Leadership Dynamics

Seton Hall UniversityELMP Ed.D

Michael Parent

August, 2009

My exploration of the self, my past, and my influences has given me the

opportunity to string together all of these items so that I am able to gain a greater

sense of self. All of these variables, when linked together, create an

understanding of who I am and how that affects the style in which I lead.

Through the Keirsey Temperament Sorter and the self perception profile

exercises, I was able to clearly see – in a scientific manner – who I am how I am

perceived. The results were not surprising; I have made a conscience effort to

sustain and exhibit my core values and beliefs, no matter the audience or

circumstance. But these tests did allow me an opportunity to examine how “me”

affects my leadership.

Who Are My Leaders?

When I think of leadership, I tend to look to those men and women who

have done so quietly and with little fanfare or open admission or ambition to even

be a leader. They have always appeared to have a definitive centered-ness.

While they have enthusiastically and passionately taken on the roles of leaders,

they also exhibited a calm - almost stoic - attitude toward obstacles. In short, the

leaders I tend to look to and seek to learn from are those who have achieved

greatness without consciously seeking to be great. These leaders are what

Covey calls principle-centered; unwavering, uncompromising, and unforgiving in

their core values, morals, and ethics.

The Principled Principal

Applying Covey’s theory of principle-centered leadership seems natural to

me. As a devout Catholic I have made it a point to approach my career as a

mission. Most people would argue that one’s religious conviction has no value or

purpose in the workplace (unless you worked for a religious institution). But I

believe that through education I aim to reach those who are in most need, feel

rejected by the system, turned off to learning, or in danger of abandoning the

pursuit of knowledge and education altogether – this includes teachers, students,

staff, and parents. Thus I have keen sense of purpose in my work. I see

leadership as a service to society, not as a means to merely earn a salary,

acquire wealth, or prosper politically.

The Power of Humility

In order to keep myself square on this conviction, I exhibit a great deal of

humility in my leadership. It is not uncommon for me to heap accolades on the

faculty, the support staff, and my colleagues. Nor is it uncommon for me to share

with my staff my faults, weaknesses, or shortcomings. It is absolutely necessary

for me to have my staff view me as human – full of promise and frailty – just like

them. Together, we are then able to see eye to eye, accept each other’s “trip

ups” and move toward growth and improvement.

Because I am aware of my own limitations and weaknesses, I attempt not

to lead where I cannot go. Like the leaders I look to in admiration, they knew the

stages they could perform well on and do not pretend to be able to perform well

in all venues. I never pretend to be the expert and I explicitly express my desire

to see others who are experts teach me. I have a common quip that tends to

come out of my mouth pretty often, “I’ll never pretend to be the smartest guy in

the room.” That type of humility goes a long way with my staff. They appreciate

my willingness to admit that my title is not an “entitlement” to autocracy.

Reflection

As I mature in my leadership, I am finding it more and more important to

reflect on my decisions, my direction, and my patterns of behavior. I maintain

two blogs – one with the parents of my school and another with my professional

network. Blogging helps me sort out the details and projections regarding

decisions and thoughts about curriculum, edu-politics, and community growth.

The responses I receive from my posts are often very insightful and generate

more thought and self-reflection. Blogging is a practice I try to keep up with, but

find difficult with the demanding nature of my job. I don’t blog for ego – I blog

because education leaders need to remain at the forefront of technology and

they need to spread their thoughts, ideas, and decisions in such a way as to

reach as many minds as possible. Blogging has also allowed me to show

parents that I am not an isolated being who avoids communication or criticism.

Closing Thoughts

Being a school leader is tough – but it does not need to be stressful. With greater self awareness, a sense of self limitation, and the knowledge that leadership is a constant metamorphosis can be liberating. This liberation will then allow a leader to grow in areas of need and refrain from trying to be what you cannot. Just like an actor, musician, or comedian, you must know your material, yourself, and your audience before you choose the stage on which to perform.