Domain 3: Organizational Leadership is comprised of four standards integral to successful school operation.
Standard 7: Leadership Development. Effective school leaders actively cultivate, support, and develop other leaders within the organization.
How do you actively cultivate, support, and develop other leaders within the organization? What role does delegation play in the success of your role as a school leader?
Delegation is a necessary component of the principalship. Appropriate delegation of tasks allows school leaders the ability to maximize the leadership resources of the school. The delegation process itself is extremely complex. The focus must be shifted from the task of an individual person to the task of the school as a whole. A paradigm shift in how all stakeholders perceive the school must be completed for effective delegation to work. Individuals must separate the idea of what they do as individuals to what needs to be done for the school as a whole. The principal’s number-one priority is zeroing in on tasks that require the highest-priority.
Of the highest priority must be those activities or processes that promote high student achievement. School leaders must place the top two to three priorities on the calendar first; failure to do so will result in the minutia cluttering and consuming the majority of everyday. Many school leaders fall victim to this. Covey (1989) said it best: “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities” (p. 161).
How do you effectively identify and cultivate potential leaders and establish a trust with subordinates to effectively complete tasks successfully and with fidelity?
Many schools still subscribe to the old stratified view of leadership where there is a strong divide between the instructional role of the teacher and the leadership role of the administrative staff. This is contrary to much research that indicates the most effective organizations are those where strong commitment and relationships, as well as shared leadership, are present.
It is clear, from decades of research, that there are so many untapped resources in America’s teachers. Elmore (2006) confirmed the vital role of teachers when he cautioned: One does not ‘control’ school improvement processes so much as one guides them and provides direction for them, since most of the knowledge required for improvement must inevitably reside in the people who deliver instruction not in the people who manage them. (p. 58)
Just as important as the role of teacher leaders in transforming public schooling, equally important is the preparation of principals who will be able to share leadership with teachers and guide them in this leadership.
Moller and Pankake (2006) stated that principals today are faced with three options: “Do everything themselves or with a few chosen teachers, sit back and let leadership occur in a chaotic manner, or intentionally plan and facilitate the process of collaborative leadership” (p. 8).
Barth (2001) noted something that is evident across schools in America. The stronger a leader is personally, the more likely s/he will be to share leadership. Weaker, more insecure leaders, are threatened by the idea of shared leadership and tend to try to get all the work done themselves. For many principals, a personal transformation in leadership is necessary to successfully rebuild schools and to cultivate shared leadership.
According to Crowther, Kaagen, Ferguson, and Hann (2002), the role of successful principals includes five functions:
- Visioning
- Identity generation
- Alignment of organizational elements
- Distribution of power and leadership
- External alliances and networking (p. 50-51)
Reeves (2008) agreed with these five functions and subscribes to the idea that the role of principals is “enormously important” as they serve as talent scouts constantly on the lookout for effective practice and continual improvement.
