Disruptive Leadership

After having reviewed the articles and read about the 5C’s leadership approach, I am reminded that  it is important to have a voice and to be disruptive at the table. I confess I have shut down at times and have just done what I am told to do.

Leadership truly does take commitment, it is also important to build trust with those that surround me. To be a trustworthy leader it is important to make true connections with my fellow colleagues and to truly having their back. To be an effective leader I do believe that there has to be consistency and even with stress of our daily job, make sure to be approachable with my colleagues. Don’t pretend to be an expert. If I don’t know something I will let them know that I don’t know but that I will find the answer to support them.

As a second blog post for this week we were asked to look at five different articles, to choose a quote from each that resonated with us and to include a brief explanation of its impact on our leadership philosophy. Below are my quotes!

Article 1 : Leadership, more or less? A processual, communication perspective on the role of agency in leadership theory.

“The view of leadership that emerges from a processual communication perspective is more inclined to see it as an unstable, continuously evolving social construction embedded in what (Gergen, 2017) has characterized as ‘turbulent streams or conversational flows’ There are no finished, static entities: rather, there is only endless process .” (P. 19)

This quote hits close to home. So many times our leadership table have a seen followers, and listeners. The processual communication perspective is not stable, constructs a social construction that is not open to other ideas. No other ideas thoughts are allowed entry. Similar to “what I say goes, end of story.” The leadership is not disruptive with randoms goals and conversation where the endless process cycles.  Others in this group are also mere contributors…only followers where there is not much opportunity to discuss and grow.

Article 2: Critical and alternative approaches to leadership, learning and development.

“This emerging critical strand of the leadership literature therefore suggests that leadership development and learning should avoid presenting leadership as a fixed identity or role, instead encouraging an awareness of multiple roles (leader, follower and both). In addition, leadership learning and development should strengthen voices of alternate models to the masculine aggressive and individualistic one. ” (P.6)

I loved this quote for the reason that it suggests that leadership should not be seen as a “fixed” role and identity. It should in fact be seen as multiple roles not just the principal in the office  that deals only with students and the teachers. The leader is transparent, is clear and building relationships with staff, students and community members. The leader should also be in and about the classroom,  teaching and working alongside fellow teaching colleagues and facilitating leadership alongside colleagues where thoughts, and opinions matter and are respected with value.

Article 3: Avoiding Repetitive Change Syndrome

“Repetitive change syndrome harms a company’s capacity to make further changes. That is, for every change initiative added, another one slows down or disappears. In extreme cases, older initiatives aren’t completed and are eventually forgotten.” (P.3 )

This reminds me of the forever saying that I hear every year that “change is good, that change will happen for the better of the school.” I am also observing that change is quite repetitive on a yearly basis where it becomes hard and stressful for colleagues. As a core leader it is always hard to implement new goals and new changes to the school from the division when staff are constantly facing new changes on a yearly basis. This year we have a new principal who is phenomenal! Though with a new principal comes new ideas and more changes. Some change have impacted the school in a positive way and some changes have overwhelmed staff members. We have new strategic goals and this year that is the same across every high school. Teachers also must share how they will meet their personal goal while following the division goals. Are these true goals that staff are stating, or are they just simply “faking it” and sabotaging the change?

Image taken from Pixabay

Article 4: The stupidity paradox: The power and pitfalls of functional stupidity at work.

“More Self-reinforcing stupidity and reflexivity Functional stupidity can become self-reinforcing. This happens when employees stop searching questions and are rewarded with a sense of (false) certainty. It happens when they are good team players, reliable followers and well adapted organizational members who do not threaten their managers or colleagues.” (P. 17)

I am a hardworking teacher and core leader. I know I go beyond by job and I do my best to ensure my students are successful and that my fellow core members feel supported and heard. But time and time again, I have seen this above quote play out daily. With a former principal, learning council was about what this principal believed in and no questions were to be asked. And if you didn’t have questions or problems then you were a great leader and a supporter. There was no disrupting at the learning council table. I was also guilty of this where I was afraid to speak and share my true thoughts on certain matters. This was out of fear that I would threaten or upset a former principal which was clearly functional stupidity.  

Image taken from Pixabay

Article 5: Cross-Cultural Understandings of Leadership

“Others told us that the leader was a student. It was the wisdom of the leader, accumulated through some period of learning, others learned. That learning was voluntary. It was a neverending process.” (P. 16)

I enjoyed this quote from the article because it truly made sense to me. Leaders DO NOT STOP LEARNING. Leaders are not perfect and they do not have the answers for ever question but will do their best to find the answer. Leaders learn from others and are constantly working alongside others to help support the great cause to support student success that is truly meaningful.  

I enjoyed reading these articles because it made me think critically about my own leadership I  believe that leadership will never be perfect, but a leader should always seek to work alongside and collaborate with teaching colleagues to support true student achievement.

Thanks.

Krista