I admire the leadership of a principal I worked with years ago. This principal’s philosophy was to see others as their best possible selves. She was generous with what I called “aspirational compliments.” She would actively compliment others (teachers and students), not so much for things they had done or strengths they had, but for things she believed they would do, strengths she believed they would develop. She deliberately broadcast her belief in the best of everyone.
Simon Sinek would appreciate (as I did) how this principal protected her people - both students and teachers. She protected teachers from occasionally irate parents, from local education politics, from the school board, and sometimes from our superintendent. As teachers, we felt safe because we knew we had her support. She also protected our time, by insisting on timely, efficient, and purpose-driven meetings - which helped us feel respected.
One more reason I admire this principal is for her practice of distributive leadership. She didn’t wield her authority over teachers. Rather, she trained and engaged us in collaborative decision making.
All of these characteristics and practices were formative for me in the development of my own ideas about what makes good organizational leadership.
Simon Sinek would appreciate (as I did) how this principal protected her people - both students and teachers. She protected teachers from occasionally irate parents, from local education politics, from the school board, and sometimes from our superintendent. As teachers, we felt safe because we knew we had her support. She also protected our time, by insisting on timely, efficient, and purpose-driven meetings - which helped us feel respected.
One more reason I admire this principal is for her practice of distributive leadership. She didn’t wield her authority over teachers. Rather, she trained and engaged us in collaborative decision making.
All of these characteristics and practices were formative for me in the development of my own ideas about what makes good organizational leadership.
I was intrigued by the term aspirational compliments. A trend that we saw in others in this class was that their leaders believed in them! Sounds like you were lucky enough to experience that too.
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