EDAD 6580 - Reflection (Fall 2018)

EDAD 6580 Reflection

Course goals/Program Standards:

1) Visioning—students will understand how school and district vision are related to mission, strategic planning, school improvement, and school culture.

2)  Leadership Style—students will explore theories on leadership style and participate in a series of reflective activities related to their own leadership practices and habit.

          

Teacher Leadership Standard #7: utilize instructional frames to improve teaching

Prior Thoughts:

My prior thoughts pertaining to the course were mostly positive.  I remember reading the syllabus and thinking how straightforward the course appeared as well as thinking to myself “We are actually addressing leadership in a straightforward manner?”  In prior courses the idea of leadership was wrapped into other goals such as assessment, curriculum design, or professional development planning and implementation, to name a few. However this was the first course to tackle leadership head on.  I also thought I would come out of the course with clear answers on what it means to lead in a school setting. However after taking the course with Dr. Bond, I came away with more questions and a larger vision of what it means to effectively lead.

Reflection:

1. Don’t place people in “the box”
1. In the book Leadership and Self-Deception, by the Arbinger Institute, the main protagonist struggles with seeing other individuals as human beings.  This in turn causes people to be placed, “in the box”.  Leaders must not do this as it distances you from the people you are trying to empower.  By seeing others as people with feelings, emotions, difficulties, and unique personalities, we can connect with them on a meaningful level.  This creates trust and opportunity for relationships to form.  One of the most difficult things to do is yield to the idea of changing people to fit your ideals.  As stated by the Arbinger Institute (2010), “I’m trying to change them because, in the box, I think they need to be changed” (p. 133).  By changing people we are effectively attempting to manipulate individuals into our way of thinking and acting.  This demonstrates a lack of awareness of other people and their needs, emotions, and desires in life.  Trying to change people is the antidote for this ailment is simply listening and reflecting on people’s needs, emotions, and desires.  We must step outside of ourselves to tap into what someone else might be feeling.  Operating under this framework puts us into a more sensitive state, one which helps build true relationships with those around us.
2. Trust is a crucial element of effective leadership
1. What is the foundation of leadership? Is it confidence? Is it strong tactics?  After this course I firmly believe the answer to this question is trust.  As stated by Wally Bock in the article “3 Reasons it’s hard to learn leadership” (2018):

“Learning to lead is hard. You can’t learn to lead from books, you can only learn to lead by leading and that means making mistakes. You must forget the romantic ideas of heroic leadership and learn the mundane tasks great leaders do every day. If you aspire to great leadership, you must strive every day to make yourself worthy to be followed.” 

Making yourself “worthy to be followed” is the ultimate starting place of leadership.  Simply put if nobody wants to follow your leadership then they won’t do so.  If you enforce people to follow you, that is not leading but commanding and dictating.  As Dr. Bond mentioned in our last meeting, the difference between leading with power and leading through empowerment is quite drastic.  Empowering others through trust results in quality, effective, and sustainable leadership.

            Another takeaway is knowing the enemies of trust.  In the article “Enemies of Trust” by Robert Galford and Anne Seibold Drapeau (2003), multiple different ideas pertaining to what kills trust are presented. The idea of clarity in communication stuck out to me.  When leading, it must be crystal clear what you are asking and what you expect from your peers.  Many leaders fail to accomplish tasks simply because the message is not clear.  How can we expect success when the individuals we are working with do not know what we are asking of them?  As stated in the article, “Think through your priorities. Before you broadcast them, articulate them to yourself or a trusted adviser to ensure that they’re coherent and that you’re being honest with people instead of making unrealistic commitments” (p. 4).

3. It all starts with self-compassion
1. When in a leadership position one should expect to make mistakes.  It is inevitable.  A great leader could be defined as someone who isn’t perfect, but one who makes errors and adjusts accordingly.  In order to do so leaders must forgive themselves, or in other words, display self-compassion. Self-compassion is the inner compass of a great leader, as it guides them through treacherous waters and difficult situations. Self-compassion lifts the weight off one’s shoulders to be perfect and spotless.  As mentioned prior, trust is the foundational element when building relationships between peers, however self-compassion is a foundational element when building a relationship with yourself.  If one does not have a healthy relationship with their own being, they will not be able to lead effectively. As stated by Kristin Neff (2003) in the article “Self-Compassion: An Alternative Conceptualization of a Healthy Attitude Toward Oneself”:

“Self-compassion, however, is not based on the performance evaluations of self and others, or on congruence with ideal standards. In fact, self-compassion takes the entire self-evaluation process out of the picture, focusing on feelings of compassion toward oneself and the recognition of one’s common humanity rather than making (positive or negative) self-judgments. Thus, it actually counters the tendencies toward narcissism and self-centeredness that may stem from attempts to maintain high self-esteem” (p. 92)

Future Implementation:

            Even though this course focused on large scale and broad topics such as leadership style my future implementation strategy is straightforward and simple.  First, I will place emphasis on building trust with my peers.  I do not need to flex my leadership “muscle”, or prove to others I can lead a task or initiative. This will only push people away as the leadership feels forced and not genuine.  However focusing on establishing a bedrock layer of trust will make all future decisions more likely to be successful as my peers trust me. Secondly, I will focus on developing a deep sense of self-compassion.  This will be achieved through reflection, deep breathing, and positive self talk.  Developing a strong sense of self-compassion will enable me to continue on the leadership path through tough times.  As a young leader I am going to make mistakes.  However, how I bounce back is vital for my success long term.  Self-compassion is a sort of insurance policy to ensure I don’t beat myself up too much in the process of becoming a teacher leader.  

Relevant Coursework:

VLA:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yCl9iduBtr0WnDHlbrgyixqUnAJoDWZuRAe2Ow2EtWA/edit?usp=sharing

“Leadership and Self Deception” Reflection:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-E35h1Hld7yZJ7-U9kRRmSf-EoPsfZXms7g7uWbqIDo/edit?usp=sharing

Sources consulted:

Bock, W. (2018). 3 Reasons it’s hard to learn leadership. Retrieved from https://www.threestarleadership.com/leadership-learning/3-reasons-its-hard-to-learn-leadership

Drapeau, S. & Galford, R. (2003). The enemies of trust. In Harvard business review.

The Arbinger Institute. 2010. Leadership and self-deception. Oakland, CA. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, INC.

Neff, K. (2003). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2, 85-101. doi 10.1080/15298860390129863