Finding, keeping and supporting great educators presents the single biggest challenge to successful school turnarounds. Without teachers and administrators who bring the needed combination of skills and passion, nothing else will achieve the desired effect. The turnaround model supported by the U.S. Department of Education School Improvement Grant…

Anne is a natural-born leader. Told as a child she could do anything she set her mind to, she fulfilled that prophesy growing up, including being elected student body president of her high school. As an adult, she enjoyed a happy home life and professional success in education, assuming several leadership positions in her 2,600-student school…

The core challenge is this--a difficult ethical decision, where values are in play and both sides have powerful moral arguments in their favor. One case presented in this article outlines a dilemma faced by one teacher who became a superintendent herself. The case exploded dramatically in a midsize metropolitan school district, where a principal…

Argues that spirituality in leadership is necessary to foster understanding of the connectedness of life. (PKP)

Discusses eight principles of enlightened leadership: Intention, attention, our unique gifts, gratitude, our unique life lessons, holistic perspective, openness, and trust. (PKP)

Former superintendent offers personal opinion of what it means to be a spiritual leader. Provides examples from his own experience. (PKP)

Shares some core values for effective leadership based on 20 years of experience as a superintendent: Define priorities, establish procedures to evaluate staff, respond to criticism, ensure that staff understand board members do not have individual authority, model learning for others, communicate with clarity and specificity. (PKP)

Describes the attributes and benefits of relational leadership. Also lists six competencies of relational leadership developed by the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, North Carolina: Leading employees, interpersonal savvy, work-team orientation, conflict management, managing change in others, and effectively confronting problem…

In this article, the author shares his experience as a superintendent fortunate enough to be part of the Wallace Foundation's Project LEAD. Along with 11 other superintendents, he got to trade war stories with the likes of Ron Heifetz and other distinguished faculty members from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. The group's first…

Discusses the importance of spiritual leadership in turbulent, uncertain times. Describes several spiritual principles--for example, life is cyclical; all life is interconnected. Offers six suggestions for personal health: Start day peacefully, learn to be mindful, slow things down, create own measures, expect surprise, practice gratefulness. (PKP)

Describes the importance of quality writing for effective school leadership. (PKP)

Discusses the soul of leadership, including basic principles such as a leader is the symbolic soul of the group. Describes the essentials of leadership using the acronym LEADERS: Look and listen, Empowerment, Awareness, Doing, Emotional freedom and empathy, Responsibility, and Synchronicity. (PKP)

Argues that moral and spiritual leaders strive to make a difference in the lives of students; to reduce the achievement gap in one's school, district, and the larger educational environment; and to foster growth opportunities and leadership in others. (PKP)

School leaders remember the good old days when resources were adequate, school boards were stable, superintendents stayed a while, and forces outside the school district trusted those inside the school district to do the best job possible educating students. It used to be such smooth sailing! Whether this version of history is fact, illusion or…

Discusses the importance of the spiritual side of leadership. Asserts that spiritual side of leadership should be taught in administrator preparation courses and profession development programs through spiritual discussions, helping administrators develop a spiritual self, and assigning books on spiritual leadership. Includes a spiritual…