Are You A Leader Worth Following?

Depending on who you ask, thoughts on what a leader is could vary widely. Some leaders are quiet, while some can be more outgoing. There are some leaders that are charismatic, while others could be boorish. No matter the characteristics, the success of any school rests on its leadership.

Leadership is defined as the ability of an individual or a group of people to influence and guide followers or members of an organization, society, or team. Leadership is multifaceted and requires certain skill sets. Working in education, most of us have experienced varied styles of leadership. We all have leaders that we really enjoyed working alongside and others that we would rather not have known. Let’s dive into a few things that strong leaders do. This is by no means exhaustive, but rather a glimpse into effective leadership.

Leaders, how are you engaging with students during arrival? Are you outside of the entrance of the campus greeting students, staff, and parents? Are you paying attention to the verbal and nonverbal cues of each individual entering the building?

How do stakeholders respond to you? What are your conversations like as you make your way around campus? Are people receptive to you or do they try to avoid you? What are your relationships like with the people in your building?

Do the teachers on your campus respect your opinions when it comes to instruction? Are you regularly visiting classrooms and providing teachers with feedback relative to their instruction? Are you actively involved in the PLC process? Are you providing the resources teachers need to be successful?

How well do you handle stressful situations? Can your team depend on you to remain calm when there are multiple situations arising concurrently? How well do you delegate responsibility? Do you micromanage or do you trust those that you have put in charge of systems?

This discussion could go on infinitely, because there are so many complexities when it comes to leadership. Ask yourself, am I doing what’s best for the people that I have been called to lead? Are you doing things that garner good will and encourage people to want to follow you? Are you a leader worth following?