1. The document describes several challenges facing educational leaders today, including meeting new accountability standards with reduced budgets, unpreparedness for demographic and cultural shifts, and pressure from changing expectations. 2. It emphasizes the importance for leaders to know themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, and to study theories and practices of exemplary leaders in order to guide schools through these challenges. 3. Readers are prompted to complete a self-assessment inventory to evaluate their current leadership capacities based on research-based competencies, in order to identify areas for professional growth.

1. BLUNDERING
LEADERSHIP
MISSTEPS BY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
Tamara Arnott and
Gayla Holmgren-Hoeller

2. Blundering Leadership
Missteps by School Administrators
Tamara Arnott and Gayla Holmgren-Hoeller
Rowman & Littlefield Education
A division of
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD PUBLISHERS, INC.
Lanham • New York • Toronto • Plymouth, UK

3. Published by Rowman & Littlefield Education
A division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
http://www.rowmaneducation.com
Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PY, United Kingdom
Copyright © 2010 by Tamara Arnott and Gayla Holmgren-Hoeller
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any
electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems,
without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote
passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Arnott, Tamara, 1965-
Blundering leadership : missteps by school administrators / Tamara Arnott and Gayla
Holmgren-Hoeller.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-60709-422-7 (cloth : alk. paper)— ISBN 978-1-60709-423-4 (pbk. : alk.
paper) — ISBN 978-1-60709-424-1 (electronic)
1. Educational leadership—United States. 2. School management and organization—
United States. I. Holmgren-Hoeller, Gayla, 1950- II. Title.
LB2805.A66 2010
371.2'011—dc22 2009045444
™
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America

4. Table of Contents
List of Figures and Tables v
Preface vii
Note to Readers ix
â 1â Introduction 1
â 2â “I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 11
â 3â “Do as I Say, Not as I Do” 29
â 4â Take All the Credit and None of the Blame 47
â 5â Keep the Information Treasure Hidden 63
â 6â Hiding behind Closed Doors 81
â 7â “Sure, I’ll Pretend to Listen” 99
â 8â “My Lack of Planning Is, in Fact, Your Emergency” 117
â 9â “Don’t Diss Me” 135
10â Reconnecting and Rebuilding the Bridges Burnt 149
Appendix A: Historical Overview of Leadership 171
Appendix B: Leadership Tips 181
Appendix C: National Standards for Headteachers 189
Bibliography 203
About the Authors 211
iii

6. List of Figures and Tables
Figures
Figure 8.1 PELP Coherence Framework 125
Figure 8.2 Workflow Processing and Organizing 133
Tables
Table 1.1 Self-Inventory of Core Administrative Competencies 3
Table 2.1 Leadership Dispositions and Behaviors,
“I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 28
Table 3.1 Leadership Dispositions and Behaviors,
“Do as I Say, Not as I Do” 45
Table 4.1 Leadership Dispositions and Behaviors,
“Take All the Credit and None of the Blame” 61
Table 5.1 Communication Questionnaire 80
Table 6.1 Hiding behind Closed Doors Survey 96
Table 7.1 Community-Relations Continuum 106
Table 7.2 Collaboration Self-Assessment Tool 114
Table 9.1 Accepting Suggestions and Criticism Rubric 148
Table 10.1 Leadership Learning Plan 158
Table A.1 Leadership-Theory Matrix 179
v

8. Preface
In today’s environment, community members and society at large often per-
ceive the quality of educational programs as substandard. Poor leadership
behaviors from novice administrators contribute to this perception and are
particularly damaging because students ultimately suffer from the ripple-
down effect of the new administrator’s missteps. To combat, and reduce the
number of, unfortunate leadership choices made by new school administra-
tors, educational-leadership experts study models of effective leadership,
write books, and research articles with prescriptions for success.
While many of these works offer excellent advice on how to succeed in
leading others, some of these works can be frustrating to study. Theories and
concepts may be presented in a manner excessively cerebral and can be dif-
ficult to understand and apply. Often they are too abstract in nature and not
tied to real day-to-day challenges experienced by school administrators. We
believe that what these modelsÂfail to render is a clear definition of what
not to do.
Blundering Leadership: Missteps by School Administrators uses current,
real-life examples of poor leadership to demonstrate how even little mistakes
can make a big difference in a learning community and create dissension and
dissatisfaction, ultimately alienating staff members. In schools where poor
leadership skills are exercised, the customary goodwill of staff members
quickly evaporates; and lack of trust and respect for the leader stifles the in-
novative thinking that promotes student achievement. Through the use of
genuine misstep examples, we reveal what went wrong in an administrative
situation and outline how research findings in the fields of leadership, com-
munication, psychology, and organizational theory, applied correctly, can
make a positive difference in the success of a new administrator.
vii

9. viii Preface
Throughout this book, the reader will examine the ideals of leadership.
Reflective questions and opportunities to view both the missteps and good
examples of leadership are provided by scenarios and vignettes. Each chapter
will focus on leadership approaches that are ineffective and demonstrate ef-
fective research- and field-based practices, as discussed in the literature. Readers
will gain a better understanding of themselves and their leadership practice and
beliefs through opportunities to complete exercises that will as-sist in identifying
leadership dispositions, skills, and attitudes. The reader will grow and move
toward positive leadership behaviors that benefit, not only the leader, but staff
members as well; because the best leadership intentions prove futile if
subordinates are alienated in the process.

10. Note to Readers
As you are reading the scenarios and vignettes included in this text, you may
be thinking, No one would be that stupid, incompetent, or mean; these sce-
narios cannot be real. We would like to assure you that the incidences de-
scribed are all true. Only the identifying names, places, and noncritical
details have been changed to prevent readers from identifying particular
administra-tors or institutions.
Readers may be inclined to disassociate themselves from the blunder ex-
amples. Incidences were chosen because they represent extreme behaviors
and are meant to prompt introspective reflection. Would you behave in the
way exhibited in the scenarios? Perhaps you would not. It is our hope that
the readers will gain awareness of behaviors, dispositions, or tendencies that
may lean toward poor choices or less severe examples of mistakes in their
own practice.
None of the missteps shared resulted in the administrators being termi-
nated. In a few instances, the leaders portrayed were reprimanded for their
mistakes. In most cases consequences were more abstract, such as loss of
respect, inability to lead change, high teacher turnover, and a dysfunctional
climate.
ix

12. Chapter One
Introduction
Prechapter Questions for Reflection and Discussion
• Why do you want to be a leader?
• How do you define leadership?
• Can we learn from both exemplary leaders and weak leaders?
Tribulations Challenging Educational Leaders
As educators we like to believe that students provided with the best faculty,
pedagogy, curriculum, and supplies, will achieve greatness. They will be articu-
late, intelligent, and knowledgeable will create and support a diverse, highly
cultured, and economically sound society. While this sentiment can be ap-
plauded, in reality, faculty members and administrators experience challenges
and institutional cultures that promote faculty frustration and student failure.
Environments that stymie creativity and disenfranchise participants weaken
souls. In these environments, leaders and faculty alike become sidetracked and
the focus becomes one of survival, instead of one that promotes creativity. Risk
taking and openness to change are necessary for the creation of an institutional
culture that is truly designed to help students reach their full potential.
Leaders in education today must contend with a multitude of trying situa-
tions. Educational administrators encounter unbending demands to meet new
accountability standards while budgets are slashed. Faculties are unprepared for
inevitable challenges, such as economic, demographic, and cultural shifts.
Changing generational expectations (student as customer) and cognitive and/or
mental health concerns leave many teachers and administrators feeling helpless
and overwhelmed. These issues create a pressure-cooker-like environment that
1

13. 2 Chapter 1
strains to the brink the capacity and patience of faculty and staff members. The
crushing pressure experienced today by faculty, staff members, and administra-
tors pushes talented professionals away from a career in the field of education. If
steadfast and effective leadership skills and dispositions are lacking in admin-
istrators, and if attention is shifted from outcomes that really matter, school
systems and institutions of higher education will regress instead of progress.
Educators will lose their sense of cohesion, and organizational goals will be
subjugated or destroyed by outside interests. Exemplary leadership is needed to
guide us, as we attempt to overcome these discordant challenges.
Why Lead?
If you ask some aspiring school administrators why they want to lead a school,
they will share that they seek opportunities, including an increase in financial
prosperity, personal prestige, and more control (power and authority) over their
day-to-day lives. Power and authority is a great motivator for some; others have
different reasons fueling their passion to lead. These individuals’ efforts are
spurred by a desire to make a difference, in whatever institution they are a part
of and in whatever capacity they hold. Some potential leaders reveal that they
wish to move into leadership roles because they have a vision they wish to
implement and can do so only as a higher-level administrator; others just want
the opportunity to have their voices heard and believe that they must hold ad-
ministrative positions to get close to the ears of the real decision makers.
Consummate leaders know themselves, maintain a comprehensive view of
the world around them, and understand the underlying motivations that si-
lently guide their actions and decision making. Therefore, when preparing
for an educational-leadership role, it is important to seek an understanding
about one’s own talents, emotional nature, biases, beliefs, and ethical
character. In addition to knowing themselves, strong leaders have developed
their skills by studying the theories and best practices exhibited by
exemplary leaders. This is accomplished through an active and reflective
mind-set that attends to the lessons taught by both good and poor leaders.
Activity
Whatever the reason an individual might seek to lead, he or she will benefit
by completing a comprehensive self-reflection. Identifying one’s own
strengths and weaknesses, as related to research-based theories of effective
leadership, is key to professional growth in the field of educational
leadership and administration.

14. Introduction 3
The self-inventory in table 1.1 uses the program requirements for all admin-
istrative licenses developed by the Minnesota Board of School Administrators.
This self-inventory is designed to give you a snapshot of where you perceive
your leadership strengths and weaknesses to be, at this time. Please endeavor to
objectively rate your current level as accurately as possible.
Table 1.1.â Self-Inventory of Core Administrative Competencies
Assess your current level:
1 – Limited capacity
2 – Capacity not yet exercised
3 – Capacity exercised with some success
4 – Capacity effectively practiced
5 – Capacity is practiced with mastery and
serves as a model for others
N/A – I don’t see this as applicable
A: Leadership 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
1. Demonstrate leadership by collaboratively
assessing and improving culture and climate.
2. Demonstrate leadership by providing
purpose and direction for individuals
and groups.
3. Model shared leadership and
decision-making strategies.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of
issues affecting education.
5. Through a visioning process,
formulate strategic plans and goals
with staff and community.
6. Set priorities in the context of
stakeholder needs.
7. Serve as a spokesperson for the welfare of
all learners in a multicultural context.
8. Understand how education is impacted
by local, state, national, and
international events.
9. Demonstrate the ability to facilitate
and motivate others.
10. Demonstrate the ability to implement
change or educational reform.
TOTAL

15. 4 Chapter 1
Table 1.1.â Self-Inventory of Core Administrative Competencies
Assess your current level:
1 – Limited capacity
2 – Capacity not yet exercised
3 – Capacity exercised with some success
4 – Capacity effectively practiced
5 – Capacity is practiced with mastery and
serves as a model for others
N/A – I don’t see this as applicable
B: Organizational Management 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
1. Demonstrate an understanding
of organizational systems.
2. Define and use processes for gathering,
analyzing, managing, and using data to plan
and make decisions for program evaluation.
3. Plan and schedule personal and
organizational work, establish procedures to
regulate activities and projects, and delegate
and empower others at appropriate levels.
4. Demonstrate the ability to analyze need and
allocate personnel and material resources.
5. Develop and manage budgets and
maintain accurate fiscal records.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of facilities
development, planning, and management.
7. Understand and use technology as
a management tool.
TOTAL
C: Diversity Leadership 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
1. Demonstrate an understanding and
recognition of the significance of diversity,
and respond to the needs of diverse learners.
2. Create and monitor a positive
learning environment for all students.
3. Create and monitor a positive
working environment for all staff.
4. Promote sensitivity to diversity
throughout the school community.
5. Demonstrate the ability to adapt
educational programming to the needs of
diverse constituencies.
TOTAL

16. Introduction 5
Table 1.1.â Self-Inventory of Core Administrative Competencies
Assess your current level:
1 – Limited capacity
2 – Capacity not yet exercised
3 – Capacity exercised with some success
4 – Capacity effectively practiced
5 – Capacity is practiced with mastery and
serves as a model for others
N/A – I don’t see this as applicable
D. Policy and Law 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
1. Develop, adjust, and implement policy to
meet local, state, and federal requirements
and constitutional provisions, standards,
and regulatory applications.
2. Recognize and apply standards of care
involving civil and criminal liability for
negligence, harassment, and intentional torts.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of state,
federal, and case law governing general
education, special education, and
community education.
TOTAL
E. Political Influence and Governance 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
1. Exhibit an understanding of school
districts as a political system, including
governance models.
2. Demonstrate the ability to involve
stakeholders in the development
of educational policy.
3. Understand the role and coordination of
social agencies and human services.
4. Demonstrate the ability to align
constituencies in support of priorities
and build coalitions for programmatic
and financial support.
TOTAL

17. 6 Chapter 1
Table 1.1.â Self-Inventory of Core Administrative Competencies
Assess your current level:
1 – Limited capacity
2 – Capacity not yet exercised
3 – Capacity exercised with some success
4 – Capacity effectively practiced
5 – Capacity is practiced with mastery and
serves as a model for others
N/A – I don’t see this as applicable
F. Communication 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
1. Formulate and carry out plans for internal
and external communications.
2. Demonstrate facilitation skills.
3. Recognize and apply an understanding of
individual and group behavior in normal and
stressful situations.
4. Facilitate teamwork.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of conflict
resolution and problem-solving strategies.
6. Make presentations that are clear and easy
to understand.
7. Respond to, review, and
summarize information for groups.
8. Communicate appropriately (speaking,
listening, and writing) for different
audiences—students, teachers, parents,
community, and other stakeholders.
9. Understand and utilize appropriate
communication technology.
TOTAL

18. Introduction 7
Table 1.1.â Self-Inventory of Core Administrative Competencies
Assess your current level:
1 – Limited capacity
2 – Capacity not yet exercised
3 – Capacity exercised with some success
4 – Capacity effectively practiced
5 – Capacity is practiced with mastery and
serves as a model for others
N/A – I don’t see this as applicable
G. Community Relations 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
1. Articulate organizational purpose and
priorities to the community and media.
2. Request and respond to community feedback.
3. Demonstrate the ability to build
community consensus.
4. Relate political initiatives to stakeholders,
including parental involvement programs.
5. Identify and interact with internal and
external publics.
6. Understand and respond to the news media.
7. Promote a positive image of schools and
the school district.
8. Monitor and address perceptions
about school-community issues.
9. Demonstrate the ability to identify and
articulate critical community issues that
may impact local education.
TOTAL

19. 8 Chapter 1
Table 1.1.â Self-Inventory of Core Administrative Competencies
Assess your current level:
1 – Limited capacity
2 – Capacity not yet exercised
3 – Capacity exercised with some success
4 – Capacity effectively practiced
5 – Capacity is practiced with mastery and
serves as a model for others
N/A – I don’t see this as applicable
H. Curriculum Planning and Development for 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
the Success of All Learners
1. Demonstrate the ability to enhance
teaching and learning through curriculum
assessment and strategic planning for all
learners, including pre-K, elementary,
middle-school, high-school, special-
education, and adult levels.
2. Demonstrate the ability to provide
planning and methods to anticipate trends
and educational implications.
3. Demonstrate the ability to develop,
implement, and monitor procedures to
align, sequence, and articulate curriculum
and validate curricular procedures.
4. Demonstrate the ability to identify
instructional objectives and use valid and
reliable performance indicators and
evaluative procedures to measure
performance outcomes.
5. Appropriately use learning technologies.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of alternative
instructional designs, curriculum, behavior
management, and assessment
accommodations and modifications.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the
urgency of global competitiveness.
TOTAL

20. Introduction 9
Table 1.1.â Self-Inventory of Core Administrative Competencies
Assess your current level:
1 – Limited capacity
2 – Capacity not yet exercised
3 – Capacity exercised with some success
4 – Capacity effectively practiced
5 – Capacity is practiced with mastery and
serves as a model for others
N/A – I don’t see this as applicable
I. Instructional Management for the Success of 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
All Learners
1. Demonstrate an understanding of research
of learning and instructional strategies.
2. Describe and apply research and best
practices on integrating curriculum and
resources to help all learners achieve at
high levels.
3. Demonstrate the ability to utilize data
for instructional decision making.
4. Demonstrate the ability to design
appropriate assessment strategies for
measuring learner outcomes.
5. Demonstrate the ability to implement
alternative instructional designs, curriculum,
behavior management, and assessment
accommodations and modifications.
6. Demonstrate the ability to appropriately use
information technology to support instruction.
TOTAL

22. Chapter Two
“I Am the Boss and You Are Not”
Prechapter Questions for Reflection and Discussion
• Is it important to you to have other people actively recognize your
posi-tional authority? Why? Why not?
• Do you believe that staff will disrespect your authority and take
advantage of you if you allow them to do so?
• Do you believe that you can gain power by giving it away?
Scenario A: “Remember Your Place”
Debra Walberg: Superintendent
Sharon Coulter: Middle-School Principal
Morning Prairie, a school district of 1,000 students with a staff of over ninety,
recently hired Debra Walberg to lead the district. The previous superinten-dent,
who held the position for over fifteen years, retired unexpectedly due to health-
related concerns. Walberg, a teacher in the district with her administra-tive
license, was promoted from within the system, at the former superinten-dent’s
recommendation, just before the beginning of the school year.
One of Superintendent Walberg’s first responsibilities was to hire an
interim principal at Roosevelt Middle School, due to a late-summer resig-
nation. Sharon Coulter, Walberg’s selection, was bright and articulate and
had three years of experience as a middle-school principal. I’m pleased with
my selection, Walberg reflected, and I trust that Sharon will get the job
done.
11

23. 12 Chapter 2
A week later, after completing an extensive district orientation with
Coulter, Walberg assured the new principal, “I will be working closely with
you. Please consider me your mentor. I’m sure you are aware that I was a
teacher at Roosevelt for many years. I know the building, the staff, the par-
ents, and the curriculum. I’ll help you get acclimated, so you can understand
the building and school-district culture. My leadership style is
collaborative,” the superintendent explained. “I want all administrators in
this district to work together as a team in support of each other. We are all a
part of this district and its failures and successes.”
With a noticeable sigh of relief, Coulter replied, “That’s wonderful. I’m
feeling a bit overwhelmed, what with the move to a new community and
with the school year about to begin. I really appreciate knowing that I can
come to you when I need something.”
“Yes. Yes. I have an open-door policy. I am here for you when you need
me,” Walberg assured her while showing her to the door.
Three weeks later, the school year had begun, teachers were busy in their
classrooms, and students were getting comfortable with their schedules. After
the initial whirl of getting the school year started and the accompanying admin-
istrative activities, Coulter began feeling a little lost. The new principal felt
isolated because teachers were whispering together in small groups. Coulter
would enter the teachers’ lounge or a department meeting; discussion would
stop, and a new topic would be started. In a science-department meeting, teach-
ers had alluded to the fact that there was “history,” problems and concerns that
teachers had had with district administration and the school board.
Coulter wanted to understand the culture and to identify district controver-
sies, both past and present. She wanted to be instrumental in the process of
making the school district successful—to know more about district players,
their goals, and their aspirations, both over the short and the long term. Re-
membering the superintendent’s offer to be her mentor, the following week,
Coulter drove to the district office building and asked the secretary if she
could see Superintendent Walberg. After waiting for a half hour, while the
superintendent spoke in subdued but somewhat angry tones on the
telephone, Coulter joined Walberg in her office.
The superintendent looked tired. Her face was drawn and her skin was sal-
low. She had circles under her eyes, and her eyes darted around the room as
though she was preoccupied with her just-completed telephone conversation and
the numerous tasks she had to do. Attempting to suppress her preoccupa-tion,
Walberg asked, “What did you want to see me about?” Leaning forward in her
seat and looking directly into the superintendent’s eyes, Coulter enthu-siastically
began. “Will you tell me about the history, you know, the issues I keep hearing
about through faculty members at Roosevelt? I’m noticing some

24. “I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 13
strange behaviors from the teachers, and I’d like to know what all the mur-
muring is about. It would help me to learn more about the challenges we
face as a district. I’d like to learn how you plan to address these ongoing
concerns and the role I might play.”
Walberg took a deep breath, thinking, I’m too busy for this. I have my own, much
more serious district-level problems to deal with, and I am certainly not going to
invest my limited time in an interim principal who might not even be here next year.
The next words out of the superintendent’s mouth were spontaneous and stunned
even her. To Coulter, the words were both hurtful and shocking.
The novice superintendent sat up straight in her chair, paused briefly, set her
shoulders a little higher, and in an authoritarian tone informed Coulter, “I told
you what I want you to accomplish at Roosevelt. You need to focus on that, not
on what I’m doing. You are the interim middle-school principal. I am the Su-
perintendent,” she said, holding one hand high in the air, seemingly to make her
point. “I don’t have time to give you a district history lesson,” the superinten-
dent concluded, as she picked up the telephone and began to dial, ostensibly
dismissing Sharon from her office. (“I Am the Boss and You Are Not”)
Scenario B: “This Is Not a Democracy”
Sally: Secretary to the High-School Principal
Dr. Harper: High-School Principal
Mr. Thompson and Mr. Smith: Mathematics Teachers
Sally, the high-school principal’s secretary, informed Principal Harper in a
whispering tone, “I just overheard Mr. Thompson and Mr. Smith scheming to
swap next year’s teaching assignments. They intend to present this alternative
schedule to you today at the mathematics-department meeting,” she confided.
Harper, the second-year principal of a small, rural high school of 425 stu-dents,
grabbed his head in frustration and rolled his eyes. He was irritated to hear about
this attempt to undermine his authority. Although he’d been told by the previous
principal that she would ask the teachers at Hillside Oaks High School for their
assignment preferences before setting the schedule, he did not feel any
obligation to follow his predecessor’s example.
Harper looked at Sally and muttered, “I’m the principal and I set the
sched-ule. The staff just needs to get use to it.” After all, he pondered, I
attended six years of graduate school in education administration.
“It’s my responsibility to make these decisions,” the principal explained to
the nervous office manager. “But thanks for sharing what you heard with
me,” he called as she hurried back to her work area.

25. 14 Chapter 2
Harper walked briskly to his office, deep in thought. Last year a couple of
parents had complained that their children had first-year mathematics teach-
ers two years in a row. They blamed their children’s lack of success on poor
teaching. In the principal’s year-end performance review, the superintendent
had made it clear that he was tired of the high-school faculty’s tendency to
“dump on” the newly hired teachers, giving them the less-than-desirable
classes to teach, along with multiple preparations. The superintendent had
also met with the first-year teachers last spring, and the concern regarding
multiple preparations was their number one complaint. A first-year mathe-
matics teacher had actually left the school district, complaining of being
given only remedial classes to teach and multiple preparations. “Fix it,” the
impatient superintendent had barked at Principal Harper.
Even more daunting was the fact that mathematics teachers were in scarce
supply. Harper had spent a month of his summer reviewing files, checking ref-
erences, and interviewing mathematics teachers. Harper paced in his office and
fumed. If the mathematics faculty have altered my planned class schedule and
lightened their load at the expense of the new teacher, I am going to have to set
them straight. Don’t they understand that I’m held responsible for the school’s
success? Harper was aware that his faculty members were unhappy; grumbling
was noted when he’d passed out the assignments at the faculty meeting last
week. But too bad—if they want to be in charge, let them get their administra-
tor licenses and their own schools to run, the principal reasoned. My reputation
for leadership is on the line. I’m not about to ruin it all by trying to win a
popularity contest. I don’t need more complaining parents calling the superin-
tendent and making me look incompetent. It could cost me my job.
Harper picked up his leather notebook and the meeting agenda and started
toward the door for the mathematics department meeting, pondering what
exactly he should say to Mr. Thompson, Mr. Smith, and the others. Maybe
they were only planning on swapping classes, and it wouldn’t impact the
new teacher, he thought. But if I give them an inch, they will take a mile.
They need to learn who is in charge here. Yes, he concluded, I’ll tell them,
“Al-though you might live in a democracy, we don’t vote on the schedule in
this school!” (“I Am the Boss and You Are Not”)
A Leader Utilizes Power
The type of power displayed by a leader, along with the manner of its mani-
festation, can result in either positive or negative outcomes. The amount of
influence that he or she actually has is determined by both how and when a
particular approach is employed. The type of power selected, whether con-

26. “I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 15
sciously or unconsciously, and the manner in which it is executed make a dif-
ference in the morale of subordinates and the culture of the organization. For
example, a direct approach might include asking pleasantly, “Why did you make
that choice?” or pointing with a stern finger while shouting, “You made a bad
choice, now fix it.” An indirect approach allows employees enough in-formation
that they can determine the reasons why a leader made a particular decision, and
it might influence their support for the decision. In a faculty meeting, for
example, this might involve saying, “Let’s discuss this situation and the
limitations we need to work within to solve it.” Harper could also use an indirect
approach, telling the mathematics department, “We’re having a problem
retaining new mathematics teachers because of the difficult teaching schedule
they’ve been given. Parents have been complaining to the superinten-dent. I’ve
tried to address this issue with next year’s schedule.” Likewise, Su-perintendent
Walberg could have better utilized her power by directly telling the new middle-
school principal, “This is not a good time to discuss your concerns. I’m in the
middle of a small crisis and need to make some phone calls. Please schedule an
appointment with my secretary, and I’ll address your questions without any
interruptions.” Neither Harper nor Walberg, in these instances, has given up
authority; but the flexibility of leaders who use a situ-ational or adaptive
leadership approach (see appendix A) in these situations will likely result in
better relationships and more support for their leadership.
leadership tip 1: Communicate in a manner that encourages input.
leadership tip 2: Share the logic and reasoning behind an unpopular
position with other stakeholders.
The outcome of a situation may also be influenced, in part, by staff mem-
bers’ perception of the leader’s motivation in giving the directive or instruc-
tion. Leaders, like Superintendent Walberg, who convey indirectly by
expres-sion or deed that “your involvement is not wanted or needed” are
likely to experience more difficulties and reduced acceptance from faculty
and staff members. Additionally, staff members’ intensity of responsiveness
toward the administrator and his or her requests is influenced by the level of
skill the administrator has in utilizing his or her positional authority. It is
essential to consider not only the position one holds but also one’s own
personal/profes-sional dispositions, those personality traits, intuitions, and
ways of being that shape how we choose to lead.
leadership tip 3: Be aware of how your verbal and nonverbal messages
might be received by others.

27. 16 Chapter 2
leadership tip 4: Communicate with staff respectfully, regardless of your
emotional state. If necessary, take time to refocus on your primary goal.
The Leader is the One in Charge
The authoritarian leader as portrayed in cartoons, like Mr. Dithers, Dagwood
Bumstead’s boss in the “Blondie” comic strip, is probably the most common
picture that comes to mind when we consider the boss role. This is the chosen
one, the one who has permission to rule, without question, as he or she sees fit.
Glasser (2000) ties the word authoritarian with the term manager, which has a
different connotation from that of the term leader. A boss-manager is a
transactional, rule-enforcing entity, one whose main job is to maintain the status
quo. He or she will keep the wheels turning and get the job done, but not set a
direction. According to Glasser, authoritarian boss-managers
• set the task and standards;
• do not compromise;
• tell, rather than show;
• inspect;
• use coercion. (pp. 28–29)
Glasser derived his premise from French and Raven’s (1959) social power
theory. More recent suppositions regarding power, as expressed by Kezar,
Carducci, and Contreras-McGavin (2006), have developed Glasser’s theory
further. All contend that influence and control can be and are exhib-ited in a
number of ways. Autocrats use coercive power against those per-ceived as
dissenters and will utilize reward power to positively reinforce employees
who are obedient and do not question. This theory holds that it is the
position held and/or job title given that legitimizes bosses and their behavior.
Both leaders and followers buy into this hierarchical framework. Many
autocratic leaders hope to earn promotions and feel a thrill when considering
the power and accompanying financial rewards they will re-ceive once
elevated. Within educational venues, however, it is just not pos-sible for this
type of leader, the autocratic boss-manager, to be successful. In fact, in
addition to being ineffective, a boss-management approach will damage the
reputation of fine institutions and rather quickly derail reform efforts.
leadership tip 5: It is unrealistic to expect others to support your direc-
tives simply because of your position.

28. “I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 17
Teachers are individuals who take great pride in their knowledge about
their fields of study, the curriculum, teaching methodologies, and child
devel-opment. Through their professional experiences, they know quite well
their community and the children they teach daily. They have dedicated their
lives to teaching—accepting lower salaries, helicopter parents, and unruly
children as part of the bargain, just to fulfill their wish to improve the lives
of others through education. As you can imagine, when authoritarian,
bosslike leader-ship approaches are utilized, teachers tend to react in various
ways. We will consider three groups: (1) those who comply, (2) those who
stir discontent, and (3) those who walk out.
The first group, the compliers, will quietly follow directives, either with
enthusiasm or without, but they do not question the authority or knowledge
of the administrator. These individuals understand their role to be one of un-
questionable support. The second group, much more dangerous to a leader,
aggressively work toward derailing the administrator’s efforts and will hold
close their resentment, while laboring diligently to achieve their goal—to
subvert the reform effort and maintain the status quo.
The success of this second group should not be underestimated, as they
often achieve their objective. As demonstrated in the article “When Reforms
Travel: The Sequel” (Mehan, Hubbard, and Stein, 2005), a crisis took place
in a public school in San Diego; and the leadership approach utilized
resulted in little else but angry foot-dragging and a nonstop clamoring
against the di-rectives.
In this example, the San Diego district leaders advocated the formation of
learning communities, and set out to do so as fast as possible. Surprisingly
enough, the leadership purposefully chose an authoritarian approach. “Lead-
ership was aware that their actions would arouse passions and produce nega-
tive reactions. They believed conflict was necessary to move the system for-
ward—one administrator even made the statement, You have to break a few
eggs to make an omelet” (Mehan et al., 2005, p. 344).
Administrators in San Diego advanced reform directives and designated
who, what, where, and how. Discussions with faculty and staff members re-
garding why these decisions were made or on what empirical basis the
changes were founded, or even the best way to integrate and implement the
changes in the schools, did not occur. If they did, participants did not find
the exercises meaningful. Faculty and staff believed (and rightly so) that
school-reform decisions had already been made.
The most important people to recognize in a schoolwide decision-making
and implementation process are the teachers, and they were intentionally ig-
nored in the San Diego example. The leaders, in this particular situation,
chose to dismiss what they knew in their hearts: teachers should be active

29. 18 Chapter 2
designers and participants in their learning community, and involvement of this
important group of stakeholders is crucial at every step. Because the ad-
ministration blatantly disregarded faculty members’ knowledge, talents, opin-
ions, and expertise, not once, but twice (first while preparing the reform
strategy, and, second, when they put it in play), the reform effort failed. The
arrogance of the leadership was to blame (Mehan et al., 2005, pp. 352–53).
leadership tip 6: Provide time to hear comments, concerns, and
feedback from subordinates on schoolwide issues.
The third faction of teachers who experience the authoritarian approach just
choose to leave the profession in disgust. Freedman (2007) discusses just such a
teacher in his article “A Teacher Grows Disillusioned After a ‘Fail’ Becomes a
‘Pass.’” In this article, Freedman introduces a talented mathemat-ics teacher, one
who, even when following an extremely liberal grading scale, was unable to
fabricate the passing grade needed by a student to graduate. Although the student
attended class only once, the principal of this inner-city school district decided to
overturn the failing grade. The student graduated, the teacher quit. Ostensibly,
the principal’s decision was made because of the overwhelming concern
regarding low graduation rates; but at what cost?
leadership tip 7: Allow others to fulfill their responsibilities as assigned
without micromanaging.
The warnings about excessive manifestations of authority should not lead to
the conclusion that power or authority is always negative. Leaders seek and use
legitimate power; this is natural, normal (French and Raven, 1959). Using one’s
power and authority does not indicate any level of malevolence on the part of
the leader. Persons holding leadership positions must, however, be conscious of
the harm that might result if the power they hold is wielded carelessly. Inap-
propriate leadership approaches may encourage employees to act out and to
develop secret subcultures or alliances, whose only goal is to make the life of
the leader miserable and to obstruct his or her efforts. Do not underestimate your
staff. People can be very creative about retaliation. Teachers at Discovery High
School formed an alliance to harass their principal, a new to the commu-nity
boss-manager who was making unpopular changes in the school. This in-formal
group of teachers set up a schedule and took turns watching the princi-pal’s
home and following his wife’s vehicle to intimidate her as she ran errands, in
hopes that the principal and his wife would leave the community. It is also
important to remember that persons who will thwart the efforts of the boss might
not necessarily be blatant and/or open in their attempts. For example, a

30. “I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 19
disenfranchised elementary school teacher anonymously had the principal’s car
towed from the staff parking lot on the one day that the principal forgot to dis-
play his parking permit. Faculty and staff can and do respond in a variety of
subtle ways. Many passive-aggressive options for sedition are readily available:
forgetting to follow the new procedures; performing to the minimum standard
(work to rule); airing the dirty laundry about the district or institution in the
community at large; complaining to students and parents alike about the unrea-
sonable demands of the administration; and dishonestly calling in sick are
strategies used by faculty to express their discontent.
leadership tip 8: Use your authority with care. Use positional power to
make directives during only the most crucial situations.
Autocratic leadership, while ineffective, does the most damage to a school
or district when those holding the executive positions exclusively utilize this
approach. Faculty and staff simply do not flourish in an environment of “I
have you under my thumb.” Coulter, the new interim principal in scenario A,
will not flourish after her recent visit to the superintendent’s office and being
put in her place. In the future, Coulter will likely not volunteer her participa-
tion or provide wholehearted assistance in district initiatives. No doubt,
Coulter will stick close to her own building, maintain the status quo, and
perhaps even seek different future employment opportunities.
Lack of Respect toward Faculty Members
According to recent research, a perception that there is an intrinsic lack of
respect from administrators towards faculty members is one of the major
contributors to the national teacher shortage. According to the U.S. Depart-
ment of Education’s report Eliminating the Barriers to Improving Teaching
(2000), “the high number of teachers who leave the profession (22% within
their first 3 years on the job) explains the statistic that between 66% and
75% of annual teacher openings are due to exodus of unhappy educators” (p.
21). This lack of respect for teachers as professionals can take many
different forms, including the following:
• disregard for teachers’ expertise; forcing teachers to teach out of field
• failure to consult teachers on issues that impact the classroom:
little respect for professional judgment
• micromanagement of teachers and their time
• inappropriate administrative and clerical assignments for teachers (p. 24)

31. 20 Chapter 2
Another by-product of lack of respect from administration is low teacher
morale. This is important to note because a depressed state increases the
like-lihood that staff and faculty performance will also sink. It just becomes
too emotionally taxing to keep giving without reward of any kind. Kouzes
and Posner (2003) report that “employees who are ‘actively disengaged’
miss more than three times the number of work days than those who feel
valued and respected” (p. 283). Because teachers are the most important
element of the educational system, when teachers are absent for any reason
their ab-sence, over time, negatively shapes students’ educational
experiences (aca-demic, emotional, and social).
Antagonistic environments also create additional situations that diminish
school effectiveness. For example, faculty and staff may present themselves
physically, but not emotionally or in spirit (where creativity rests). Going
through the motions of one’s work may be acceptable in an industrial factory
or in an office; however, in the field of education it is critical that staff are
actively engaged in their work—the well-being of children, communities,
society, and our future depends on it.
The lack of relational leadership skills (see appendix A) and the “I’m the
boss” attitude often adopted by the newly promoted damage individuals and
the building climate and reduce institutional effectiveness. In fact, research
by Learning and Development Roundtable® Meeting Services (2007) found
“60% of newly promoted managers underperform in all areas dealing with
people management and high employee turnover” (p. 3); this type of under-
performance in working with others destroys relationships and dissolves
trust. As this occurs, opportunities for productive interactions between
faculty, staff members, and administration are also diminished. Lack of trust
also contrib-utes to impressions that a work environment is hostile. Mr.
Thompson and Mr. Smith, the teachers reprimanded for considering
swapping classes, were be-ing challenged because of the previous loss of a
new teacher; they aren’t likely to trust Principal Harper in the future. It is
also doubtful that they will now want to go that extra mile to assist the new
mathematics teacher this year. The authoritarian boss should expect that his
or her behavior and communica-tion (verbal and nonverbal) will create
predicaments where none originally existed. Remember, subordinates can
and will derail plans made by an au-thoritarian leader.
leadership tip 9: Be open-minded to ideas other than your own. Behave
in a way that builds trust and loyalty by listening to subordinates’
rea-soning and giving them the benefit of the doubt.

32. “I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 21
Giving Away Authority While Gaining Strength
Noticeably absent in cartoons and satirical humor are caricatures of the skill-
ful leader. This individual is highly respected and treated with admiration by
others. Take a moment to consider the best boss you have ever had—what
personality characteristics, behaviors, and/or dispositions earned your appre-
ciation? A skillful leader is transformational by nature (Kirkbride, 2006).
This person has a vision and works collaboratively to achieve goals. The
main job of the transformational leader is to create change and set a direction
that pro-motes development and growth of the members of the team.
According to Glasser (2000), a skillful leader will
• engage workers in discussion;
• model;
• make an effort to fit the job to worker talents and interests;
• encourage self-evaluation to promote and ensure quality; •
provide a noncoercive, supportive atmosphere. (p. 3)
Harper could have better achieved the superintendent’s directive regarding the
retention of mathematics teachers by being a situational/adaptive leader
(seeÂappendix A) and engaging the mathematics department members in a dis-
cussion and problem-solving session on the issue. Rather than be coercive,
Harper could acknowledge that some mathematics teachers are better skilled in
specific classes like calculus, and others are more interested in working with
high-risk students in remedial classes. He could explain that all mathematics
teachers, especially new professionals, need to have class schedules that ensure
their success and students’ achievement. Harper could have acknowledged that
he was under a directive from the superintendent and pressure from parents, and
he could have admitted that he was not a mathematics expert and did not know
the mathematics teachers well enough to know who was best suited to teach
specific courses. He could have encouraged the department to problem solve and
create a mathematics schedule that would best ensure the retention of skilled
teachers and a high-quality program for students. Through giving away some of
his authority to set the schedule, Harper could have gained the support of the
mathematics team and still addressed the concerns of parents and the
superintendent.
leadership tip 10: Model the behaviors and dispositions you desire in
your subordinates.
leadership tip 11: Give sincere consideration to suggestions made by
subordinates.

33. 22 Chapter 2
Collaborative Culture
An authoritarian approach to leadership hails from philosophies of the past
and is simply not effective in today’s more complex environments. Contem-
porary theories of leadership support a participative or team-leadership ap-
proach. Kezar and colleagues (2006) write, “The teams-as-culture concept
assumes that differences exist among people; this approach attempts to ac-
tively tap into and affirm differences. The purpose of this approach is to en-
large each member’s understandings of other individuals’ views” (p. 63).
Kouzes and Posner (2003) support fostering collaboration. They share
results of their research on teaming:
In the thousands of cases we’ve studied, we’ve yet to encounter a single
example of extraordinary achievement that’s occurred without the active
involvement and support of many people. We’ve yet to find a single instance in
which one tal-ented person leader or individual contributor accounted for most,
let alone 100 percent, of the success. (p. 241)
Kevin Anderson, an assistant principal for twenty-five years at Lincoln
Senior High School, experienced in his career both the boss-manager and the
skilled leader described by Kouzes and Posner. Anderson graduated from
Lincoln High School; worked as a hall monitor at Lincoln throughout his
college career; and was hired as a social-studies teacher and coach at
Lincoln after completing his college degree. After five years as a faculty
member, Anderson was promoted to the position of assistant principal. He
was popular with faculty and staff and was viewed as very competent in his
role. Principal Bower was Anderson's supervisor for many years; and, ac-
cording to Anderson, Bower demonstrated many boss-manager characteris-
tics. Bower, who had been an assistant principal when Anderson was a high-
school student, tried to maintain the administrative/student authoritar-ian
relationship with Anderson. Bower did not appreciate his assistant prin-cipal
questioning his decisions and would repeatedly put Anderson in his place by
just repeating one statement: “I remember when you were a snotty-nosed
brat, running around these halls chasing girls,” he would sneer, dis-missing
Anderson abruptly.
During another chapter of his career, Anderson worked with Principal
Jones, who was a reflective and skillful leader; Anderson, however, recalls
that their relationship was a little shaky in the beginning. Traditionally, in
large high schools, assistant principals see students who break rules and
determine the disciplinary consequences, while principals work with cur-
riculum and personnel issues. This had been the case at Lincoln High School
since its founding, and Anderson took great pride in “running a tight

34. “I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 23
ship.” Lincoln had a phenomenal reputation throughout the state—it was a
“first-class act,” a place where students were well behaved and the school
was orderly.
Early in the fall of Jones’s first year as principal at Lincoln, Anderson
returned from lunch early and saw two students sitting with their coats on
outside his office. “What are they sitting there for?” Anderson asked the
secretary.
“They’re going home. Principal Jones suspended them for smoking,” the
secretary replied. Anderson’s eyes grew large as he stared at the secretary in
disbelief. Walking briskly across the hall into Jones’s office, Anderson de-
manded, without preamble, “Mr. Jones. Am I in charge of discipline or do
you want to do it?”
Principal Jones took one look at Anderson’s red face and puffed up chest
and realized he had made a mistake. “You are in charge of discipline,” he as-
sured Anderson. “I over-stepped my boundaries.” Over the next seven years,
Jones and Anderson worked collaboratively on many tasks, and Jones
always gave Anderson dignity, respect, trust, and the authority to do his job.
Jones never took on Anderson’s role again without consulting him.
Principal Jones became a skilled leader who actively tapped into the
talents and skills of his assistant principal and his faculty. He heard Assistant
Princi-pal Anderson’s concerns and acted accordingly. Jones’s willingness
to act in a cooperative fashion demonstrates the importance of developing a
collabora-tive culture, which is essential to effective leadership. A leader
who accepts his or her role as team member and colleague, in truth, is
essential to the suc-cess of any venture (Kezar et al., 2006).
leadership tip 12: Recognize and encourage the potential of others by
providing opportunities for leadership.
Notice we used the phrase “in truth” above. In this circumstance, appear-
ances reflect reality, as opposed to the practice of having things look right,
rather than be right. A common, but ineffective, practice some new leaders
try is to operate on a belief that if they merely include people in a discus-
sion, this is sufficient collaboration. But it is not, especially if the faculty and
staff do not believe they were heard or that their opinions and efforts have
been or will be taken seriously by the supervisor. If participants in a process
believe that they are there for show or so that the administrator can feel
better about being democratic in his or her leadership style, the process is
deemed inauthentic. This situation will be easily identified upon hearing the
following comment uttered in hushed tones: “Why did they bother ask-ing
us our opinion, if the decision has already been made? Why do they

35. 24 Chapter 2
waste our time with these meetings?” Once this occurs, you will become
aware that faculty and staff, previously enthusiastic, will decline to partici-
pate; they will begin to disassociate themselves from such “participative”
processes in the future.
A prime example of this inauthentic leadership approach was experi-
enced by the staff at Webster Elementary as they began the process of hiring
a new building principal. This large, urban school district, with 10,000 stu-
dents and an administrative staff of thirty-five, was led by Superintendent
Willow, who instituted the practice of having multiple, large interviewing
committees for administrative vacancies. He would set up an interview
committee by choosing parents, students, and staff from the building that
had the principal opening. Additionally, an administrative team would be
established to interview the candidates, and, of course, he and his associate
superintendent would also interview the prospective administrators. The
committees developed a profile of the ideal principal, screened credentials,
and wrote interview questions. At first blush, this looks like a very partici-
patory process; however, the superintendent repeatedly ignored the recom-
mendations of the interview teams and hired a candidate who was not their
first choice—and sometimes not even their second choice. Needless to say,
within a couple of years Willow was having difficulty finding volunteers for
his administrative interviewing teams. In this scenario, everyone lost. Su-
perintendent Willow missed an opportunity to demonstrate servant leader-
ship (see appendix A) and allow others in the organization to share the
power to make decisions. When faculty participation ceases, the autocratic
and/or authoritarian leader is free to do whatever he or she pleases and point
at the lack of interest from subordinates as additional justification for inde-
pendent decision making; however, the veil of participatory management is
quickly stripped away and processes disintegrate.
leadership tip 13: Be willing to accept the team’s recommendation even if
it is not your preference.
Relational Leadership
The team-leadership model and/or relational-leadership approach (see
appen-dix A) discussed by Kezar et al. (2006) are derived from studies
focusing on how female gender roles influence power-style choices and
utilization. These studies found that women leaders tend to interact in ways
that are based in strong relationship/network-building approaches, in which
a culture of team-ing is developed. Relational leadership

36. “I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 25
• is inclusive;
• encourages diverse positions;
• empowers participants;
• is focused;
• is ethical;
• is process/system orientated. (Kezar et al., 2006, p. 64)
Leaders who encourage and allow for honest discourse and decision mak-
ing at the lowest possible levels, along with true collaboration, gain strength
in innumerable ways. These leaders
• build and enhance relationships;
• open dialogue to improve processes and strategies;
• create an environment in which respect and trust are
experienced; • allow for risk taking and creativity;
• generate a bond of loyalty with and for the team;
• fashion a system that supports quality, shared oversight, and responsibility.
Because employees will unite against any effort to change the status quo,
if they are treated disrespectfully, exemplary leaders will not attempt to
influ-ence process through strong-arm tactics.
Finding a Balance
Sharing authority can be risky if the leader does not understand his or her
role. Caution! It is important to recognize that sharing authority and
decision-making rights does not mean becoming hands-off—the leader still
holds the responsibility and is accountable to all of the stakeholders of his or
her edu-cational system. School administrators have obligations that must
not be forgotten. Dr. Harper is responsible for the high school’s schedule
and is be-ing held accountable for the retention of new mathematics
teachers; but by sharing with the mathematics department the challenges and
demands in-volved with assigning classes to teachers, he could gain valuable
support and cooperation. Approaching the situation as part of a team, he
might find that the mathematics teachers have insight that he is not aware of
and solutions that he has not considered.
leadership tip 14: Be forthright and open about problems, especially
during times of stress and dissension; it will lessen the frustration
and anger that you will encounter.

37. 26 Chapter 2
Time, Training, and Thoroughness
Another obligation that is often forgotten, due to the “putting out fires”
atmosphere found in many schools, is that of providing faculty and staff
members with the three Ts: time, training, and thoroughness. A leadership
style that allows and encourages strong stakeholder participation requires
strong leadership and support. As Rallis and Goldring (2000) suggest,
administrators cannot assume that “getting a group of professionals to-gether
will result in well-conceived decisions. Training in communica-tion, team
building, and conflict resolution prove essential” (p. 43). If this important
responsibility of preparing committees is ignored by adminis-trators, then it
is likely that the faculty will view this approach as the “whatever” leadership
style, otherwise known as the laissez-faire leader-ship model (Raven, 1992).
Allowing for others to make decisions does not mean that the leader
abdicates responsibility. The leader remains accountable for the vision, the
oversight of strategies and processes, and the facilitation and media-tion of
people and best practices. Leaders are a sounding board; they provide
feedback, ask questions, and make suggestions to assure that de-cisions
made or plans suggested by faculty and staff members are feasible. If
valuable suggestions are not feasible, leaders determine how to go about
creating a situation in which the ideas can come to fruition. If Su-
perintendent Walberg wants to have a collaborative leadership style where
her administrators function as a team, as she told her new middle-school
principal, she will need to make time for team building and use a collab-
orative approach. The timing may not have been perfect when the new
principal asked for information about the district’s culture and asked to be
involved with setting district goals; but Walberg could be a relational leader
(see appendix A) and seize on the opportunity to make these issues the focus
of her next administrative team meeting. Working together to identify the
communication issues in the middle school and address dis-trictwide needs
could be a vital team-building exercise for the administra-tive team, and also
could assist the new superintendent in achieving her goals. If she taps the
talents and skills of each member of the team, the job may not be as
overwhelming as it seemed on the day the new principal visited the
superintendent's office.
leadership tip 15: Do not allow your emotional state to affect how you
communicate with staff. The educational leader needs to be a medium
who facilitates processes and buoys up faculty and staff members,
creating an effective environment for teaching and learning.

38. “I Am the Boss and You Are Not” 27
Conclusion
The goal of this chapter is that the reader will realize that the “I am the
Boss” attitude of Superintendent Walberg, Principal Harper, and others
discussed throughout the chapter reaps nothing but destruction. The
emotional energy expended by those who work in a climate that is
discouraging is energy wasted. The use of emotional capacity in this manner
is harmful, and nega-tively affects employees’ ability to function effectively.
Consequences of pes-simistic emotions have been researched for years.
Hargreaves and Fullan (1998) share with readers that “prolonged stress (as
caused by hostile envi-ronments) [is] bad for your immune system, your
mental health, your capac-ity to care for yourself and others, and can even be
fatal” (p. 55). After sig-nificant time working in a hostile and unwelcoming
environment, people lose the ability to bounce back from disappointment
quickly. Therefore, difficult matters become even more burdensome to rise
above. This is observed in veteran teachers who “pooh-pooh” every
suggestion for change made. They have been disempowered and no longer
exhibit interest in extending them-selves in any way, shape, or form. In this
type of disrespectful climate, the quality of the work produced by teachers
falls rapidly, creativity is stifled, and students bear the brunt of the frame of
mind and despondent outlook com-municated by the teaching staff.
Whitaker (2003) writes, “If you always respond appropriately and profes-
sionally, everyone else will be on your team. But the first time you do not,
you may lose some of your supporters—and you may never get them back.
This makes maintaining a high level of dignity, especially under pressure, a
critical skill. Effective principals have this skill; others do not” (p. 22).
Activity: “I Am the Boss and You Are Not”
In your role as a leader you must empower others to experience success. Re-
flect on your answers to the prechapter questions.
In your leadership journal, write down the dispositions and behaviors you
recognize in yourself that will positively or negatively influence your ability
to lead in your new role. Self-assess how with your current outlook or ap-
proach, you will change or adapt to become more effective.
Use the rubric in table 2.1 to appraise your current leadership style. Com-
plete this exercise quarterly.

39. 28 Chapter 2
Table 2.1.â Leadership Dispositions and Behaviors, “I Am the Boss and You Are Not”
Almost Frequently Occasionally Almost
Always Never
Communicate in a manner that
encourages input
Share the logic and reasoning behind
your unpopular position with other
stakeholders
Have awareness of how your verbal
and nonverbal messages might be
received by others
Allow emotional state to influence how
you communicate with staff
Expect others to demonstrate respect
for your position by supporting your
directives
Provide time to hear comments,
concerns, and feedback from
subordinates on schoolwide issues
Allow others to fulfill their
responsibilities as assigned without
micromanaging
Use positional power to make
directives during only the most crucial
situations
Are open-minded to ideas other than
your own
Model the behaviors and dispositions
you desire in your subordinates
Give sincere consideration to a
suggestion made by a subordinate
Recognize and encourage the potential
of others by providing opportunities for
leadership
Are willing to accept a team’s
recommendation other than your
preference
Are forthright and open during times of
stress and dissension

40. Chapter Three
“Do as I Say, Not as I Do”
Prechapter Questions for Reflection and Discussion
• What is meant by “do as I say, not as I do”?
• What is the real message you send with the “do as I say, not as I
do” ap-proach? Is there a price you pay when utilizing this approach?
• Can you provide leadership when you lack experience successfully
per-forming in a similar role?
Scenario A: The Telephone-Use Policy
Bob James: Business Manager
Diane Hanson: High-School Principal
Kelly: Secretary to the Business Manager
Part One: “Do as I Say”
Bob James was a novice business manager of a suburban school district in the
late 1980s. In the three short years James worked for the Spring Lake School
District, the district’s poor financial stability improved. The school district’s
fund balance was now in excess of state recommendations. This was due in part
to James’s frugal management of funds and keen fiscal scrutiny, includ-ing
hard-hitting negotiating with all employee groups. When a new expendi-ture
was requested, James would respond: “If you are going to add anything to the
budget, what are you going to cut to pay for it? There are only so many pieces of
the pie.” For every new cost discussed, it was the same rejoinder: “If
29

41. 30 Chapter 3
you hire an additional social worker, who or what are you going to cut in its
place to pay for it?” Like a broken record he would repeat, “There are only
so many pieces of the pie.”
A sense of professional ethics was also paramount to the business
manager. School funds were used only for student benefit, exclusively and
without exception. For example, using taxpayer monies to purchase coffee
and rolls for teachers on staff-development days or to provide telephones in
teachers’ classrooms was excessive, in his opinion, and did not serve student
interests directly enough to justify the expense.
Diane Hanson, hired the same year as the business manager, was the
principal of one of the two high schools in Spring Lake School District. She
was a bit surprised at the memo she received from Business Manager James
early in the fall. James’s memo directed district administrators to inform
staff in their building to adhere to a new telephone-use policy, regulating
district-employee use of school telephones. (Cell phones were not yet com-
mon.) The memo read: “You are to use pay telephones in your building for
personal phone calls. Since the school district is a tax exempted entity, tele-
phone service invoices exclude federal and state tax charges. Therefore, it is
unethical for employees to utilize a school district telephone for a per-sonal
phone call and financially benefit for a personal service that is tax
exempted.”
James was perhaps accurate in his assessment of the tough financial
choices that needed to be made; however, while it was commendable to set a
high ethical standard for use of taxpayer funding, by communicating with
colleagues and subordinates in this manner, he was perceived as being flip-
pant, uncaring, dismissive, and unrealistic. James’s instructions also
indicated a lack of insight into building principals’ priorities, the everyday
struggles of faculty members attempting to create the best learning
environment for stu-dents, and the need to have an atmosphere of
collaboration and collegiality that supported team building. Colleagues’
perception of James was detrimen-tal to his ability to lead, especially when
he appeared to not hold himself to the same strict standard. This double
standard was witnessed by James’s col-league, Principal Hanson.
Part Two: “Not as I Do”
Hanson and James were commuting to a university seventy miles away to work
on their doctorates in education administration, in a weekend and eve-ning
program. When Hanson dropped by the business manager’s office one morning
to discuss who would drive that weekend and what time they should leave, she
found Kelly, the business manager’s secretary, engrossed in word

42. “Do as I Say, Not as I Do” 31
processing on her computer keyboard. Numerous yellow-lined, handwritten
sheets of paper lay in a stack on her desk. At first Kelly didn’t notice Hanson.
When she did notice the fidgeting principal, she turned from her computer
screen and asked, “What can I do for you? You wanna see James?”
“Wow, you’re hard at work,” Hanson noted.
“Yeah, it’s a lot of typing. I can’t imagine having to write a dissertation.
How’s your writing comin’?” the secretary asked.
“Slowly. Very slowly,” Hanson replied. “Is James in?” she asked,
thinking, She’s typing his dissertation on school district time?
“Yeah, I’ll let him know you’re here,” Kelly replied as she pressed the in-
tercom and announced, “Diane is here to see you.”
“Send her in,” James enthusiastically responded.
Hanson found him facing a desk covered with the same yellow-lined tablet
paper as his secretary’s workstation. Scattered among the sheaves of paper were
various textbooks Hanson recognized from the courses she and the busi-ness
manager had attended over the last two years. “You’re working on your
dissertation?” she questioned with surprise and a slightly raised eyebrow.
“Yeah. I’m working on chapter 4. As you know, administrators with
doctor-ates are a priority for the superintendent. He’s really pushing me to
get it done by the end of the school year.”
“Yeah, yeah. He’s been telling me that too. But I’m just not going to have
time to write until July and August,” Hanson sighed. After an awkward pause,
Hansen explained, “Well, I just stopped by on my way back to my office to see
if you want to drive this weekend and what time you want to leave.”
“Sure. Sure, anytime—how does 4:00 work?” Seeing her standing by the
door, James offered, “Please sit down . . . have a cup of coffee, relax a minute.”
“No. I gotta run,” Hanson replied. “It’s hard for me to be out of the build-
ing, especially over the lunch hour. I’ll see you on Friday afternoon,” she
called over her shoulder as she hurried out the door.
“He’s working on his dissertation during work hours. I don’t even have
time to read my e-mail,” Principal Hanson mumbled under her breath as she
dashed by the secretary. I can’t believe he’s writing his dissertation and Kel-
ly’s typing it on district time. I sure hope teachers don’t hear about this,
Hanson thought as she shook her head in disbelief. They’ll have a field day
with it. (“Do as I Say, Not as I Do”)
Broken Trust
In “Broken Trust Happens,” Covey writes that trust can be gained only once and
lost once, and, once lost, it’s lost forever (2006, para. 2). Broken trust has

43. 32 Chapter 3
a harmful long-term impact and does irrevocable damage to an administra-
tor’s reputation and relationship with the persons involved. “It’s not just how
we behave that affects trust. It’s also the interpretations people make of
those behaviors and the conclusions people draw from them that affect trust"
(Covey, 2006, para. 9). The failure to model expectations and behaviors is
especially detrimental when administrators destroy trust with their followers
through inappropriate behavior. Let’s review how these situations might
have been handled differently.
When new expenditure requests were presented to James, he could have taken
the time to listen and to respond, not shut down colleagues with an overused
cliché; he could have asked questions in a way that would have prompted
thoughtful reflection by all involved. A process should be in place for fiscal
reporting to stakeholders. Faculty and administrators should receive fiscal
reports explaining the current district obligations, along with the wide range of
expenditure requests. Also, a meeting could be held where all parties would
learn more about the priorities of others and the district’s bottom finan-cial line.
At this meeting, the stakeholders could begin to reflect on how to work together
collaboratively to set priorities for the district. The lack of a jointly developed,
cohesive spending plan, based on the district’s mission and goals, created the
pressures James felt. Instinctively, he believed funds were not being utilized as
efficiently as possible; but his gut reaction, to assume that others could not
understand the financial issues or pressures or balance the priorities, was in
error. Forcing people into all-or-nothing situations—for example, higher pay or
smaller classes—is ignoring the gray area that exists in every disagreement. The
best approach would be a relational-leadership approach (see appendix A),
where all stakeholders were well informed and provided with opportunities to
share their perspectives, working together to form a cohesive financial plan for
the district.
leadership tip 16: Invite all stakeholders to participate in the decision-making
process. This will create cohesive support for the final decision.
James’s weak relational-leadership skills (see appendix A), demonstrated in
his approach to fiscal requests, set the stage for his downfall. He tried to
promote and ensure the highest ethical use of funds by faculty and staff, while
not following the spirit of his own directives. Once the story comes out (and it
always does), personnel become extremely frustrated and feel, in a sense,
betrayed. At this point in a relationship, people begin to look for ways to hurt,
discredit, or demoralize the one they see as the problem. James expected that
personnel could and should use pay phones because of tax exemptions on the
school lines; but, seemingly, he had no difficulty working on his education on

44. “Do as I Say, Not as I Do” 33
school time, as well as having Kelly use her on-the-clock time to be his per-
sonal secretary. Even though the superintendent made completion of James’s
doctorate a priority, ethically, state funds should not have been utilized in
this manner. It was especially hypocritical, seeing as he set the ethical bar so
high with telephone use. James could have hired the secretary, with his own
money, to type up his work (outside regular work hours); and he could also
have asked the superintendent to support the completion of his degree by
providing him with professional-development time to write.
leadership tip 17: Maintain high ethical standards for yourself by asking
yourself, “Would I support this behavior from a subordinate or col-
league? If a newspaper reporter became aware of this behavior,
would he or she find it newsworthy?”
Failure to Lead by Example
An arrogant attitude, as demonstrated by an “I’m above the law” mentality,
reflects negatively on the leader. A less severe interpretation of this type of
behavior is a perception that the leader is disrespectful. He or she demon-strates
a lack of commitment to the values embedded in the organizational culture, and
lacks a steadfast nature to see them through by implementing a policy. This
behavior indicates an “I’m different, and better than you” attitude and may be
perceived by others as narcissism. It is also possible, even prob-able, that the
leader is not aware of the social cues he or she is sending and/ or not aware of
how his or her own emotional state and leadership/follower experiences have
influenced the development of his or her leadership style. Unfortunately, this
state of affairs is dangerous both to the individual and the institution. When the
one in charge puts self above requirements set for oth-ers, credibility, trust, and
respect are lost. James’s credibility with Principal Hanson was obviously
damaged when she witnessed him working on his dis-sertation on school-district
time. Eventually, James will lose credibility with others in the school district as
they learn of his transgression, and any respect administrators and faculty had
for him will dissipate.
Credibility will be greatly reduced as staff members lose respect for the
supervisor due to (apparent) arrogance, demonstrated by placing oneself apart.
This demonstrated lack of commitment to the culture negatively influ-ences the
individual’s effectiveness. Development and maintenance of strong working
relationships are crucial to institutional success. Behaviors and atti-tudes
(sometimes called dispositions) that damage relationships create diffi-culties and
situations that hurt and diminish the organization’s productivity

45. 34 Chapter 3
and success. These may be impossible to resuscitate, especially if this type
of behavior goes on too long or goes too far, as in the following example.
After a day of professional development, a young, newly hired associate high-
school principal arrived back on campus wearing clothing outside the required
building dress-code policy. He was on a mission and he moved quickly around
the building, picking out faculty and selected staff members to lecture about
their (in his eyes) lackadaisical approach to their jobs. He spoke in serious tones
about the importance of following his directives. Soon, this individual, with the
initials MJL, was referred to by the code name “My Jesus Lord,” since he
seemingly considered himself above the rules. Any in-formation shared and
demands made by him were derided by his subordinates and, if they could be,
discarded as soon as he left the school grounds.
leadership tip 18: Show respect to your subordinates by following the
rules you set, without exception.
leadership tip 19: If it feels wrong, it probably is. Ask yourself if you
would be completely comfortable having this decision or action
pub-licized. Expend the time necessary to ensure that decisions
made and actions carried out are ethical.
The academic literature is replete with research studies on how the social mi-lieu
experienced by employees at work influences morale, atmosphere, and per-
formance. For example, Mauro (2002) notes that, especially in times of change and
stress, community formation and support by management are significant fac-tors
predicting success. “The need to belong and feel supported in the workplace
becomes more important as our world becomes more uncertain” (para. 5).
In defining a community, we think of common interests, values, goals, a
pulling together mentally; emotional and material support help facilitate a
group’s success. When leaders place themselves apart from the group, be-
cause of their high place in the organizational chart, it damages staff and
faculty members’ feelings of mutuality. This behavior or attitude works
against community-building efforts and damages communication and
organi-zational effectiveness. In schools where “I’m exempt” leadership
dispositions are present, feelings of disregard are prevalent. Under this set of
circum-stances, resentment exhibited by faculty and staff will develop and
settle down to roost for the long term, eroding support for the organization.
A prime example is Principal Carol Wilson, who was a fifty-year-old ele-
mentary principal recently transferred to a small, close-knit building in a
high-poverty neighborhood. Wilson’s staff was made up of thirteen female
teachers who had young families. In her new role, Wilson frequently had

46. “Do as I Say, Not as I Do” 35
early-morning faculty meetings or individual education plan (IEP) meetings on
specific students experiencing difficulties. The new principal was appalled at the
high frequency of teachers coming in late to these early-morning meet-ings.
Teachers often covered for each other in the IEP meetings, bringing written
feedback on student behaviors from teachers who were absent or late; Wilson
was not happy with the less than 100 percent attendance. She con-cluded that the
teachers were probably routinely not getting to school on time either. Her
solution to the problem was to announce that she would now be taking
attendance at all morning meetings and checking daily on arrival times at
school. Wilson wrote in an official memo, “I expect you to be at all meet-ings
on time, and, as the teacher contract indicates, I expect you to be in your
classrooms at 7:30 a.m.” True to her word, Wilson now had a sign-in sheet at
early morning meetings and began to stand at the entrance to the building with a
clipboard, recording the arrival time of each of her teachers. Resent-ment among
teachers was exceedingly high. Most had young children they needed to drop off
at day care. Day-care centers had established start times or charged extra when
hours were expanded. Sick children also frequently ne-cessitated a change in
day-care plans that required additional travel time to relatives who would take
care of an ill child. In the past, teachers in the build-ing had enjoyed a positive,
community-like relationship. They had helped each other out by attending an
IEP meeting or picking up handouts at a fac-ulty meeting when a colleague
requested it. This kind of assistance had not often been needed, because the
former principal had scheduled meetings at the end of the day, when there was
an hour without students in the building.
After seeing Wilson with her clipboard and sign-in sheet, the young teach-ers
complained: “Who is she to come and change everything? We all get along and
help each other out. Why is she messing with it—if it ain’t broken don’t fix it.
And why do all the meetings have to be in the morning?” they questioned. A
month later, teacher bitterness doubled when Wilson walked into parent-teacher
conferences twenty minutes late. Collectively, the young teachers agreed they
were done putting in “one extra moment beyond contract commitments”; and
Wilson found herself sitting alone in her office, or walk-ing the halls, with little
more than obligatory communication from her staff. There was no point in
telling her teachers that she was late because she was responding to an
emergency telephone call from an irate parent whose daugh-ter had been sent
home with a noncustodial parent. All explanations, justifica-tions, and
communication with her teachers would be futile.
leadership tip 20: Pay attention to the needs and requests of your staff.
Your willingness to compromise will increase their loyalty and com-
mitment to the institution.

47. 36 Chapter 3
The name given to the behavior exhibited by Principal Wilson and the
“MJL” administrator by sociologists is psychological contract breach
(Suazo, Turnley, and Mai-Dalton, 2005). People who work and/or live
together inter-act under a set of social norms that point to how colleagues
should behave and communicate. Relational leaders (see appendix A) are
cognizant of these norms and acknowledge that relational factors must be
recognized and ad-dressed. For example: If you act respectfully toward me, I
will, in return, mirror the actions back to you. This widely recognized social
contract is cru-cial and necessary for successful community building. A
breach of this con-vention, even if unintended, can exert far-reaching
consequences. Suazo and colleagues (2005) further discuss results that occur
if strong interpersonal communication skills are lacking. Included in this list
are negative outcomes that include the following:
• reduced trust
• lower job satisfaction
• poorer moods
• less organizational commitment
• increased turnover
• decreased performance of in-role and extrarole work behaviors
Scenario B: One of the Boys
Jack Tower: Assistant Principal
Detective Whitman: Guest Speaker
Department Chairs
Jack Tower was an assistant principal at Jefferson High School, a 1,600-student
building in a suburban school district. Tower had taught social studies and
coached ninth-grade football for six years before completing his administra-tive
license at the local college. Support for high-school athletics was para-mount in
Tower’s life. A former high-school and college football player himself, Tower
maintained an “all-American” image by devoting extensive time to weight
lifting, running, and frequenting the tanning booth. When Tower was promoted
to assistant principal at Jefferson, he continued his friendships with teachers in
the building, especially coaching colleagues. Often, Tower and a handful of his
former teaching and coaching colleagues went on fishing or hunting excursions;
and the group met weekly for “attitude adjustment gatherings” on Thursday
nights at the local American Legion Club. At their happy-hour sessions, the
friends rehashed the high-school foot-

48. “Do as I Say, Not as I Do” 37
ball team’s previous Friday night’s performance and critiqued school-board
meetings and recent city-ordinance changes. After his promotion to assistant
principal, Tower frequently told his buddies, “I’m still just one of the boys.”
Perhaps because he felt he was still just “one of the boys,” Tower was not
comfortable directly confronting teachers’ unprofessional behaviors, espe-cially
if one of his buddies was involved. However, Tower was comfortable scolding
department chairs for their subordinates’ behaviors and insisting that the chairs
reprimand the guilty teachers. “At our staff development session on building
security, three teachers were reading the newspaper and six, six,” the assistant
principal emphasized, “were correcting papers while I talked about lockdown
procedures. They didn’t even stop when Detective Whitman from the police
department described intruder scenarios. Where’s their profession-alism?” he
fumed. “What do you imagine the detective thinks of Jefferson High School
after that display of disrespect? What do you think he’s going to tell officers in
his department downtown? You [department chairs] need to address teachers’
unprofessional behavior in your next department meeting,” he ordered, a vein
pulsating in his forehead and his eyes narrowing in a steady
glare. (“Do as I Say, Not as I Do”)
Because Tower is uncomfortable with the behavior of the teachers, his
friends, and because he wants to remain “one of the boys,” he has placed
himself in a professionally tenuous situation. As a principal, he can maintain
the friendships he has forged over the years, but he needs to recognize that it
is his role, not that of the department chairs, to manage the behavior of his
staff. Tower needs to be an adaptive leader (see appendix A) and take
respon-sibility for the appropriate interpersonal skills needed in this
situation. It is important to note that the best way to handle this type of
situation is to avoid it altogether, by taking responsibility for creating the
atmosphere of the work-shop. When convening workshops, Tower must
have the courage to direct adults in regards to their behavior, including his
friends. This can be done in a respectful fashion by simply beginning the
workshop with some housekeep-ing reminders: welcoming everyone,
reviewing the agenda, and going over standards of decorum for the duration
of the session: “Please put all cell phones on ‘vibrate’ and close all materials
not related to the topic being dis-cussed.” At this time, Tower should, as any
good teacher would, wait for compliance before beginning to speak on the
topic or introducing the guest. If Tower acts like a leader, by sharing his
reasonable expectations, no friend will fault him.
leadership tip 21: Maintain professional impartiality. This will allow you to
switch between informal and formal roles. Separate personal rela-
tionships from professional duties and responsibilities.

49. 38 Chapter 3
Emotional Health and School Leadership
One issue of particular importance in avoiding the “I am above the law”
men-tality is self-awareness. Knowledge of self, an awareness of one’s
emotional drivers, is often not recognized by newly promoted
administrators. Tower, for example, did not recognize the inner conflict he
felt at the behavior of his teacher friends, and he tried to avoid it by calling
on others to take on his responsibility to manage.
Aspects of emotional intelligence have been correlated with key
leadership skills, or, contrarily, their absence. For instance, weakness in
interpersonal skills, lack of person-focused attitudes, and ineffective
operational manage-ment will accelerate career derailment (Center for
Creative Leadership, 2003). Although novices in leadership positions may
be well-meaning and good people, a lack of understanding of their own
emotional triggers and ar-eas of emotional strength dooms them to
substandard performance in their new roles. According to the Center for
Creative Leadership, specific behav-iors or skills, identified by research, that
are tied to individuals with excellent leadership include the following:
• participative management
• putting people at ease
• self-awareness
• maintaining a balance between personal life
and work • straightforwardness and composure •
building and mending relationships
• doing whatever it takes
• decisiveness
• confronting problem employees
• change management (p. 1)
Both scenario antagonists, James and Tower, lacked these leadership skills. James
lacked the self-awareness to recognize the double standard in asking teach-ers to use
a pay phone because they were benefiting from school-district tele-phone rates and
then profiting, himself, from using school-district time and re-sources to complete a
doctorate and secure a pay increase. A trigger of anxiety for Assistant Principal
Tower was confronting his teacher buddies, and it illustrated his own leadership
weakness in interpersonal skills. If the situation was unavoid-able, Tower needed to
demonstrate leadership through straightforward, honest, and private conversations
with those who he believed were behaving badly.
Based on various constructs of emotional intelligence examined by re-
searchers Salovey and Mayer (1990) and Bar-On (2000), “Emotional intelli-

50. “Do as I Say, Not as I Do” 39
gence competencies linked to successful leadership include the ability to
monitor one’s own feelings and emotions while simultaneously recognizing
and observing the feelings and emotions of others. Information gathered
[through this monitoring] should guide planning and behavior” (Stone,
Parker, and Wood, 2005, p. 3). The deeper one’s emotional intelligence, the
more likely he or she will be able to demonstrate competence; however, it is
necessary to undergo serious reflection of self in order to become an exem-
plary school leader. This does not mean hours on the couch with a highly
trained psychologist, but it does point to serious and honest self-questioning
and reflection. The reflection, if facilitated by friends and professional men-
tors, is invaluable. Without knowledge and awareness of one’s own
emotional state, unintended reactions and outbursts exhibited by promising
new admin-istrators may quickly tank careers.
The Ministry of Education and Training in Ontario funded a research project
with the goal of identifying “key emotional and social competencies required by
school administrators (principals and vice-principals) to meet the demands and
responsibilities of their positions” (Stone et al., 2005, p. 3). The secondary
purpose of this study was to develop professional development opportunities for
school administrators, to help them to grow in their emotional-intelligence skills.
The researchers believe that gaining an understanding of one’s emotional health
is possible and recommended raising leadership potential of future lead-ers
through emotional-intelligence training.
Bar-On (1997) designed an inventory to assess emotional intelligence. He
sought to learn more about how individuals recognized their own strengths
and weaknesses and also how others, superiors and subordinates, viewed the
emotional abilities of the leader taking the inventory. Participants rated
them-selves on these particular competencies. This Emotional Quotient
Inventory (EQ-i), developed by Bar-On (1997), looked at the following:
• intrapersonal abilities
ºâ self-regard
ºâ emotional awareness
ºâ assertiveness
ºâ independence
ºâ self-actualization
• interpersonal abilities
ºâ empathy
ºâ social responsibility
ºâ interpersonal relationship
• adaptability
ºâ reality testing

51. 40 Chapter 3
ºâ flexibility
ºâ problem solving
• stress management
ºâ stress tolerance
ºâ impulse control
• general mood scale
ºâ optimism
ºâ happiness
(Stone et al., 2005, pp. 4–5)
In addition, participants were rated by at least one superior and three sub-
ordinates on task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership abilities, such
as coming to meetings prepared or seeking consensus during decision-
making processes. Based on these surveys, a total leadership score was
determined, and individuals were designated as having above-average (80th
percentile or above) or below-average (20th percentile or below) leadership
skills. Al-though no significant differences were found between primary and
secondary administrators on the emotional-intelligence and leadership
competencies, some differences were noted by role. Vice-principals were
perceived by staff as having stronger relationship skills than the principal;
while superintendents perceived principals as having stronger skills than
vice-principals in all three areas being studied (task orientation, relationship
orientation, and total lead-ership). The results of this study demonstrated that
the above-average admin-istrators performed higher than the below-average
administrators on the fol-lowing subscales:
• emotional self-awareness: the ability to recognize and understand
one’s feelings and emotions
• self-actualization: the ability to tap potential capacities and skills in
order to improve oneself
• empathy: the ability to be attentive to, understand, and appreciate
the feel-ings of others
• interpersonal relationships: the ability to establish and maintain
mutually satisfying relationships
• flexibility: the ability to adjust one’s emotions, thoughts, and
behavior to changing situations and conditions
• problem solving: the ability to identify and define problems and
generate potentially effective solutions
• impulse control: the ability to resist or delay emotional
behavior (Stone et al., 2005, p. 7)

52. “Do as I Say, Not as I Do” 41
No difference was noted between above-average and below-average ad-
ministrators on general mood indicators. All patterns remained constant for
above-average administrators, regardless of gender, role, or level of leader-
ship (primary/secondary). The Bar-On study determined that total emotional
intelligence is a strong predictor of successful school leadership.
Let’s examine a couple of situations that are high stress and require the
administrator to have a strong grasp of his or her emotions. The first example is
that of having to deny tenure to a faculty member or letting staff go. If it is done
with empathy and caring, and if the goal is to problem solve what is in the best
interest of the individual as well as the organization, it can be a win-win
situation. One seasoned assistant principal, Chuck Orton, often spoke about his
supervising principal, Leanne Krueger, and her capacity for ad-dressing
personnel issues in a straightforward and caring manner. “It was truly amazing,”
the assistant principal exclaimed with disbelief. “Leanne could tell the teacher
that he was not going to get tenure. Or that he was going to be put on a
probationary plan for improvement. And after a half an hour of dialogue,” Orton
explained with astonishment, “they would walk out of Le-anne’s office and
shake her hand and say ‘thank you.’” In a high-stress situa-tion, Orton’s mentor
principal was assertive but also had the ability to monitor her own feelings and
emotions and the feelings and emotions of the teacher. On the other end of the
spectrum, we can observe a situation not handled nearly as well, due to the weak
emotional intelligence of the administrator. A student and parent brought
concerns to the attention of the administration regarding a teacher and her
sexuality. A fairly new supervising principal con-fronted the female physical
education teacher on her sexual preference. Ap-proaching the teacher in an
abrupt manner, the principal shared with the teacher the rumors that were
brought to his attention. The principal then de-manded to know if they were true
and questioned if it was appropriate for her to supervise girls in the locker room.
He did not give the teacher an opportu-nity to refute or discuss these delicate
concerns in a calm environment, but kept firing questions at her and not giving
her sufficient time to respond. The principal was accusatory, emotionally
uncomfortable, and inflexible. The emotional attack caused a good teacher to
leave the district at the end of the year. Seek to learn the truth. Do not make
assumptions or allow your own insecurities to cause inappropriate reactions.
Seek to understand. Often anxi-eties about people of different races, religions,
cultures, and sexuality create instances wherein misunderstandings or
miscommunication occur; and situa-tions are blown out of proportion.
leadership tip 22: Recognize your personal biases and keep them in
check.