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Leadership Is Key
Last Updated Feb 12, 2009
By Michael Evans, Assistant Director of ACSI Urban School Services
You have heard it said that “success rises and falls on leadership” and “an organization is only as strong as its leader.” This is never more evident than in kingdom urban schools that are seeking to serve low-income students who have tremendous odds stacked against their success. The success of schools—whether independently owned, Christian, traditional public, or charter—is highly dependent on exceptional leaders.
While the funding of our schools is of paramount importance, it takes a backseat to gifted leaders who are able to direct those funds to best impact learning and sustain quality education in their school. Yes, curriculum is important and professional development is crucial. However, it is the school leader—that uniquely gifted administrator—who is able to develop the needed curriculum and hire, equip, and demand excellence from qualified teachers.
In Good to Great by Jim Collins (2001), there is a vivid description of successful leaders. Collins concludes that much of the success of a business rests on the quality of its leadership. In the chart on the following page, he divides the necessary characteristics of top “Level 5 leaders” into two categories: professional will and personal humility as defined in bold print. I have provided an expanded version (in italicized print) that describes quality administrators.
As you begin this new year, let me offer three ways you might expand and strengthen your role as a school administrator.
- Devote a portion of your time to reading books and studying research. There is much to be learned in recent books and studies about urban education. With this year’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, many have written to discuss the impact (or lack of impact) that the decision had on the education of poor students and students of color in our nation. For example, Derrick Bell has written Silent Covenants, a provocative book on the “unfulfilled hopes” of the Brown decision and a different look at the goal of integration to obtain equality. Quality leaders in urban education are always learning from others—on both the macro- and microlevels. Not only is it great to understand the implications of that Supreme Court decision for our society, but it is important to know the best pedagogy when working on reading readiness with three-year-olds. While there is no need to follow every trend in education that surfaces, it is crucial to be aware of what research is identifying as best practices. With that knowledge, you are able to discern what will work or not work in your setting, with your school community, and in light of your educational goals.
- Visit “No Excuse” school programs. Samuel Casey Carter (2000) wrote a report “No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High- Performing, High-Poverty Schools,” detailing the characteristics of successful urban schools operating throughout the country. Let me encourage you to both study the characteristics and schedule a visit to one or more of the “No Excuse” schools. These schools and their leaders are often very open to outside visitors coming to their schools. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn from them, to talk with their teachers, to review their policies, to understand their school culture, to get insight for your own school ministry. Do not limit your visits to Christian schools. There are several charter schools, and even traditional public schools, that will prove very helpful in your understanding of quality urban education. Carter’s report and a snapshot of the 21 schools and their leaders can be at the No Excuses website. (No later available) If there are other schools in your area that exemplify excellence in teaching urban children, you could also schedule a visit to those schools.
- Be a student of your own school. Take the time to assess the quality of your own school program. I often encourage leaders to take an objective inventory of their school using an accreditation protocol or another school evaluation tool. You may also use a SWOT analysis, taking time to identify the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in your school. And you might also invite an outsider to evaluate your program and share the findings with you. This person may be a representative from the ACSI Urban School Services office, an educational leader from another school, or another acquaintance in the field of education (for example, a college professor or veteran teacher).
| Professional Will |
Personal Humility |
Creates superb results.
These administrators are not afraid to push for better test scores, remediate children who are academically behind, and send graduates to the high school or college of their choice because of their strong academic record despite their circumstances and the odds against them. |
Demonstrates a compelling modesty, shunning public adulation; never boastful.
These administrators know that their strength comes from the Lord; however, they are confident in their abilities, comfortable with their talent, and committed to giving their all or the success of the school and its students. |
Demonstrates an unwavering resolve to do whatever must be done to produce the best long-term results, no matter how difficult.
These administrators will replace teachers who are not producing quality results and will insist that parents cooperate with the mission and expectations of the school. |
Acts with quiet, calm determination; relies principally on inspired standards, not inspiring charisma, to motivate.
Words followed by sustained action that produces results are the mark of these administrators. Lofty plans with no action often leave a school community frustrated, disappointed, and unmotivated. |
Sets the standard of building an enduring great [school]; will settle for nothing less.
These administrators have high standards that they model and expect. They do things with excellence and are not deterred by lack of resources, by academic challenges, or by difficult family and community issues. These “no nonsense” leaders do not accept failure. They go the extra mile for each child to ensure that “no child is left behind.” |
Channels ambition into the [school], not the self; sets up successors for even greater success in the next generation.
These administrators have a Moses/Joshua, Elijah/Elisha, David/Solomon model in mind—recognizing that the “one to come” may be the one who will move the school forward in ways that they did not or could not. These administrators are not intimidated by emerging leaders; instead, they embrace them, knowing that they must, if the school is tolast beyond their tenure. |
Looks in the mirror, not out the window, to apportion responsibility for poor results, never blaming other people, external factors, or “bad luck.”
These administrators are masters at evaluating themselves and will do so before assigning blame for a lack of success to anyone or anything else. “What could I have done better to alter the final results?” is the question often asked. |
Looks out the window, not in the mirror, to apportion credit for the success of the [school]—to other people, external factors, and “good luck.”
These administrators share success with all. They are always looking to deflect personal praise that more accurately belongs to the whole team or is the result of factors outside themselves. These leaders are not “praise-hungry.” |
References
Carter, Samuel Casey. 2000. No excuses: Lessons from 21 high-performing, high-poverty schools. Report. Washington, DC: Heritage Foundation.
Collins, Jim C. 2001. Good to great: Why some companies make the leap ... and others don’t. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
The Meantime Volume 4 Number 1
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