Systems Thinking as a Leadership Practice. The complex world in which we live requires leaders to think systemically.
The concept of systems thinking was popularised by Peter Senge in his book “The Fifth Discipline” where he describes system thinking as: “a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing patterns of change rather than static snapshots.” The practice of system thinking helps us see the underlying inter-relationships and connections which create the events occurring in our organisations. Principles for collaborative leadership. I occasionally see suggestions that business leaders should act more like orchestra conductors.
The idea being that you as a leader should guide your business like a conductor leads an orchestra. Well, you shouldn’t! When asked if the orchestra conductor is a good role model for business leaders, Ben Zander, a conductor himself, answered: ”It’s the worst! The conductor is the last bastion of totalitarianism in the world—the one person whose authority never gets questioned. How To Improve Your Social Media Skills In 30 Minutes A Day. Getting the most out of social media takes time and effort, right?
Only if you let it. In fact, there’s a popular visual going around that was originally made for marketers but could just as easily be useful to teachers, students, and school administrators. Whether you’re a social media expert, beginner, or somewhere in between, this has some awesome tips to help you improve your social media skills and more. The tips are divided into particular social networks. From Twitter and Facebook to Instagram, there are a lot of quick tips that any teacher on the run (isn’t that every single one?!) Scheduling Messages Some of the biggest tips are really marketers-only, mind you. Talk To People Talking To You.
6 Precepts for Principals. Have you checked out the latest issue of Educational Leadership yet?
The April 2013 issue focuses on the theme, “The Principalship.” Check out the infographic below with six precepts for principals. Looking for more from Educational Leadership? It’s easy to order previous issues online. And be sure to check out the issue’s study guide for your PLC or download the iTunes U study guide. Ten Ways to Pump Up the Volume on Student Leadership. High School Redesign Gets Presidential Lift. Why It Takes More Than a Genius to Lead a School - Finding Common Ground. Why Would Anyone Want to Be a School Leader? - Finding Common Ground.
Teaching Ahead: A Roundtable - Design Your Dream Teaching Job Archives. Educator Evaluation. School Climate: Missing Link in Principal Training? Response: We Need "Fewer John Waynes & More John Deweys" - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo. (This is Part One of a two-part series.)
Last week's question was: This is a question that I regularly wrestle with in our school district, and I assume many others around the country do as well. Today's guest responses will be coming from the perpective of teachers -- shared by Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers; Dean Vogel, President of the California Teachers Association (Disclosure: I am a proud member of the CTA); and Barnett Berry of the Center For Teaching Quality (Disclosure: I am a member of the Center's Teacher Leaders Network). Part Two in this series will be sharing thoughts from three Superintendents, as well as from readers.
Working Together, We Can Produce Genius - Finding Common Ground. When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he wasn't sitting alone in his office thinking deep thoughts.
He was surrounded by a few dozen scientists working together in the Menlo Park complex, working, in fact, in large open spaces where they could discuss ideas and collaborate. Many of the men even went home together at the end of the day to a nearby boarding house. Despite popular conceptions that genius is solitary work, research is offering increasing evidence that collaborative groups come up with more and better ideas than do individuals working alone. Schools have started to shift, out of necessity, from teachers working in isolation to teachers combining efforts to work more strategically. The leader's job is to maximize the potential of these groups. Of course, when one member subverts the intention of the group and dominates the conversation, or when squabbling silences voices, the full intelligence quotient of the group is not reached.
What is collective intelligence? Teachers as Leaders - Leadership 360. Rural Leader Buoys School With Foreign Students. For Each to Excel:Lessons from Steve Jobs. Thomas R.
Hoerr What can school leaders learn from Steve Jobs's career and from the success of Apple Inc.? Jobs was a larger-than-life individual who changed the world with his inspiration and tenacity. He has been favorably compared to Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Pablo Picasso, geniuses in invention, manufacturing, and art. But Jobs was a complex figure. In a November 14, 2011, New Yorker article, Malcolm Gladwell calls Jobs a bully and says, "Even within Apple, Jobs was known for taking credit for others' ideas. " Mr. Obama: Most Schools Aren't Like Your Daughters' School. Published Online: January 22, 2013 Published in Print: January 23, 2013, as Schools for Other People's Children Commentary By Alan C.
30 Habits Of Highly Effective Teachers. Editor’s Note: We often look at the qualities and characteristics of good teaching and learning, including the recent following pieces: How A Good Teacher Becomes Great What You Owe Your Students.
IthinthereforeIamresistant. Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy.