Signature Assessment
leadership. I believe John Quincy Adams captured the true meaning of leadership
when he said, If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and
become more, you are a leader. Leadership is more than guiding or directing a group
The Fundamentals of Level Five Leadership and Servant Leadership, Miles Anthony
servant-leader is servant first...It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve,
to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is
sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage
servant-first are two extreme types. (Smith, 2012, pg. xii) Leadership isnt about
having power, its about sharing power and doing what is best for the group. Servant
leaders keep the well being and growth of the people they are working with as a priority.
Leaders need to have integrity. I believe integrity means you are honest,
trustworthy, reliable, transparent, consistent with your actions and values, and doing
what is right even when no one is looking. When you make a mistake, it means
admitting the mistake and taking the necessary actions to help correct it. It shows your
true character and vulnerability. Leading with integrity builds a foundation of trust with
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the organization you are leading. Mendels says in her publication T
he Effective
Principal, They also know how to give their teachers the backing they need to thrive.
(Mendels, 2012, pg. 56) When a leader is trusted, your team is comfortable, willing and
listening shows your team you value their opinions/ideas. Being able to analyze data
and situations to ask quality, thoughtful questions will help move forward towards
expectations, a vision and a mission. This ensure the entire team is on the same page.
Great leadership inspires others to be better. They know the strengths and
weakness of their team. And, use their strengths to work towards common goals.
Effective principals know they cannot go it alone. They are not the lonely-at-the-top,
hero principal who has become a fixture of popular culture. Instead, they make good
use of all the skills and knowledge on the faculty and among others, encouraging the
many capable adults who make up a school community to step into leadership roles and
responsibilities. (Mendels, 2012, pg. 56) Cultivating a safe environment for staff to
learn and grow along with encouragement, will impact student learning on a daily basis.
Leaders also see leadership potential in others; then they develop that potential. As
you can see, being a leader is more than just guiding a group of people.
learners. Tim Waters, Robert Marzano and Brian McNulty used research to create a
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leadership framework that believes effective leaders understand and value the people
in the organization. They know when, how and why to create learning environments
that support people, connect them with one another, and provide the knowledge, skills
and resources they need to succeed. (Waters, Marzano & McNulty, 2003, pg. 4)
People need to feel safe and protected in their working environment, just like kids need
to feel safe and protected to learn. As a leader, I will strive to create this environment
Not all leaders have the same leadership style. My leadership style according to
servant leadership. (Lynch, 2016) I will support, guide and empower my team through
relationship together as a team. We know and understand each other's strengths and
I am analytical and organized. I use data to write goals, action plans and make
decisions. Effective leadership means more than simply knowing what to do--its
knowing when, how and why to do it. Effective leaders understand how to balance
pushing for change while at the same time, protecting aspects of culture, value and
norms worth preserving. They know which policies, practices, resources and incentives
to align and how to align them with organizational priorities. (Waters et al., 2003, pg.4)
Not only do I analyze data, I keep my core values in mind when making
decisions. Being true to who you are is deeply root in my personal definition of
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leadership. Research supports that Effective leadership thus not only depends on a
leader with firm personal beliefs, values and the ability to influence others, but requires
the inclusion of professional, organizational (school) and social values that underscore
the schools vision. (van Niekerk, M. & Botha, J., 2017, pg. 134) I will clearly define
and make known my values known through my actions and conversations. Eikenberry
explained (as cited in van Niekerk, M. & Botha, J., 2017, pg. 134) When leaders values
are not clearly defined and understood, their own and others development and growth
making. Decision making is part of being a leader. I will use all the information along
with the help of others to make decisions. If a poor decision is made, I will not be afraid
importance of substance over style. Build icebergs, not skyscrapers. The foolish are
continually busy building an edifice above the surface, while the wise are building below
the surface where no one can see...You cant see it normally, but what lies below has an
enormous impact. (Smith, 2012, pg. 123) This is something I always want to
remember as a leader.
grow and experience. Reading professional leadership literature, research and case
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studies will help me learn more about the foundation skills of leadership. As well as the
roles a leader needs to take, what they need to understand and what to watch out for.
Taking classes and finishing Viterbos Innovative Teacher Leadership and Instruction
Coaching program will allow me to continue learning more about leadership. I will
observe leaders I currently work with, keeping a notebook of leadership traits I want to
emulate.
As I have learned in the past, I learn the most through experience. There are no
classes, books or mentors that can completely prepare me for leadership. They can
build a solid foundation for me to stand on. They can provide knowledge for me to refer
too, but there will always be situations which arise that catch me off guard. I will do my
best to prepare.
book, the importance or enabling others so they can achieve greater things than you.
The world would be a better place if everyone would encourage others to have more
success than our own. (Smith, 2012, pg. 124) I will guide my team to success through
my actions. I will equip my team with necessary materials to complete the job, I will not
be afraid to jump in and help out where I am needed. Smith states, When people see
that you are not above doing any job, they rally behind you. If you get this right, it will
breed a fierce loyalty in people that cannot be coerced, controlled, or managed any
other way. (Smith, 2012, pg. 123) Instead of telling, I will show my team.
I strongly believe, I have the skills, mindset and heart to be a great leader.
However, I have to remember, being a great leader takes a lot of time, hard work and
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dedication. It means humbly serving others, having integrity, clear communication,
inspiring others and working together to achieve common goals. Keeping in mind what
Mahatma Gandhi said, There goes my people. I must follow them, for I am their
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Lynch, M. (2016). 4 Major Types of Educational Leadership. The Advocate. Retrieved
from http://www.theedadvocate.org/4-major-types-of-educational-leadership/
Mendels, P. (2012). T
he Effective Principal. Journal Of Staff Development, 33(1), 54-58.
Van Niekerk, M., & Botha, J. (2017). Value-Based Leadership Approach: A Way for
Principals to Revive the Value of Values in Schools. E
ducational Research and
Reviews, 12(3), 133-142.
Waters, T., Marzano, R. J., McNulty, B., & Mid-Continent Regional Educational Lab., A.
C. (2003). B alanced Leadership: What 30 Years of Research Tells Us about the Effect
of Leadership on Student Achievement. A Working Paper.