Building leadership in schools While great leaders may be as rare as great runners, great actors, or great painters, everyone has leadership potential, just as everyone has some ability at running, acting and painting. (Bennis and Nanus 1985: p. 222)

Why the emphasis on leadership in schools? Mandated places for young people to be Increasing complexity Demand for change

What do you feel about leadership and leading? Reflect on your first significant act of leadership. How do you know it was an act of leadership? How comfortable are you with seeing yourself as a leader?

Background Focus on quality leadership and succession planning. Aimed to develop a tool to support associations and principals in building their own leadership and leadership in schools. Building on what had gone before

Fundamental understanding

Developing the L5 What do real, effective school leaders do? Think about people you would be willing to follow. List five things. As a group attempt to agree on your top five things.

Agreement on the fundamentals of leadership Its about knowing what needs changing and having the confidence to do something about it. Its about having an impact on other peoples’ behaviours, beliefs or attitudes. Its about being focused on the kids and the staff - on teaching, learning and wellbeing. Its about being professional and being able to run things smoothly and efficiently. Its about being an optimistic role model and support for others.

Five propositions became the L5 frame Leadership starts from within Leadership is about influencing others Leadership develops a rich learning environment Leadership builds professionalism and management capability Leadership inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others

1. Leadership starts from within

L5 1 Beliefs Values Integrity Vision Responsibility Commitment Courage Resilience Humour

2. Leadership is about influencing others

L5 2 Power Communication Respect Expectations Politics Trust

Understanding influence for leaders at all levels Australian Institute of Management Recommended

3. Leadership develops a rich learning environment

L5 3 Intellect Facilitation Teaching Openness Evidence Collaboration Trends

4. Leadership builds professionalism and management capability

L5 4 Systems Evaluation Accountability Consistency Networks Rigour

5. Leadership inspires leadership aspirations and actions in others

L5 5 Encouragement Risk Opportunities Mentoring Coaching Modeling

Reality check Your top five? A leader you admire? Political leaders? Does ‘good’ leadership necessarily build leadership? Leadership starts from within Leadership is about influencing others Leadership develops a rich learning environment Leadership builds professionalism and management capability Leadership inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others

A leadership frame for the profession Consulted widely Receiving completely positive response within and outside of schools Supported by the associations Provides common understanding and language of leadership

The L5 approach to leadership Leadership is leadership Leadership can be learnt Leadership can be sustainable

Leadership starts from within Leadership is about influencing others Leadership develops a rich learning environment Leadership builds professionalism and management capability Leadership inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others Leadership starts from within Leadership is about influencing others Leadership develops a rich learning environment Leadership builds professionalism and management capability Leadership inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others Leadership starts from within Leadership is about influencing others Leadership develops a rich learning environment Leadership builds professionalism and management capability Leadership inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others

Leadership starts from within Leadership is about influencing others Leadership develops a rich learning environment Leadership builds professionalism and management capability Leadership inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others Resilience Respectful relationships High but achievable expectations Authentic participation and contribution 56

The L5 is a frame for leadership The L5 is a frame through which to focus on leadership: –At different levels –For particular purposes –In particular contexts The L5 also provides strategic structure As an overarching or underpinning frame For developing tools

Learn:Lead:Succeed A resource for building leadership in schools Developed the L5 into a professional learning resource - not a program

The LLS approach 1.Leadership is a natural progression 2.All school staff members have leadership responsibilities 3.Leadership development is individual, school and employer business

1.Leadership development is a natural progression Self development and formation; to Working with and leading others; to Leading and managing teaching and learning, and professional development; to Leading and managing the organisation; to Motivating others

2.All school staff members have leadership responsibilities In working with children and young people In being a part of an organisation

3.Leadership development is individuals’, schools’ and the employers’ business Individual’s professional responsibility Organisation’s responsibility to ensure professionalism and sustainability Employers responsible for providing high quality learning opportunities - in preparation, ‘just in time’, and developmental

Part 1 (pp 4-20) of Learn:Lead:Succeed invites school leaders and leadership teams to build leadership capacity Leadership succession and building leadership in schools How leadership is formed Leadership development pathways. School based leadership development programs The leadership journey The professional learning resource

Part 2 (pp 21-81) consists of five sections. Each section has the same structure. Proposition What others say about leadership Reflective questions Individual processes Group activities and processes Strategies for action (for individuals, groups and employers)

Metaphorical drawing Page 29 But first… Your school is a garden What kind of garden is it (such as formal, Jamie Durie, cottage, Tuscan, courtyard, bush, concrete and roses)? What is your role in the garden (such as designer, head gardener, absentee landlord, pest controller)? Who are the other players (such as workers, particular plants, insects, birds, animals)?

Developing a leadership stance Page 27

Building a learning community - The high performance school Page 56

Possibilities

Avoiding the scattergun Leadership learning, like any other learning, needs structure

Leaders Lead The big leadership picture The L5 frame Leaders Matter The wellbeing of school leaders Mentoring and coaching Leaders Work The work of school leaders L5 2 L5 1 L5 3 L5 4 L5 5

Using the L5 An audit tool - on its own Combined with other models For particular purposes

Leadership Curriculum and pedagogical Organisational and management Political and community Cultural and wise …starts from within …is about influencing others …develops a rich learning environment …builds professionalism and management capability …inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others

Leadership Of Indigenous education Of student wellbeing Of boysOf the parent community …starts from within …is about influencing others …develops a rich learning environment …builds professionalism and management capability …inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others

Implementation What are the possibilities –For structuring leadership development programs? –For in-school work? –For inter-school work?

Leadership Life is the day by day living of it With apologies to Tolstoy