have credibility.  That is similar to saying that with having a title comes leadership.  The reading offers excellent narratives that get us away from that stereotypical idea.  It puts weight on the importance of maintaining credibility as a leader.

"If people don't believe in you, they won't stand by you." - Pg 27

The statement above is powerful and complex.  There is not an easy equation for a person to become a leader of credibility.  It comes from inside.  There are several factors that lead to a leader being termed credible.  Page 25 in the book talks about how people feel about their leader relates directly to how they work.

Check out the article below through the eyes of a business owner on the subject of credibility...


image credit: shutterstock.com

7 Ways to Build Credibility, Trust and Character That Will Grow Your Business

Conclusion

The chapters read for this blog post were situations and topics that most of us encounter everyday.  Here are some thoughts on each chapter.

Chapter 2
Credibility is the foundation of what we do as leaders.  It is important that leaders set clear expectations in order to setup a well grounded sense of credibility.  There are 4 top characteristics of great leaders: honesty, forward-thinking, inspiring, and competent.  This aligns with what research says across the globe in reference to leaders.  The way that a person feels about their leader relates directly to how they go about their work.  "If people don't believe in you, they won't stand by you." (pg 27).

Chapter 3
We as leaders must identify our own values in order to setup growth and success for the people we lead.  It's important to note that it's integral to align personal and organizational goal in order to have a successful organization.  Page 41 states that conformity produces compliance.

Chapter 4
Where are we going?  This needs to be a primary focus of leaders.  Page 46 states that focusing on the future sets leaders apart.  Often times it is important to search the past to find a theme for ourselves and the organization.  Page 51 states moving forward is the "life blood" of an organization.  I enjoyed this chapter very much.

I agree that we as leaders must thrive, not just survive!

Innovative Instructional Leadership: Intro - Truth 1

Innovative Instructional Leadership: Intro - Truth 1


The following post coincides with the reading of the introduction and chapter 1 in the book The Truth About Leadership by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.  It's to be a general look back on the personal formation of how I view leadership and what it took to arrive at that conclusion.

State of the Union

When thinking back to how I got to where I am today in the context of leadership, I can only think of the phrase "we all have gifts."


photo courtesy of pintrest.com

Historically I never found myself seeking out leadership qualities.  I often was the person who spoke little and observed a lot.  I was looking at peoples' words and actions, and watched for how others responded.  This led to a draw towards figuring out what motivated people as well as what made them genuinely happy.  What I discovered is that people are different!  There wasn't one thing that made people happy.  This was the beginning of my journey inward.

While I have met many folks that I would call "good people," I've never met a flawless person I would truly want to emulate.  In an open-minded fashion, I began to characterize people and draw on what I saw as "gifts."  I began to look at these "gifts" as qualities that make up a good person, a leader.

Thus begins a never-ending social experiment into the world of finding the good (which for all of us can sometimes be a challenge).

Milestones and Risks

I am a big believer that where we are today is due to where we have been and the choices that we have made.  That's heavy to think about, but very true.  Opportunities are right in front of us everyday, even if we don't always acknowledge them.  Our choices define us.

In thinking back to risks and choices in reference to where I am at today, there are specific actions that come to mind...

1.) Put myself out there - I have found that I often open my mouth and speak in a quiet room.  Not because the room is quiet, but because I feel there is something to say and it's not being said.  I recall doing this in the middle of my undergrad tenure.  As a musician we are given the chance to perform for playing assessments called juries to a panel of music professors.  This at times was extremely nerve racking and seemed more like a right of passage than an assessment.  I intentionally chose repertoire which I couldn't fully do.  For some reason I wanted guidance more than a pat on the back for my work.  The down side of putting yourself out there is that the response is often unknown...

2.) Agree to disagree - As a music educator who believes in what music does for students and the necessity of engaging student learning through music, I often find myself at odds with folks not of the genre.  I'm always open new ideas, but not at the expense of the learning.  With this concept at the forefront of my thinking, I respectfully and often agree to disagree.

3.) I know what I know, not what I don't - While I strive to apply what I know to unknown situations, knowing will always trump not knowing.  This is something that I continue to work on daily; opening myself up to admitting I do not know.  Once done though, this opens the doors to personal learning and growth.

4.) Taking advantage of and seeking out opportunity - I enjoy a challenge and find that status quo is hard for me to park at.  This means that I am always seeking out and taking advantage of opportunity.  As a younger person in my twenties this didn't seem to be a problem.   I slept less and worked/played more, but I could do it.  As my family has grown I am prioritizing my opportunities.  I still want to believe that I can do it all...



Qualities That Define

When I think of leaders that I have looked to (the "gifts" that they portrayed), there are specific qualities that stand out.  These qualities have had a large impact on who I am and how I go about living my life.

1.) Setup for success - As an educator I use this phrase everyday with my my students and colleagues.  In order to be successful we have to do what is necessary to make it happen.  Success doesn't fall in our lap and say voila!

2.) Empathy- While some people may be the smartest, the brightest, and the most passionate, if that can't be shared with others it will never be what it could have been.  We as leaders must have the ability to look through the lens of other people who are different than us.

3.) Grounded - There is a reason why we do what we do.  Sometimes that reason is defined and sometimes not.  A leader I am drawn to is someone who has the ability to have the why always at the forefront.

4.) Talk the Talk... ...Walk the Walk - I have found the leaders I have confided in do as they say.  This builds a sense of validity.  Honesty is present.  If they say it, then it's true and it will get done.


Conclusion

I find that there are many qualities that make up good leaders and they are all in a different context.  Overall leaders are genuine, they are themselves and use their "gifts" to do whatever needs to be done.  Leaders make it happen in when there doesn't seem to be a solution.

Onward!