“The Boss of the Whole School”: Effective Leadership in Action

Citation

Evansky, E. (2007), "“The Boss of the Whole School”: Effective Leadership in Action", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 45 No. 2, pp. 233-236. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230710733005

Every principal has a first day. Each day following is an endless chain of decisions. From greeting students in the morning to leading staff meetings in the afternoon, from making sure the hallways and school grounds are kept clean to carefully selecting a new teacher, a leader's every action will help to shape the culture of that school. School leaders are pulled in numerous directions, yet must listen to individual requests and concerns with open ears and an open heart. How can an aspiring administrator develop the sensibilities needed to effectively juggle, manage and lead?

In her book “The Boss of the Whole School”: Effective Leadership in Action, Elizabeth Hebert offers an insider's view of days that consist of “interacting with hundreds of constituents and coping with events of all magnitude” (p. 16). She is optimistic yet pragmatic. Hebert shares her experience and wisdom gleaned from twenty‐one years as principal of Crow Island Elementary School in suburban Chicago, Illinois. Winnetka, the district in which Hebert worked, has been recognized for “a long tradition of leadership in progressive public education” (p. 8). The book paints a panorama of Hebert's career and fleshes out two powerful themes. First, Hebert emboldens principals to lead a school by empowering the staff. Next, Hebert repeatedly shows how this process will create a solid set of rituals and traditions that will help to drive the school forward beyond any one individual's tenure.

Chapter one recalls Hebert's thoughts and feelings about school leadership before “taking the helm”. The one obvious single question from her interview was, “Can you be autonomous?” (p. 4). Hebert translates this for readers by asking herself, “Could I figure out this job on my own and assume responsibility for every mistake I made?” (p. 4). Her first day on the job is spent in a nearly empty office, flipping through personnel files and calling her new soon‐to‐be staff. She ends the first chapter with a profound reminder, “the wisdom of experience doesn't exist separate and apart from the years of gleaning it” (p. 8).

Chapter two examines the difference between leading and managing. Management is described as “solving problems” whereas leadership “seeks to examine problems and issues in depth” (p. 15). To encourage principals to lead the school, Hebert draws upon the metaphor of “getting of the dance floor and going to the balcony” (p. 18). She reminds readers that leaders must, at times, step away from the immediate situation and come to realize how a school functions as the “co‐terminus” (p. 21) for the lives of all members of the learning community. Throughout the book, when things get tough, Hebert reminds readers to go to the balcony.

Chapter three is entitled, “Creating Traditions: How a School Gains an Identity.” This is one of the central themes of the book. Beginning with the simple task of always being at the front door when students arrive, Hebert encourages readers to consider that, “a principal's habits can serve as a model for rituals and traditions that assert control over a school's culture and stabilize the entire school's energies” (p. 26). She describes how music, first day introductions and holiday festivities all help to form a child's sense of safety and connection to the community. Hebert asserts that “[S]chool traditions and classroom rituals can act as purposeful signal markers that identify a clear path toward the development of relationships and gaining confidence” (p. 29).

Chapter four discusses how Hebert redesigned her staff meetings. By doing away with the long laundry list of announcements that comprise most meetings, Hebert was free to focus on single issues that were important to the staff as whole. This accomplished two important things: First, it made far better use of the scarce and precious time teachers were able to spend together. Next, by recruiting teachers to become the presenters and facilitators, Herbert helped to create a “collaborative relationship required between principal and teachers, all of whom share the goal of developing and sustaining a positive school culture” (p. 44). This theme permeates throughout the book.

Chapter five looks at the process of hiring teachers. Expanding on the theme of collaboration, Hebert describes a process in which a group of teachers, who will be most affected by and invested in the new member, are actively involved in the interview. Leadership demands that she directs the process, but leadership also demands that she elicit and consider staff input on this important decision. She claims, “Each teacher you hire could be on the faculty for as many as 40 years and may determine in part the future course of your school for decades to come” (p. 75). She ends this chapter be reiterating the importance of selecting quality teachers. Describing the 50th anniversary of Crow Island Elementary School, Hebert points out that the memories of alumni did not contain fond recollection of math lessons or grammatical rules. Instead she reiterates that “These children remembered their teacher” (p. 75).

Chapter six is entitled “He Stole my Snow”. This section examines the moral dimensions of school life. More specifically, Hebert reflects on how educators can best create an environment in which children can truly absorb the implications of living in society. This process, she argues, begins with educators providing consistent leadership that promotes safety and security. Hebert describes weekly school meetings at which some students ask questions and others answer. Students are able to inquire and dialogue while exploring some of the deeper issues behind school rules. Hebert explains, “…in readying children to talk about truly serious issues, it's a good idea to involve them in practice runs about smaller incidents like stealing snow” (p. 85).

Chapter seven, examining the arduous task a structuring the school‐wide roster, is another example of how Hebert displays leadership by empowering her staff. Instead of pondering infinite permutations in isolation, she spends her time directing teachers – the ones more familiar with the nuances of children's personalities. This empowers the staff to create winning combinations and avoid pitfalls.

Chapter eight reveals the secret of being a principal: aloneness. By reflecting on why a child mistakenly referred to the principal as a “princess” Hebert realized “I am different and apart from those I lead… and I am alone” (p. 118). Although Hebert repeatedly encourages principals to empower staff, she acknowledges in this chapter, “a wise school leader seeks the right balance in authority, that is, knowing when to make a decision” (p.122). With a touch of humor, she recalls the first day when, as a new principal, she walked into the teachers' lounge and sensed the subtle, yet palpable shift in people's dispositions by stating, “The notion of a principal as someone different from the teachers, the axiomatic perception that teachers have of the principal, is key to understanding the role of the school's leader” (p. 119).

The final chapter deals with “Passing the Baton”. As the book begins with a nervous interview at the superintendent's office, Hebert now brings us to the twilight of her administrative career. She reflects on the lessons she wants to pass to her successor. Through a series of letters to teachers and parents, she prepares the stakeholders for the upcoming change. Consistent with the first major theme of the book, Hebert creates a situation where the learning community will have the power to affect a successful transition. In keeping with the second major theme of the book, Hebert seeks to instill within the new principal a sense of history and heritage. One of the very first things she tells the incoming principal is that the 64‐year‐old building has long been recognized for its architectural significance. She informs the new principal that “On any given day busloads of architects may surprise you as they graciously appear in the foyer… Take some time to watch them observing the building and you'll learn a lot” (p. 137). These actions reveal the essence of Hebert's wisdom.

Every principal will eventually have a last day on the job. Surely, after twenty‐one years at Crow Island Elementary School, Hebert reflected fondly. One feels confident that as she closed the door one last time to the same office that years previously held only a filing cabinet and a rotary dial telephone, Hebert passed on a school ready for business. A reader comes away with many examples of how to empower teams to accomplish goals. The book also provides many ways to create meaningful rituals and traditions that will become the cultural backbone of a learning community. The most powerful metaphor – going up to the balcony – helps educators understand that by stepping back from an incident, one gains perspective on the deeper issues coursing through the sometimes turbulent tempest known as the school day. This book would make an excellent addition to an educational leadership program as well as a guide for practicing school leaders.