The Quadruple Threat of School Leadership

A school leader in the 21st century can and should be able to offer a “Quadruple Threat” to their stakeholders.

1. Trust- A 21st century school leader trusts their teachers and students. As a result of being trusted, and treated professionally, teachers become empowered to try new things in the classroom and students appreciate being valued and respected members of a learning community. Leaders who trust are able to create positive school culture.

2. Time- Effective school leaders understand and respect how valuable time is to teachers. They find ways to give teachers the precious time that they want and deserve to perfect their craft. They realize that teachers have different priorities regarding how they wish to spend their time and they support and encourage personalized professional development. Leaders who value time are able to create positive school culture.

3. Team- Effective school leaders know that school transformation cannot occur unless the right team members are in place. Recruiting, mentoring, and supporting members of the team is crucial for a school to achieve its vision.
Leaders who cultivate a strong team create positive school culture.

4. Talent- Effective school leaders recognize, celebrate, and promote the talents of their teachers and students. They are willing to seek out talented teachers because in addition to strong school leadership, talented teachers can have a profound influence on the future success of their students. Leaders who bring out the best talent in others create positive school culture.

So there it is. The “quadruple threat” in school leadership: trust, time, team, and talent.

I’m inspired by the many school leaders in my PLN who are able to create positive school culture and realize that above all initiatives, it is the PEOPLE in the school that really make the difference.

As a future school leader, putting PEOPLE first will always be my objective, and the most important group of people will always be the students.