20 Strategies for Collaborative School Leaders

Citation

Guy, G. (2007), "20 Strategies for Collaborative School Leaders", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 45 No. 1, pp. 121-123. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230710722494

A growing concern over the principal shortage has led to speculations that the shortage is exacerbated by the tremendous responsibilities and duties of the job. Some of the research findings attribute the shortage to an aging and retiring population of principals, but critics counter that there are ample numbers of principal candidates but fewer are applying for the jobs left vacant by retirement. Consequently, many educators and administrators conclude that the primary cause for the principal shortage is related to the challenges of the job. In an era of school reform, the issues of assessment, accountability and diversity have drastically changed the role of the principal over the past decades. Principals are now accountable to multiple stakeholders – students, parents, teachers, community leaders, local school districts and federal agencies. They are expected to ensure that all students receive a good education.

Traditionally the role of the principal was perceived as someone who acted unilaterally, but the changing nature of schools and the complex issues surrounding education necessitate collaborative leaders. Jane Clark Lindle, author of 20 Strategies for Collaborative School Leaders, explains why collaborative leadership is needed and how it promotes good education for all students, which is the goal of schools and principals. A third generation educator, the author has years of experience as a special education teacher, a principal and observer of principals at the elementary and secondary levels. She has served as school principal in several school systems across several states. Her years of experience combined with field‐based observations, notes and journals provide the reader with insightful strategies that demonstrate collaborative school leadership.

Although collaboration is widely recognized as an important concept, Lindle finds it necessary to explain what it is not. The perception that collaboration means having a “peaceful and placid state of agreement among all parties,” implies that everyone agrees and avoids conflict. However, she advocates “authentic collaboration” for school leaders that is “recognition and exposure of the conflicts inherent in any school environment” (p. 1). Lindle identifies two major sources of school conflict, “human nature and the shortage of school resources” that collaborative leaders must acknowledge and address if they expect to provide a good education for all children.

The book, 20 Strategies for Collaborative School Leaders, is divided into five chapters that explain the purpose of each and a subset of strategies. These strategies include examples of good and bad forms of collaborative leadership. Each of the examples describes situations and conflicts that occur in a school environment and how the collaborative principal's response can lead to solutions as opposed to escalating conflict. The role of the principal is to make “good education accessible to all students, and to do that, school leaders must find ways to collaborate with many people and groups” (p. 3).

In the first chapter, “Why schools need collaborative leaders,” Lindle stresses the importance of principled leadership. Principled leaders possess self‐awareness of what they stand for and knowledge of what others stand for, teachers, parents, community leaders, and students. The collaborative school leader does not shy away from conflict, but seeks it out in order to make connection. Leaders are encouraged to view the many opinions from teachers, students and parents as valuable resources for collaboration. The opinions provide options that enable principals to make choices, but the options they choose will require “knowledge and wisdom, in other words – Leadership” (p. 11). The basis for every action or decision by the collaborative school leader must rest upon one important question: “How does this benefit the students” (p. 11). The author provides examples of the collaborative leader in situations that demonstrate the use of thinking creatively, stimulating humor, inspiring generosity and hope.

The second chapter, “Student achievement and discipline,” is a major area of concern for school leaders and teachers. Lindle acknowledges the complexities associated with student growth and development while reminding principals that the hallmark of their role as an instructional leader is marked by “student achievement and discipline are entwined with student growth and learning” (p. 39). She iterates the need for collaborative leaders to promote positive teacher‐student relationships because it is critical to student achievement and discipline. One strategy to help teachers develop a better understanding of student behavior is through data collection. Teachers must “have a more realistic picture of the child's home life” (p. 58). She suggests that teachers can get to know their students if there is available data that include: demographics – gender, race, family size, family housing status, educational needs and other pertinent information about the students. Also useful, is the demographic data of staff that principals can use to better know their teachers. The collaborative school leader recognizes the benefits of data analysis and supports its use.

Chapter three, “School culture and the community” focuses on the internal culture of the school. The collaborative school leader's awareness of what happens day‐to‐day is important in maintaining a healthy school culture. Lindle illustrates ways that teachers, staff and students often serve as monitors for principals by providing information about practical things such as empty soap dispensers or malfunctioning equipment. However, the collaborative leader cannot rely solely on others to monitor routine schedules. Principals are responsible for reminding teachers, students, parents and the community “why the routines help them” (p. 78). Rules are important for maintaining the internal culture of the school. Good schools maintain a culture that prioritizes, placing students first and foremost in the decisions made, and the actions taken. Lindle strongly recommends that collaborative leaders maintain schools that honor a student‐centered culture over an adult‐centered culture because the student is primary in each educational endeavor.

The fourth chapter, “Administrivia,” highlights the role of time management in the overall operation of the school. Collaborative school leaders understand the importance of time management and its impact on the internal culture of school. Without proper time management the school culture becomes chaotic. The collaborative leader must be careful not to allow time constraints to derail student achievement. Planning is pivotal which allows the principal and staff to meet obligations and handle unexpected situations. Lindle's use of metaphor to principals is the need to keep all systems going or running smoothly as with an automobile. Her strategy for the school leader is to “follow the owner's manual for regular maintenance – they know law, regulations, policies, and school rules” all of which are essential to administrivia (p. 106). A collaborative leader monitors for signals to determine if the school is running smoothly. The principal ensures that duties are delegated and checks for implementation and adherence to guidelines according to policy and principles.

In the final chapter, “Attending to the health and welfare of collaborative leaders,” emphasis is placed on the importance of maintaining good physical and mental health as a collaborative school leader. Too often, principals are busy taking care of everyone else and neglect themselves. Some typical behaviors that lead to poor health among school leaders include skipping meals, failure to take time to walk the grounds or the neighborhoods as a social outlet and generally not making the time to have some down time. The strategies to help collaborative school leaders retain good mental and physical health in the midst of conflicts associated with their job are very basic. Lindle suggests that principals can their lessen stress and avoid physical and mental health issues if they engage in “proper exercise, eat regular and nutritious meals and take reality checks by using journals, and if needed consult with trained personnel” (p. 119).

The book is instructional and practical for building collaborative relationships as a leader. Principals are the primary audience for the book, but the strategies are applicable to other administrators and teachers. Collaborative leadership as defined by the author provides a realistic approach that does not minimize the conflicts and complexities inherent in the school environment. Though limited in numbers, the twenty strategies presented in the book focused on the two major causes of conflicts in schools set forth by the author. The book will be especially useful to school leaders seeking to develop a collaborative style of leadership.