Reflection Paper 1

Running head: REFLECTING ON "DO YOU HAVE THE WILL TO LEAD?"

A Reflection on LaBarre's "Do You Have the Will to Lead?"

Michael Parent

Seton Hall University

Cohort XI

Leadership Dynamics

Dr. Brightman

Reflection Paper 2

LaBarre’s article “Do You Have the Will to Lead?”

examines the philosophical aspects of leadership and

addresses topics of leadership relevant to education

leaders. LaBarre’s article is an interview with philosopher

Peter Koestenbaum.

Koestenbaum outlines for leaders the necessary shifts in

paradigm that must occur in order for leadership to blossom,

thrive, and serve the good of subordinates in order to cause

a transformation. While Koestenbaum outlines and opines on

many great points, two were notable and caused me to think

and reflect at great length.

Koestenbaum says, “Reflection doesn’t take anything away

from decisiveness… it generates an inner toughness… to be a

leader.” (Labarre, 2001, p. 3) A basic point, but one that I

find very provoking; many leaders fail to take the time to

think or reflect on problems or decisions because they fear

being seen as weak or indecisicive. In my own experience, I

have sometimes failed to reflect because of this fear.

Koestenbaum also notes that, “When companies and people

get stuck, they tend to apply more steam – more competence –

to what got them into trouble in the first place: ‘If I try

harder, I’ll be successful,’ or ‘ If we exert more control,

Reflection Paper 3

we’ll get the results we need.” (Labarre, 2001, p. 3). This

sentiment could not be more true. We see this as the

driving problem in our education system; if we demand more,

more will get done. What we are failing to realize is that

demanding more accountability, demanding more from students,

demanding more from teachers and leaders has caused a stress

in the system that is leading to burnout. Koetenbaum urges

leaders to not remedy issues by demanding more of the same

when confronting a problem, but to “dedicate yourself to

understanding yourself better” and to “change your habits of

thought: how you think, what you value, how you work , how

you connect with people…” (Labarre, 2001, p. 4). It is then

that leaders will find new, creative, and healthier ways of

reaching goals, finding solutions, and growing into a

leadership mind.

But once a leader does come to some decision, and that

decision has ben reached through a “leadership mind”, how

does one then create the will to change in an organization?

Koestenbaum says that it is, “not with techniques, but by

risking yourself with a personal, lifelong commitment to

greatness – by demonstrating courage. You don’t teach it so

much as challenge it into existence.” (Labarre, 2001, p. 6).

In essence, leaders don’t finegal change into people – they

Reflection Paper 4

live it, allow it to show, and cultivate it into a system.

This point was extremely powerful for me. So much has been

written about successful leadership and how to get people

motivated, yet much of these writings rely on teaching the

techniques of leadership. What I have been finding very

effective in leading my school is the model and grow

approach; much like Koestenbaum suggests, the administrative

team in my building does not approach the needed change

through demanding and forcing, but through living our

beliefs and allowing others to grow with us.

So much is required of education leaders. We are

expected to produce on demand, make improvements sooner

rather than later, and justify reflection when the political

climate demands action. Koestenbaum offers leaders a much

needed view of leadership – one that calls for thinking,

quiet reflection, the need for vision, and an ethical and

moral self that can me emulated by followers.

Reflection Paper 5

References

Labarre, P. (). Do You Have the Will to Lead? Retrieved

October 23, 2001, from

http://www.fastcompany.com/online/32/koestenbaum.html