BRAVO Principal! Building Relationships with Actions that Value Others

Citation

Jean‐Marie, G. (2007), "BRAVO Principal! Building Relationships with Actions that Value Others", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 45 No. 1, pp. 119-120. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230710722485

In leading a school effectively, building relationships with students, parents, teachers and staff, and other stakeholders is a key ingredient. Sandra Harris in BRAVO Principal! Building Relationships with Actions that Value Others gets to the heart of relationship matters that value people in schools. BRAVO, an acronym for building relationships with actions that value others, is a concept that is developed throughout the book. Also weaved throughout this book are the personal anecdotes of the author as a former principal and true stories from real schools. Readers are drawn in by these stories as the author shares “important values [that are necessary] to build relationship among teachers, students, and others that establish a climate for effective schools to thrive” (p. xi).

It is a short, easy‐to‐read book, and Harris presents six actions that will help principals to foster relationships within and outside the school community. Chapter one discusses actions that are empowering which mean leaders give power away. Giving power away means three things: creating a shared vision; establishing trust; and building leadership at every level. As Harris asserts: “too often, principals give lip service to the idea of empowering others, but their actions clearly indicate that this has little value” (p. 3). To counter that, principals can implement tactical actions that will empower others. Give teachers freedom to teach, listen actively, promote continuous academic, social, and emotional development of all students (p. 11) to name a few are what BRAVO principals can put into practice to build relationships with actions that value others through empowering.

Chapter two discusses actions that are supportive which help lighten the load for teachers. These actions entail communicating effectively, offering encouragement, recognizing needs and providing resources to help facilitate and support the work of teachers. Effective principals both talk with and listen to students and faculty to learn about them as individuals (p. 16). Being visible and accessible, listening to concerns, acknowledging success, providing mentoring and resources are approaches that demonstrate principals' supportive actions of teachers. When principals lighten the burden for teachers, teachers are able to focus their efforts on teaching and learning.

In chapter three, Harris addresses actions that are respectful which make people feel important. Being fair, caring and celebrating diversity are ways principals can convey and model how to respect every individual. Creating a school climate that values and respects individuals depicts a healthy organizational environment. It permits individuals to respectfully agree to disagree with one another. Inputs from teachers, students, parents, community, etc. are welcomed and considered in decisions (i.e. school policies and procedures) that impact these different stakeholders. Harris asserts that principals “must treat all people in ways that make them feel important “(p. 43).

Chapter four and five focus on how principals, teachers and students achieve their personal best. In chapter four, principals engage in actions that challenge the imagination which mean thinking creatively. Bringing about change, solving problems, managing conflict are important elements to help challenge one's imagination. How a principal handles creativity that leads to successful change on a campus, how a principal leads the school in solving problems, and how a principal handles conflicts are key ingredients to a principal's success in building relationships among the campus stakeholders that value others (p. 47). In leading schools effectively, principals with their school community must define what they want to be and how they will sustain that philosophy. In chapter five, actions that uphold high standards (i.e. dream big) foster individuals achieving their personal best. Acknowledging responsibility, assessing wisely and challenging the status quo are the components of upholding high standards. BRAVO principals acknowledge the principal's responsibility for upholding high standards and recognize that standards are incremental and may differ at different times for different individuals and under different circumstances (p. 72). Principals set the tone on how the school community can think creatively and dream big. Harris presents viable tactical actions that principals can implement to support and foster these two actions.

Chapter six discusses actions that are courageous which enable principals to master fear. Knowing what you believe, advocating for others and staying the course are courageous acts that principals engage in to lead effectively. Harris states that “a foundational component of being able to act courageously on what we believe is to know what we believe” (p. 78). There are times principals will have to stand alone for the benefit of students and/or advocating for teachers. Pressures and tensions will always be present but principals must not lose sight of the intended purpose. The tactical actions presented in this chapter guide principals on how to stay the course and master fears that get in the way of leading their schools successfully.

The final chapter concludes with a discussion on how our actions define who we are. Harris succinctly states, “our actions do speak louder than our words” (p. 91). Principals confront daily dilemmas and problems that challenge their ability (i.e. take actions) to meet the needs of the people they lead. Therefore, it becomes imperative that they “build relationships that are grounded in valuing others” (p. 91). In sum, BRAVO principals build relationships that value others when their actions empower others, support the work of learning and teaching, are respectful of all, challenge imaginations, uphold high standards, and are courageous (p. 93).

In conclusion, BRAVO Principal is an enlightening read for aspiring and seasoned principals. Anyone who picks up this book will be re‐energized about how to build relationships in school organizations.

Note

This book is available from the following address: Eye on Education, 6 Depot Way West, Larchmont, NY 10538, USA.