Is it desirable to operate without a person in a full-time, formal role as principal? It depends. There are many reasons for having a principal. One person can more easily take responsibility for convening and facilitating conversations, securing focus, monitoring progress, working through personnel-related or legal difficulties, working with the district, and handling political pressures. In spite of the problems that may arise from giving so much responsibility to one person, principals continue to be the key to school improvement. Unless a school has already developed high leadership capacity, teacher behavior is often a function of principal behavior. Schools that have developed high leadership capacity take on a different character, however. Even if the principal is reassigned while the school is still in the transitional phase—which often happens—staff commitment can survive the change and even energize the new principal. Teachers find leadership in one another, assigning both credibility and authority to their peers. They tap into mutual authority by expecting others to identify problems and bring them to the group. When principals lead for they will not be as most of the principals in our study did, teachers share “whenever there,” responsibility for the effectiveness of the school. Broad-based, skillful participation in the work of leadership contributes to lasting school improvement that is all too rare. Principal's Role in High Leadership Capacity Schools Displays the following personal attributes and behaviors: Learns continually. Thinks strategically. Is value- and vision-driven. Continues and expands behaviors initiated in earlier phases. Participates with other members of the community to Share concerns and issues. Share decisions. Monitor and implement shared vision. Engage in reflective practices (reflection/inquiry/dialogue/action). Monitor norms and take self-corrective action. Think strategically. Build a culture of interdependency. Self-organize. Diversify and blend roles. Establish criteria for self-accountability. Share authority and responsibility (dependent on expertise and interest rather than on role). Plan for enculturation of new staff and successor. Uses his or her formal authority to Implement community decisions. Mediate political pressures. Work with less-than-competent staff. Work with legal and reform challenges. Endnotes 1 For a more detailed discussion of the study, see Lasting Leadership: A Study of High Leadership Capacity Schools (Lambert Leadership Development, 2004).
Is it desirable to operate without a person in a full-time, formal role as principal? It depends. There are many reasons for having a principal. One person can more easily take responsibility for convening and facilitating conversations, securing focus, monitoring progress, working through personnel-related or legal difficulties, working with the district, and handling political pressures. In spite of the problems that may arise from giving so much responsibility to one person, principals continue to be the key to school improvement. Unless a school has already developed high leadership capacity, teacher behavior is often a function of principal behavior. Schools that have developed high leadership capacity take on a different character, however. Even if the principal is reassigned while the school is still in the transitional phase—which often happens—staff commitment can survive the change and even energize the new principal. Teachers find leadership in one another, assigning both credibility and authority to their peers. They tap into mutual authority by expecting others to identify problems and bring them to the group. When principals lead for “whenever they will not be there,” as most of the principals in our study did, teachers share responsibility for the effectiveness of the school. Broad-based, skillful participation in the work of leadership contributes to lasting school improvement that is all too rare. Principal's Role in High Leadership Capacity Schools Displays the following personal attributes and behaviors: Learns continually. Thinks strategically. Is value- and vision-driven. Continues and expands behaviors initiated in earlier phases. Participates with other members of the community to Share concerns and issues. Share decisions. Monitor and implement shared vision. Engage in reflective practices (reflection/inquiry/dialogue/action). Monitor norms and take self-corrective action. Think strategically. Build a culture of interdependency. Self-organize. Diversify and blend roles. Establish criteria for self-accountability. Share authority and responsibility (dependent on expertise and interest rather than on role). Plan for enculturation of new staff and successor. Uses his or her formal authority to Implement community decisions. Mediate political pressures. Work with less-than-competent staff. Work with legal and reform challenges. Endnotes 1 For a more detailed discussion of the study, see Lasting Leadership: A Study of High Leadership Capacity Schools (Lambert Leadership Development, 2004).