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10 Surprising Things Leaders Do Differently

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10 Surprising Things Leaders Do Differently

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Over the last three years, I've interviewed over 200 highly successful CEO's, military officers, entrepreneurs and leadership gurus including John C. Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, Stephen M.R. Covey, Liz Wiseman, Kim Scott, Patty McCord and others. I always get them to reveal their number one secret to leadership; what advice would they give to a younger version of themselves? After analyzing their answers 10 themes emerged.

#1 Great Leaders Close Their Open Door Policy

Open door policies are passive ways to facilitate communication and do more harm than good. They make deep work and strategic thinking virtually impossible for the manager. Worse, research shows that half of all employees won't go through the open door with problems or ideas because they fear repercussions. It's time to close your door and open your calendar. Recurring, weekly one-on-one meetings are a far better way to proactively facilitate communication, and pre-scheduled "office hours" - perhaps an hour each day - is the best way to facilitate time-sensitive communication.

#2 Great Leaders Don't Bring Smartphones Into Meetings

If you use your smartphone in meetings, research from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business suggests your colleagues probably think you're being rude or unprofessional. Seventy-five percent of those surveyed thought it was inappropriate to read or write texts or emails in meetings, and 22% think it's inappropriate to use the phone at all in any kind of meeting. And in a study titled " The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard ", researchers discovered that when it comes to comprehension and memory, taking notes by hand was far superior to typing notes on a keyboard. To avoid distraction, to remain mindful and present, and to maximize recall, a leader should leave their smartphone in their desk and use good old fashioned pen and notebooks in meetings.

#3 Great Leaders Have No Rules

Every time we bump into a rule, it takes away a chance for us to make a choice or a decision. And it becomes "your" company, not mine. Rules crowd out conversation. Managers become rule enforcers instead of leaders. Instead of rules, have standards or guardrails that are rooted in company values. Use these standards as topics of discussion starting with recruiting and onboarding, and continuing throughout the employee life cycle. And when someone deviates from the values--the standards--well that's a time for some feedback, that's a coachable moment. Strive to model the Netflix culture of freedom with accountability.
#4 Great Leaders Are Likable, Not Liked
Are you a people pleaser? It's normal to to be liked, but it's a problem if you have a to be liked. A need to be liked causes managers to withhold direct, constructive feedback. It can lead to delayed decision making in the hopeless quest to get universal agreement. You don't need to act like a jerk at work, but realize that your team members don't need another friend, they need a leader who will coach them and advance their career, who will make the sometimes tough decisions to protect the team or advance the company. And replace your need to be liked by everyone, with the realization that if you are liked by your family and close friends, that's enough. Replace your need to be liked, with a need to lead right.
#5 Great Leaders Lead With Love
Yes, I say leaders should love their team members. The Greeks called it agape; Professors Sigal Barsade and Olivia O'Neill call it . It's the warmth, connection and caring we feel for humankind--absent the passionate kind of love. Leaders who care about their team members and show it achieve high employee engagement and business outcomes. Remember the words of the legendary basketball coach, John Wooden. He would tell his players, companionate love "I will not like you all the same, but I will love you all the same."
#6 Great Leaders Crowd Their Calendar
Great leaders are obsessed with minutes. They know that every minute wasted or freely given away is another minute that can't be spent coaching their team or on getting results. For best results, throw out your to-do list, and schedule . Identify your daily most important task and schedule it first thing in the morning (before interruptions and while you are cognitively at your best). Pre-schedule time to lead; schedule your recurring weekly one-on-one's, your quarterly town-halls, your twice a year career path meetings. What about downtime? What about time to think? Yes, schedule that too. Great leaders, including everything LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, actually schedule "nothing" time. #7 Great Leaders Play Favorites

In a misguided attempt to be impartial and fair, too many managers treat all their team members the same. But it turns out that's the most unfair thing we can do to people. And it's the fastest way for you to lose top talent. Instead of treating everyone alike, you need to learn to individualize your leadership approach. You need to take the time to understand each of our team members when it comes to their: talent, experience, attitudes, strengths and goals. Then you play favorites, not based on who you like better, but based on who's earned it.
#8 Great Leaders Reveal Everything
In traditional organizations information flowed "up" and the decisions came "down," but to compete now, we have to replace "knowledge is power" to "sharing is power." In his book Team of Teams , U.S. Army general Stanley McChrystal explained that radical transparency was a key to defeating Al Qaeda in Iraq because it enabled decision making to be pushed to the very lowest levels. In business, radical transparency means sharing everything, including all the financials needed to understand what makes the business work.
#9 Great Leaders Show Weakness
"Will you tell me about a time you failed?" It's the first question I ask all my guests on the LEADx Leadership podcast. From Dan Pink and Captain Sully Sullenberger to Alan Alda and John Maxwell, I ask them to start with failure. Too many old school leaders believe "leadership is acting" or we must always wear a mask to project confidence and optimism. The best leaders today realize that authenticity and vulnerability are the fastest ways to earn trust. And as Stephen M.R. Covey told me, "Trust is the one thing that changes everything ." I'm not talking about striving to shed tears and share fears. That's an inauthentic way of being authentic. Share your past failures as learning experiences. Share the bad news with the good. Drop your mask and be your unique self.
#10 Great Leaders Know: Leadership Is Not Tying It All Together a Choice Kevin Kruse is the author of the bestselling book Great Leaders Have No Rules: Contrarian Leadership Principles to Transform Your Team and Business and the ready-to-print " Action Plan: 10 Things Highly Successful Leaders Do Differently
The greats all agree that leadership in a word is: influence. And we know from behavioral psychology that we are always influencing those around us. You influence when you stand up to the bully, but also when you remain a bystander. You influence when you challenge the idea in the conference room, and also when you remain silent. Leadership isn't a choice, because you are leading (i.e., influencing) all of the time. This means you are leading not just at work but also at the dinner table, and on the sidelines of the soccer field. But are you leading in a positive direction or a negative direction? Be mindful of your power as a leader. Remember, lead with intent.

Whether you are a front-line supervisor, middle manager, or senior executive, these 10 secrets will help you to become both the boss everyone wants to work for and the high achiever every CEO wants to hire--all without drama, stress, and endless hours in the office.

... Read More

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10 Surprising Things Successful Leaders Do Differently

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Over the last three years, I've interviewed over 200 highly successful CEO's, military officers, entrepreneurs and leadership gurus including John C. Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, Stephen M.R. Covey, Liz Wiseman, Kim Scott, Patty McCord and others. I always get them to reveal their number one secret to leadership; what advice would they give to a younger version of themselves?

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Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

There are many differences between bosses and leaders. Supervisors and managers should consistently analyze their leadership styles to ensure they are successfully leading their teams.

According to a recent study by Robert Half, 49% of professionals surveyed have quit a job due to a bad boss.

To become a good leader, you should influence, inspire and mentor your team members.

There are a few key strategies that every great leader incorporates into their behavior: delegating authority, being thoughtful to team members, facilitating open communication and setting clear employee expectations.

Being promoted to a management role may seem like a great accomplishment, but many professionals find the responsibility to be more challenging than they imagined. Merely being someone's boss doesn't mean you are a good leader.

Effective leadership is increasingly important in the workplace, as more and more employees are leaving great companies over one resolvable element - bad bosses. According to a recent study by staffing agency Robert Half, nearly half of all professionals surveyed (49%) have quit a job because of a bad boss.

There are many key differences between a boss and a leader, and it is important that you analyze your leadership style to ensure that you are effectively steering your team in the right direction. Keep in mind, though, that even those who start out with less effective management skills can modify their behavior to become good leaders. [Are you an effective leader? Ask yourself these questions to find out.]

Many professionals step into management or supervisory roles and find themselves wondering, "What are the qualities of a boss vs. a leader?" We spoke with leadership experts to discover the five key differences between the two.

As you read the following comparisons, reflect on your own actions to determine which one you are.

According to Sue Andrews, business and HR consultant at KIS Finance, a key difference is that a boss's authority comes from their position, whereas a leader's authority comes from their ability to influence others.

"A boss is there to ensure that employees follow the rules of an organization, but a leader will encourage others to think for themselves to achieve the desired ends," Andrews told Business News Daily. "A boss will need to give orders to instruct others what to do, but a leader can inspire others to find the best way forward, whilst motivating them to maximize their potential."

Although subordinates only follow bosses because they have to, bosses can grow their influence through encouraging behavior, added Ken Gosnell, CEO of CEO Experience (CXP).

"You can grow your influences by caring for your team, listening to their thoughts and ideas, and sharing the 'why' behind the decisions and actions that you take," said Gosnell. "This is a second step in leadership, but it makes all the difference, and people will follow you because they want to, and not just because they have to."

You shouldn't just explain a task and leave it in your employee's hands. According to Christine Macdonald, director of The Hub Events, a boss ensures you understand your work, while a leader supports and guides you through it.

"The biggest difference between a leader and a boss is that a good leader inspires people and makes them excited about their work," she said.

Success takes passion; without the desire to complete tasks, workers won't be as driven to give their best performances. As their leader, you should motivate them by letting them know the importance of their work.

Employees are human, and mistakes are to be expected. Who you are as a boss is evident in how you deal with mishaps. While bosses are more likely to use a reward/punishment system to discourage poor behavior, great leaders understand that employees benefit from encouragement and mentorship. If an employee performs well in a specific line of work, that strength should be recognized and mastered.

"One key element of leadership is the ability to harness the talents of others to achieve a common goal," said Macdonald.

It's important to note the strengths and weaknesses of each employee and mentor them independently. Rather than attacking skill gaps, work to patch them by guiding employees through their shortcomings and building their confidence in new areas.

A boss focuses on the objectives of their department and is stringent in following protocol to achieve those goals. They think for the short term, delegate tasks to their subordinates and tend to micromanage.

Christina J. Eisinger, executive coach and consultant at CJE Consulting, said that a boss has key objectives to meet, whereas a leader will set the long-term vision for the team and use it as "a key motivator."

"A boss gets results by telling people what to do and is concerned with doing it right," she said. "A leader is skilled at results by enabling their team to figure out what to do, is concerned with doing what is right."

Andrews added that leaders seek to drive commitment by setting an example for others to follow and inspire others by encouraging development. "They are comfortable delegating authority and avoid micromanaging, preferring to see others develop. Utilizing their excellent communication and negotiation skills, they will influence others for the overall benefit of the organization."

A boss doesn't take the time to get to know their employees like a leader does. Eisinger said that bosses view their team members as subordinates, whereas leaders let go of this hierarchical distinction and view their team members as equal contributors.

To be a leader, it's important that you facilitate positive relationships with your employees. Work with their needs and create a culture that encourages open communication.

"By getting to know your team better, you'll be able to understand how to explain your vision in a way that will really connect with each person," said Macdonald. "This means you can personalize the way you motivate people."

She added that good leaders are genuine and loyal. You set an example for your company. If you lack passion or motivation, odds are your team will too. Don't be afraid to be human - be real and express your emotions to connect with your workers.

To be a good boss or leader, you can incorporate a few key strategies into your behavior. Experts listed three of these strategies as thoughtfulness, communication and clear expectations for your employees.

Gosnell recommends treating your employees with thoughtfulness. A good leader conducts their decision-making process based on the best interests of the team as well as the company.

"Leaders who lead for impact think first of their followers," said Gosnell. "They know that if they are doing what is in the best interest of their followers, it will bring great results for the followers and the organization."

Leaders should also incorporate good communication by listening to their teams. Gosnell said a listening leader will hear how to make an organization better through the words of their team.

"Listening leaders grow in influence and impact, while those who neglect to listen to their team will struggle with disengaged employees who won't listen," he added. "A leader who wants to be listened to should practicing listening to their people."

Whether you see yourself as a boss or a leader, Andrews said, the key to your success is your staff seeing you as fair in your approach toward them. Set fair, clear employee expectations and be consistent in your manners so your staff knows what they can expect from you.

"This is essential in the workplace, as one of the greatest causes of employee stress is not knowing what to expect from their manager," said Andrews. "Frequent changes in focus and conflicting priorities will leave staff feeling anxious. However, effective communication and a clear goal will ensure that teams all pull in the same direction."

Team leaders are responsible for more than just delegating tasks and monitoring employees. They are responsible for the success of the whole team as well as the success of each individual team member. An effective team leader should understand each member's strengths, weaknesses, and goals and utilize their talents accordingly.

Eisinger created a brief checklist for leaders to refer to when determining their primary responsibilities:

Ensure the team has what they need to get the job done.

Provide challenging, meaningful work.

Be accessible and approachable.

Hold regular one-on-one meetings with each direct report that focus on career development.

Measure performance.

Provide regular, ongoing feedback (both positive feedback and constructive criticism).

If you do not currently implement all of these responsibilities into your work duties, don't worry. Just focus on improving, and seek feedback from your team about what you can do better. According to Eisinger, most good leaders start out as bosses.

"In the work I do, it seems to be an inevitable transition point for people as they first step into a supervisory role and develop their leadership capabilities," she said. "It's normal to exhibit some of these 'boss' characteristics. However, it is critical to recognize one's unique challenges and work to overcome them so they can become leaders."
What do you think the difference is between a boss and a true leader? Share your thoughts on this topic with the business.com community. Additional reporting by Sammi Caramela. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.

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How to Be a True Leader and Not Just a Boss

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There are many differences between bosses and leaders. Supervisors and managers should consistently analyze their leadership styles to ensure they are successfully leading their teams. According to a recent study by Robert Half, 49% of professionals surveyed have quit a job due to a bad boss.

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Another great article to help with groups

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Anxious students may not be able to verbalize the specific cause of their anxiety; they just know they are experiencing excessive and ongoing worry and/or fear about something. They may avoid situations or activities in school. They may start to decline in academics and have trouble focusing and concentrating, which many school counselors and teachers may confuse with ADHD. However, anxious students also typically exhibit other symptoms, which tend to become a pattern, such as always being sick on test day. Students with anxiety also may have irrational and negative thoughts.

Anxiety symptoms may present differently among students at different ages, who may not be able to express what's causing their anxiety and may instead exhibit symptoms. It is vital to be on the lookout for any of these symptoms:

attendance problems

clinginess/separation anxiety

panic attacks

academic problems/decline in schoolwork

frequent urination

frequent crying

difficulty concentrating/staying focused

blushing/sweating

feeling weak/tired

excessive worrying

health problems such as headaches or an upset stomach

avoidance of people/situations

sleeping problems

lots of "what ifs?"

Everyone has bad days and may exhibit one or more of these symptoms, but a pattern should raise red flags. Although diagnosing anxiety is not the school counselor's job, it is important to be cognizant of the types of anxiety disorders. These can include generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety or panic disorder. Any of these can affect a student's ability to perform well in school. Students with anxiety may also be at risk for developing other mental health issues, such as depression, drug/alcohol use and suicidal ideation.
Steps to Support Students
Experiencing anxiety can be frightening, especially for young students. An urgent sense of nervousness and apprehension can be debilitating for anyone. These feelings are amplified when students don't understand why they feel this way or what they can do to feel better. One of the most beneficial things you can do for anxious students is to help them understand their why - not just the surface why, but the deep, underlying reason they become so anxious. A technique to accomplish this is "The 5 Whys," developed by Sakichi Toyoda, an industrialist, inventor and founder of Toyota Industries. He believed by asking "why" five times, the nature of a problem and its origins become clear.

To use this strategy with a student, first ask, "Why are you experiencing anxiety?" Use their answer to pose another why question, and repeat this five times. Here is an example from "Anxiety Annie," a sophomore student with test anxiety:

Why are you anxious about the test? I must get good grades, and tests count 80 percent of my final grade.
Why is it important to get good grades? I want to have happy parents.
Why is it important to have happy parents? It makes me feel good when they approve of me.
Why do you want your parents to approve of you? I want to achieve what my parents achieved; I want to have the kind of life they have.
Why do you want to have the kind of life your parents achieved? I don't want to be the odd man out.

Annie's fifth why indicates she doesn't want to "be the odd man out" - she wants to fit in with her family. Background information on Annie confirms that education is an important aspect of her family dynamic. All adults in her family (parents, grandparents, etc.) were excellent students and have pursued careers in education. Once Annie realized that fitting in was the root of her anxiety, she began to recognize that taking tests wasn't the issue; her sense of belonging was. This helped Annie put her anxiety into focus, and she began to view test taking in a different light.

With understanding, students can begin to determine how they can manage anxiety. You can teach students several techniques to use during class without drawing attention to themselves.

Deep breathing: Slowing heart rate, lowering blood pressure and increasing oxygen intake all have a calming effect. Common exercises are belly breathing and the 4-7-8 breathing exercise (inhale for four counts, hold for seven, exhale for eight).

Grounding: Grounding can distract students' mind from their anxiety and keep them grounded in the present. Common exercises include the 5-4-3-2-1 senses technique (five things you can see, four things you can feel, etc.), counting how many things in shades of a particular color can you see around the room and counting backward by 7, starting at 100.

Imagery: When students create a detailed mental image of a safe and peaceful place, they redirect attention away from what is stressing them and toward an alternative focus.

Progressive muscle relaxation: This is the practice of tightening one muscle group at a time followed by a relaxation phase with release of the tension. Students tense and relax the muscle groups one at a time in a specific order, beginning with the lower extremities and ending with the face.

Positive self-talk and affirmations: This helps students challenge self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. Students can practice through journal writing, negative-thought stopping or snapping a rubber band during negative thoughts. You can help students select affirmations that speak to them. When students repeat the affirmations - and believe them - they can start to make positive changes.

Journaling: Journaling helps students clarify their thoughts and feelings, gaining valuable self-knowledge. Students can process their anxiety by fully exploring and releasing the emotions involved.

Desk yoga: Neck rolls, cat-cow stretch, shoulder shrug, triceps stretch, seated twist and the seated pigeon pose are all exercises students can discretely practice at their desk.

Once students determine which techniques work for them, you can assemble a list with descriptions for the student to discretely tuck into a notebook as a quick reference. Or, the student can keep their journal, list of affirmations or picture of their peaceful place where they can access it without classroom disruption. Having this survival kit available can bring a feeling of control over their anxiety.

Strategies with Teachers
In addition to working with individual students, you can equip teachers with strategies to use with an entire class. All the techniques above can easily be modified for classroom use. Teachers may find these activities useful at the beginning of the day, during transition times or before a test. Teachers can also serve as compelling role models for students. As teachers model relaxation techniques during class time, students internalize the importance of lifelong stress management.

School counselors are tasked with working with the whole student, not just academic, career or social/emotional development. It is crucial that students with anxiety learn positive coping techniques now to become healthy and productive citizens in the future.

There is no quick, easy fix for students with anxiety, especially those who are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Offering support and flexibility, however, allows you to help students as they discover meaningful, effective ways to address their anxiety.

Anna Duvall is director of counseling at Lexington High School in Lexington, S.C. She can be reached at aduvall@lexington1.net. Crissy Roddy, Ph.D., is director of counseling at White Knoll High School in Lexington, S.C. She can be reached at croddy@lexington1.net.

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Anxious students may not be able to verbalize the specific cause of their anxiety; they just know they are experiencing excessive and ongoing worry and/or fear about something. They may avoid situations or activities in school. They may start to decline in academics and have trouble focusing and concentrating, which many school counselors and teachers may confuse with ADHD.

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Great for group work!

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Test anxiety can show in ways from headaches and shortness of breath to crying or lack of concentration. It can affect students physically, emotionally, behaviorally and mentally. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America names failure as the leading cause of test anxiety: fear of failing the test, failing to prepare for the test and feelings of failure from failing previous tests.

In his book "Brain Rules," John Medina defines stress as "a measurable physiological response, a desire to avoid the situation and a loss of control." He explains how it can affect a person's cardiovascular system, immune system and memory.

School counselors can counteract the stress of test anxiety by planning, preparing, incorporating positive self-talk and advocating for parental support. Be aware of your school atmosphere and the emotional wellness of your staff and students throughout the year, and plan accordingly. Plan training sessions with staff to emphasize the importance of teaching foundational study skills, and lead classroom discussions addressing test anxiety on a regular basis, not just the week before testing. Strategically design group counseling sessions and school counseling core curriculum lessons to teach test-taking strategies to reduce testing anxiety, and keep an open door for individual counseling.

Prepare the Battle Plan
Preparation for testing builds confidence in students. Create an environment of intentional and frequent conversation regarding good test-taking strategies. I recently learned the 5-4-3-2-1 coping technique: focus on five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste. Students can easily use this coping strategy in a classroom during an exam to reduce symptoms of test anxiety.

Here are a few resources and techniques I've found to be successful with test anxiety.

Controlled breathing exercises: Have students inhale for a four count, hold for five, exhale for another four count, and, if needed, do it again and exhale with puckered lips (do it as many times needed until breathing is regulated). Other breathing techniques are blowing bubbles or using musical instruments (e.g., deep breaths when playing a clarinet).

Feeling thermometers: Create feeling thermometers in the classrooms, giving students the chance to indicate how anxious they are feeling at that time, and then teachers can lead a discussion about handling it in a healthy way.

Laughter: Telling a corny joke or getting students to laugh some other way can help relieve some of the test anxiety.

Exercise: Incorporate modest exercise techniques such as walking, stretching, etc.

Action plans: Teach students how to develop an action plan when feeling test anxiety.

Also, be aware of attendance issues, which may be a symptom of avoidance or "planned forgetfulness" when confronting a test

Apps: Another tool is literally at our fingertips. Here are a few apps to consider:

Breathe2Relax: Contains videos demonstrating relaxation breathing to reduce stress

Calm: Contains tools to reduce anxiety and induce quality sleep

Happify: Contains games and activities to reduce stress, strategies to build resiliency and ways to encourage positive self-talk

De-Stress Fest: This activity takes a little organization and planning, but it's relatively inexpensive and helped my students de-stress before the standardized testing cycle. We created rotation stations with one station per sense.

1. Smell: cotton balls with aromatherapy oils on them (keep them in plastic bags)

2. Touch: stress balls made from balloons and play sand or flour

3. See: glitter water bottles, coloring pages with positive quotes and/or encouraging poetry or short stories

4. Taste: chocolates, gum or peppermints

5. Hear: rain sticks made from paper towel rolls and rice/beans or playing classical music while doing coloring pages

Positive self-talk: Use these creative ideas with any age group.

Crush the can'ts: Students write down a negative thought on a slip of paper and tape it to an empty soda can and stomp on it to literally "crush" their can'ts.

Positive world wall: You can use positive quotes, list test-taking strategies and include can-do attitude posters or sticky notes to let students add their own positivity to the wall.

Personal positive story: Ask students what makes them anxious about the test, what do they think will happen, what can they tell themselves to face the anxiety, what can they do to overcome the anxiety, what's the conclusion?

Test anxiety argument: Why is it OK/not OK? Is it silly? What can you do instead?

Daily positive quotes: Suggest students write positive quotes in their agenda or on their phone.

Positive self-talk cards: Find ideas galore on Pinterest.

Journaling: Have students express the anxiety in writing and evaluate their feelings.

Gather the Troops
Parental/family support plays an integral part in reducing testing anxiety. Encourage parents/families to cultivate meaningful conversations with their students to reduce test anxiety. Support strategies include:

Encouraging a good night's rest and eating a healthy breakfast (with protein) at home or school

Giving positive affirmation (e.g., positive notes on snacks or lunches, bathroom mirrors, etc.)

Talking openly and honestly about the test and their student's feelings, to lead into discussions of ways to handle test anxiety in a healthy way

Ensuring the students are prepared - arriving to school early, being organized, etc.

It's also important to help the parents recognize that avoidance is not an option - their child will need to face the test anxiety head on and work through it, not around it. Ignoring the anxiety isn't the answer; students need to be aware that stress affects everyone, in different ways, and the key is developing tools and strategies to reduce it.
As students learn to implement strategies to overcome test-taking anxiety, they grow and become more confident from one "battle" to the next. After a while, tests may not seem so stressful after all, and the tests can become a game or a challenge - no battle at all. Students can then see every test as a chance to succeed, rather than a chance to fail.

Naomi Howard, Ed.D., is a school counselor for Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools in Elizabeth City, N.C. She can be reached at renaomi@aol.com.

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Test anxiety can show in ways from headaches and shortness of breath to crying or lack of concentration. It can affect students physically, emotionally, behaviorally and mentally. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America names failure as the leading cause of test anxiety: fear of failing the test, failing to prepare for the test and feelings of failure from failing previous tests.

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Becoming a Transformational School Leader

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The transformational school leader must confront student deviance , as well as teachers' possible cynicism and lack of motivation.

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Education faces a variety of significant challenges. Students often struggle to overcome life events that interfere with their ability to complete basic education. Teacher and staff morale can be dragged down by the high cost of living and a seeming lack of respect they receive for the vital work that they do. Transformational leadership in education can't solve all of these problems, but it does serve as a force for improvement.

A time of stress calls for a new and creative approach to learning, such as that provided by the transformational leadership model.

A need for educational transformation

California's secondary education system gives an example of the kinds of challenges that schools often fail to meet. In 2018, 83 percent of high school seniors in California graduated. While that number represents an increase from the dismal graduation rate of 74.7 percent in 2010, it's hard to celebrate when 17 percent of high school students leave without a diploma. Furthermore, California's dropout rate keeps rising, reaching close to 10 percent in 2018.

The numbers are even more disheartening when you break them down by race, ethnicity, and economic hardship. The graduation rate for African-American students was almost 10 percentage points below the average. English learners had just a 67.9 percent graduation rate. Homeless youth fared only slightly better, with 68.9 percent completing high school.

Students listed as socioeconomically disadvantaged graduated at a rate that was more than three percentage points below the average. Those with disabilities had a 66.3 percent graduation rate. Only 53.1 percent of foster youth received their diplomas.

What these numbers show is that the educational system in California-while it has improved somewhat over previous years-continues to fail many of the students that need it most. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that workers without a high school diploma had median weekly earnings of $515 in 2017. Compared to high school graduates, who earned $718, those who failed to get their high school diploma missed out on 30 percent of their earning potential. Thus, the breakdown of education in its mission to serve historically disadvantaged populations reinforces the repeating cycle of poverty.

Although, through transformational leadership in education, teachers, principals, and school administrators can elevate individual students and the whole school ecosystem. Some educators are making a difference.

Transformational leadership provides a model of change in education that helps youth to meet the challenges of systemic racism and poverty. This change regarding leadership in education also motivates teachers and supports them to be able to give their students a rich and welcoming learning environment.

What is transformational leadership?

Many adults remember the one teacher or mentor who particularly inspired them in their youth. These inspirational figures have the power to change the course of young lives. For some students, one adult that believes in them and shows them a path to success is all it takes to teach them to believe that they have the power to excel. This change regarding leadership in education often comes from educators immersed in transformational leadership theory.

What is transformational leadership in education? Transformational leadership is a model that principals and teachers can use to lead by example. It places a high value on creating community bonds, which encourage both students and teachers to greater levels of achievement.

Bernard M. Bass and Bruce J. Avolio, two pioneering voices in transformational leadership theory, define these leaders as people who mentor and encourage both colleagues and followers.

According to Bass and Avolio, the transformational leadership style views relationship development as a crucial component of the work of educational institutions. Transformational leadership in education spurs students and teachers to expand and grow in a nurturing community.

One of the strengths of the transformational leadership model is that it builds on the resources of every member of the school, particularly staff and teachers. The truly transformational leader is a motivator who seeks to inspire team members to be their better selves. Transformational educators forgo self-interest and self-promotion. Instead, they direct their attention and energy toward the good of the group as a whole.

To accomplish this, transformational leadership traits include a passion for the mission of the educational institution. A leader who can instill this passion in others has the power to create an environment where change in education can happen.

Transformational leadership characteristics

In his influential essay, "Leadership and Excellence in Schooling", Thomas J. Sergiovanni emphasized the need to strive for more than simply adequate education. He identified five leadership forces exhibited by transformational educators. Those forces are technical, human, educational, symbolic, and cultural.

The technical aspect of transformational leadership in education is good management practices, including planning and organization. Without effective, evidence-based school administration, change in education becomes more challenging.

The human aspect is the use of the social and interpersonal resources already available in the school setting. By building what Sergiovanni calls "interpersonal competence," schools can improve morale among staff. He identifies participatory decision-making as a key element in the human aspect of transformational leadership in education.

The educational force is rooted in the professional competence and implementation of effective teaching strategies that transformational leaders bring to their schools. These leaders foster change in education by evaluating problems in educational design. The educational force relates to counseling, evaluation, and professional development within the school setting.

Symbolism is an important aspect of the transformational leadership style. The rituals of the school year are more than just milestones to be checked off a list. Transformational leadership theory recognizes the vital role of administrators and teachers as symbolic leaders of their school communities.

By creating a sense of clarity and unity, the symbolic force helps all members of the educational community feel that they are part of a close-knit group that shares the goal of building the best possible school ecosystem. It may seem tangential, but the transformational leadership model places symbolism as a core element of a school environment that supports learning and personal growth.

The cultural aspect of transformational leadership is a statement of shared values and beliefs. Cultural leadership articulates not only the school's mission, but also the mythos of the educational milieu. Sergiovanni elevates culture because it is the glue that holds the student body together. School culture reminds both students and teachers of the important work they do together.

While Sergiovanni calls cultural leadership the role of "high priest," it's important to make the distinction between charismatic leadership and demagoguery. Transformational leadership qualities, especially these symbolic and cultural aspects, call on educators to lead by following. This is leadership in the mold of Lao Tzu, who said, "The best leaders are those the people hardly know exist."

Transformational leadership risks elevating leaders to the level where they are indispensable. To avoid a situation where the departure of one administrator or staff member can cause a whole school to crumble in on itself, it is important for transformational leaders to build strength in all members of the educational team rather than accruing too much power to themselves. Truly gifted transformational leaders create schools whose staff includes empowered leaders at all levels.

Transformational leadership examples in history

There are many examples of transformational leaders throughout history. These are figures whose commitment to their vision inspired others to follow. Even after their deaths, these transformational figures have symbolic power that encourages others to aspire to work towards the greater good of society.

Some of these leaders are well-known names, such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Ida B. Wells. These civil rights leaders didn't only do work that made a difference. They were among the sparks that ignited a movement. Their leadership and willingness to stand out insured that they did not stand alone.

Without leaving California, we can find many more transformational leaders, including Huey P. Newton, a leader of the Black Panthers; and Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, co-founders of the United Farmworkers union. These transformational leaders confronted injustices that appeared intractable. Through charisma, courage, and creativity, they proved that change was possible. This empowered many others who have followed in their footsteps.

Other names may be obscured by the fog of history, but their transformative influence has changed our lives nonetheless. The participants in the Native American occupation of Alcatraz and the women who protested by throwing away undergarments in the 1970s transformed how America thought about its history and culture. Largely leaderless movements such as Occupy, Black Lives Matter, and the Women's March, use elements of transformational leadership models to distribute power widely throughout the organization.

The heroes of transformational leadership in education tend to be names that are known only to the members of the schools where they work. They are no less revered in and important to the school community than the historical figures whose names students read in history class.

A principal or teacher who brings change in education can be the transformational leader who nurtures the seeds of greatness in the heroes of the next generation. By modeling transformational leadership in education, educators give youth a framework for finding their own greatness.

Benefits of transformational leadership

A 1994 study entitled, "The Effects Of Transformational Leadership On Organizational Conditions And Student Engagement With School", set out to quantify the benefits of transformational leadership.

The authors used a survey of 1,762 teachers and 9,941 students in a single school district. They found that transformational leadership was associated with much greater cohesion and satisfaction among staff.

There were also benefits for students. Transformational leadership characteristics among teachers led to increased participation and identification with the school among the students. However, the effects of educational transformation on students were smaller than the effects on faculty and staff. The authors attributed this to the stronger influence of the family educational environment on student achievement.

At the time the study was conducted, transformational leadership in education rarely reached outside the school campus. Recognizing the importance of the home environment, change leadership in education today supports and includes the parents as well as the students in the school community.

A more recent survey of studies on transformational leadership in education highlighted the importance of transformational leadership for school principals. Those principals who exhibited transformational leadership traits provided better staff support, recognized success among the staff, and were more available. These principals welcomed fresh perspectives from their staff and faculty and often put these diverse ideas into practice.

Transformational leadership theory is not confined to the United States. For example, a 2013 study looked at transformational leadership traits among school principals in China. The study found that principals who practiced a transformational leadership style were more successful in finding solutions to the problems at their schools.

The benefits of transformational leadership aren't always direct. Transformational leadership isn't about a better way to teach math or a new technique for improving reading skills, though educational technique is an important technical component of change leadership in education. Transformational leadership fosters a community that is committed to the goals of the school and the success of all students. The secondary effect of this style of leadership is educational change. This provides an environment that fosters the creation of new and innovative instructional techniques.

Change leadership in education is made, not born

The transformational leadership style may come naturally to some educators. However, the surest path to educational change is through intention. In most cases, transformational leadership in education is the result of years of training and study.

Mills College has educated many generations of transformational leaders in a wide variety of fields. In recognition of the huge need for transformational leadership in education, Mills offers an online MA in Educational Leadership.

Part of the transformational leadership definition is that the leaders use their life stories and experience to inspire those around them. Change leadership in education, therefore, must have diverse practitioners. By offering an online master's degree, Mills College opens the field of educational leadership and transformation to educators who need to continue working at their current positions while they take courses to advance their careers. Mills recognizes the incredible experience and wisdom of these dedicated educators.

The MA in Educational Leadership teaches a transformational leadership model that emphasizes collaboration and reflection. The curriculum takes into account the need for solid grounding in curriculum development and sound teaching and administrative practices. Students leave the program prepared to face the often challenging task of reconciling the fiscal realities of public education with the needs of students and teachers.

Outstanding educational environments must exist in relation to the communities they serve. Transformational leadership in education requires a solid understanding of educational change theories. That is a core part of the curriculum of the online MA in Educational Leadership at Mills. This understanding will prepare you to face the ethical and social challenges that confront today's educators on a daily basis.

The online MA in Educational Leadership at Mills is a great place to start your career in educational change. The skills you learn will transform your life and prepare you for a career of transformational leadership in education.

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How to Be a Transformational Leader in Education | Mills Online Degrees

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Education faces a variety of significant challenges. Students often struggle to overcome life events that interfere with their ability to complete basic education. Teacher and staff morale can be dragged down by the high cost of living and a seeming lack of respect they receive for the vital work that they do.

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The Art of Servant Leadership

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Servant leaders are a revolutionary bunch–they take the traditional power leadership model and turn it completely upside down. This new hierarchy puts the people–or employees, in a business context–at the very top, and the leader at the bottom, charged wi

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Servant Leaders vs. Traditional Leaders

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Just a little bit of the role of the school counselor

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Leadership Traits Every Counselor Should Have

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Leadership Traits Every Counselor Should Have

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Leadership traits in counselors

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Far from simply setting up student schedules and administering placement and academic evaluation tests, school counselors are leaders who can have a huge impact on the acceleration and the enhancement of learning. They must possess the ability to negotiate, persuade others their ideas are worthwhile, and collaborate with principals and other school officials.

School counselors have many responsibilities, including counseling students, working with teachers and parents, referring students to outside agencies, participating in student welfare and learning support communities, and evaluating and improving their own school counseling program.

Listening

First and foremost, a school counselor needs to be a good listener. Often, they have several students they work with and may get very few chances to converse with them in a one on one setting. "The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood," said Ralph G. Nichols. "The best way to understand people is to listen to them."

To listen effectively, counselors must be fully in the moment, not thinking of their "to do" list but rather giving their full attention to the issue at hand. Reflecting back to the person, your perception of what they said helps show understanding, and lets them make corrections. The counselor must also keep an open mind, being careful not to make any judgments until they have heard the entire story. ¹

Being Empathetic

Often a part of listening, putting themselves in the shoes of the person speaking, whether that is a student or another school official, helps counselors truly understand the underlying issues.

"Without the ability to understand what the student is experiencing, a counselor cannot truly do an effective job," says Helen A. Hatridge, past president of the Missouri School Counselor Association. "Empathy leads to good listening and a better ability to help the client come up with solutions. It also helps the student feel more comfortable and willing to open up to a counselor." ²

To be more empathetic, it is essential for a counselor to put aside their viewpoint. At the same time, they need to validate the student's viewpoint, which does not always mean agreement. Instead it means acknowledging their right to have an opinion, and that they have valid reasons for it. Asking how that person thinks a situation should be handled or what they would do opens up an even deeper understanding. ³

Building Relationship

It takes time for a counselor to build a relationship with any student or even their peers. However, through listening and being empathetic, that process can be accelerated.

To feel free to talk to a counselor, a student must often "break the ice," and needs to feel trust, comfort, and acceptance. Students need to accept that the counselor is a professional caregiver, and someone they can turn to without fear of judgement.

A counselor who develops this trusting relationship with students can get a lot more done, An understanding of the kid culture and what they care about can go a long way toward providing that environment of trust and understanding.

Performing Assessments

Assessment skills are essential for any school counselor in a number of areas. From academic and skills assessment to personality testing and career advisement, the ability to discern the intersection of talent and desire is essential to offering good counsel.

Assessment also includes determining if a student has special needs and interpreting test and non-test data to decide where the student should be placed, and what programs will most benefit them.

Regardless of the reason for assessment, the steps often include, but are not limited to the following:

Choosing what tests should be administered and when.

Scheduling, preparing, and administering tests.

Scoring tests or sending them out to be scored.

Advising students, teachers, parents, and other staff on test score interpretation.

Evaluating the testing process, results, and subsequent recommendations.⁴

Assessments involve some testing but must also be combined with listening, empathy, and the relationship that has been built to determine how testing outcomes relate to personality, desires, and the goals of the student.

Coordinating Efforts and Activities

Efforts and activities can fall into a couple of different categories. A counselor will have to coordinate Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students, and other student specific plans as well. Along with coordinating individual student plans and interacting with teachers and other school officials, the school counselor often coordinates other activities and projects as well.

In many cases, the school counselor is in charge of parent newsletters, school announcements, managing social media accounts, and other community outreach and event planning efforts.

The ability to coordinate and manage these efforts and activities requires strong leadership and organizational skills. Teaching these skills to students by allowing them to take responsibility for their own educational goals and other efforts enables a counselor to show leadership by example.

Exercising Authority

In order to be able to implement programs, direct student activities and coordinate tasks, a counselor must exercise a certain amount of authority.

This means first of all that the counselor must be granted the authority to handle certain tasks by other school officials such as principals and administrators. The more their authority is validated by their actions, the more the counselor will be perceived as a leader by parents and students alike.

Secondly, the school counselor must be willing to wield the authority they have been granted, taking charge of tasks and situations, setting expectations, and holding those responsible to deadlines.

The counselor must also know in any given situation when to cross the line from friend to professional. If a student is being abusive or abused, a more professional response is ethically and legally mandated. It is the counselor's obligation to take charge and follow through, ensuring that student safety comes first.

Being Flexible

If one thing is certain in the field of education, it is that things will change. Interruptions, schedule changes, new programs, and new responsibilities all interrupt a counselor's daily routine.

Student needs and the needs of the school overall often take priority over scheduled meetings. Parent phone calls, staff concerns, talks in classrooms, and unexpected counseling needs can all be disruptive.

A successful counselor should:

Leave gaps in their day for unscheduled needs.

Use good time management techniques.

Set reasonable boundaries. Know what is worthy of an interruption, and what can wait.

Communicate clearly. Inform students, parents, and faculty of schedules and boundaries.

By remaining flexible, a counselor can better manage the stress inherent in the job and be more responsive when needs arise unexpectedly.

Having a Sense of Humor

Being able to see things from the side of humor has a number of advantages. It lets students see that the counselor is human and can not only laugh at situations but laugh at themselves as well.

This is frequently one of the biggest assets in building student trust and developing a relationship with them. It is often how those students relate to adults, whether through jokes or humorous anecdotes that illustrate a point the counselor is trying to get across.

Humor is also a stress reliever. Being able to see the humorous side of interruptions and other daily situations allows a counselor to relax and keep anxiety from taking over many scenarios.

It takes a combination of many leadership traits to make a school counselor effective. They must use listening skills and offer empathy in order to build relationships. A counselor must also perform assessments and coordinate activities and educational efforts. These duties mean they must remain flexible and exercise authority when appropriate.

Not one of these traits alone is enough, and no one is equally adept in all of them. They are taught and can be learned in a Master of Arts in Counseling with an emphasis in school counseling like the one offered by Wake Forest University. This graduate degree will prepare you for a career as a school counselor in almost any setting.
Sources: 1 2 3 ⁴ American Counseling Association, Assessment Skills for School Counselors Mind Tools, Empathy at Work Education World, School Counselors Reflective On What Makes Them Effective Fast Company, 5 Ways To Improve Your Listening Skills

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Leadership Traits Every Counselor Should Have

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Far from simply setting up student schedules and administering placement and academic evaluation tests, school counselors are leaders who can have a huge impact on the acceleration and the enhancement of learning. They must possess the ability to negotiate, persuade others their ideas are worthwhile, and collaborate with principals and other school officials.

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Leadership Traits Every Counselor Should Have

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Leadership Traits Every Counselor Should Have

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Leadership traits for school counselors:
-Listening
-Being Empathetic
-Building Relationship
-Performing Assessments
-Coordinating Efforts & Activities
-Exercising Authority
-Being Flexible
-Having a Sense of Humor

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Far from simply setting up student schedules and administering placement and academic evaluation tests, school counselors are leaders who can have a huge impact on the acceleration and the enhancement of learning. They must possess the ability to negotiate, persuade others their ideas are worthwhile, and collaborate with principals and other school officials.

School counselors have many responsibilities, including counseling students, working with teachers and parents, referring students to outside agencies, participating in student welfare and learning support communities, and evaluating and improving their own school counseling program.

Listening

First and foremost, a school counselor needs to be a good listener. Often, they have several students they work with and may get very few chances to converse with them in a one on one setting. "The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood," said Ralph G. Nichols. "The best way to understand people is to listen to them."

To listen effectively, counselors must be fully in the moment, not thinking of their "to do" list but rather giving their full attention to the issue at hand. Reflecting back to the person, your perception of what they said helps show understanding, and lets them make corrections. The counselor must also keep an open mind, being careful not to make any judgments until they have heard the entire story. ¹

Being Empathetic

Often a part of listening, putting themselves in the shoes of the person speaking, whether that is a student or another school official, helps counselors truly understand the underlying issues.

"Without the ability to understand what the student is experiencing, a counselor cannot truly do an effective job," says Helen A. Hatridge, past president of the Missouri School Counselor Association. "Empathy leads to good listening and a better ability to help the client come up with solutions. It also helps the student feel more comfortable and willing to open up to a counselor." ²

To be more empathetic, it is essential for a counselor to put aside their viewpoint. At the same time, they need to validate the student's viewpoint, which does not always mean agreement. Instead it means acknowledging their right to have an opinion, and that they have valid reasons for it. Asking how that person thinks a situation should be handled or what they would do opens up an even deeper understanding. ³

Building Relationship

It takes time for a counselor to build a relationship with any student or even their peers. However, through listening and being empathetic, that process can be accelerated.

To feel free to talk to a counselor, a student must often "break the ice," and needs to feel trust, comfort, and acceptance. Students need to accept that the counselor is a professional caregiver, and someone they can turn to without fear of judgement.

A counselor who develops this trusting relationship with students can get a lot more done, An understanding of the kid culture and what they care about can go a long way toward providing that environment of trust and understanding.

Performing Assessments

Assessment skills are essential for any school counselor in a number of areas. From academic and skills assessment to personality testing and career advisement, the ability to discern the intersection of talent and desire is essential to offering good counsel.

Assessment also includes determining if a student has special needs and interpreting test and non-test data to decide where the student should be placed, and what programs will most benefit them.

Regardless of the reason for assessment, the steps often include, but are not limited to the following:

Choosing what tests should be administered and when.

Scheduling, preparing, and administering tests.

Scoring tests or sending them out to be scored.

Advising students, teachers, parents, and other staff on test score interpretation.

Evaluating the testing process, results, and subsequent recommendations.⁴

Assessments involve some testing but must also be combined with listening, empathy, and the relationship that has been built to determine how testing outcomes relate to personality, desires, and the goals of the student.

Coordinating Efforts and Activities

Efforts and activities can fall into a couple of different categories. A counselor will have to coordinate Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students, and other student specific plans as well. Along with coordinating individual student plans and interacting with teachers and other school officials, the school counselor often coordinates other activities and projects as well.

In many cases, the school counselor is in charge of parent newsletters, school announcements, managing social media accounts, and other community outreach and event planning efforts.

The ability to coordinate and manage these efforts and activities requires strong leadership and organizational skills. Teaching these skills to students by allowing them to take responsibility for their own educational goals and other efforts enables a counselor to show leadership by example.

Exercising Authority

In order to be able to implement programs, direct student activities and coordinate tasks, a counselor must exercise a certain amount of authority.

This means first of all that the counselor must be granted the authority to handle certain tasks by other school officials such as principals and administrators. The more their authority is validated by their actions, the more the counselor will be perceived as a leader by parents and students alike.

Secondly, the school counselor must be willing to wield the authority they have been granted, taking charge of tasks and situations, setting expectations, and holding those responsible to deadlines.

The counselor must also know in any given situation when to cross the line from friend to professional. If a student is being abusive or abused, a more professional response is ethically and legally mandated. It is the counselor's obligation to take charge and follow through, ensuring that student safety comes first.

Being Flexible

If one thing is certain in the field of education, it is that things will change. Interruptions, schedule changes, new programs, and new responsibilities all interrupt a counselor's daily routine.

Student needs and the needs of the school overall often take priority over scheduled meetings. Parent phone calls, staff concerns, talks in classrooms, and unexpected counseling needs can all be disruptive.

A successful counselor should:

Leave gaps in their day for unscheduled needs.

Use good time management techniques.

Set reasonable boundaries. Know what is worthy of an interruption, and what can wait.

Communicate clearly. Inform students, parents, and faculty of schedules and boundaries.

By remaining flexible, a counselor can better manage the stress inherent in the job and be more responsive when needs arise unexpectedly.

Having a Sense of Humor

Being able to see things from the side of humor has a number of advantages. It lets students see that the counselor is human and can not only laugh at situations but laugh at themselves as well.

This is frequently one of the biggest assets in building student trust and developing a relationship with them. It is often how those students relate to adults, whether through jokes or humorous anecdotes that illustrate a point the counselor is trying to get across.

Humor is also a stress reliever. Being able to see the humorous side of interruptions and other daily situations allows a counselor to relax and keep anxiety from taking over many scenarios.

It takes a combination of many leadership traits to make a school counselor effective. They must use listening skills and offer empathy in order to build relationships. A counselor must also perform assessments and coordinate activities and educational efforts. These duties mean they must remain flexible and exercise authority when appropriate.

Not one of these traits alone is enough, and no one is equally adept in all of them. They are taught and can be learned in a Master of Arts in Counseling with an emphasis in school counseling like the one offered by Wake Forest University. This graduate degree will prepare you for a career as a school counselor in almost any setting.
Sources: 1 2 3 ⁴ American Counseling Association, Assessment Skills for School Counselors Mind Tools, Empathy at Work Education World, School Counselors Reflective On What Makes Them Effective Fast Company, 5 Ways To Improve Your Listening Skills

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Leadership Traits Every Counselor Should Have

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Far from simply setting up student schedules and administering placement and academic evaluation tests, school counselors are leaders who can have a huge impact on the acceleration and the enhancement of learning. They must possess the ability to negotiate, persuade others their ideas are worthwhile, and collaborate with principals and other school officials.

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Elements of Emotional Intelligence & why it is important.

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The Case For Hiring For Emotional Intelligence

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Why this so-called "soft skill" is much more than a buzzword.

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Great video for tips for new counselors!

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6 TIPS FOR NEW SCHOOL COUNSELORS: Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started As A School Counselor

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A great way to track our time as school counselors!

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Different Ways I Track My Use of Time |School Counselor Edition

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How to become a successful school leader as a school counselor.

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Educational leaders play a pivotal role in affecting the climate, attitude and reputation of their schools. But what makes a truly effective leader? Here we offer insight on 10 educational leadership qualities that make for a truly effective school leader.

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3 Steps School Leaders Can Take to Support Teachers Right Now

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3 Steps School Leaders Can Take to Support Teachers Right Now

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While this is really focusing on what administration can do, I think there are some good tips and tricks in here that counselors could help with as well.

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Understanding Adult Well-Being in Schools

As a term, adult well-being is an abstract concept encompassing mental, emotional, and physical health. For education leaders, this ambiguity can make it a difficult topic to address. LUSD and TLA conducted a focus group and a review of existing literature to develop a framework and common language for adult well-being based on four interrelated drivers:

Affect: The ability to work through negative emotions toward a positive state of being

Autonomy: Agency over health, time, and personal decision-making

Engagement: The act of finding work valuable and sustainable

Relationships: The existence of meaningful connections with others

When attended to and nurtured, these drivers push individuals toward a positive state of well-being. For education leaders, this framing allows them to identify concrete strategies that support their educators. Beyond one-and-done programs or individual self-care initiatives, educators need systemic, community-wide support to feel an authentic sense of well-being in their jobs.

Initiatives about well-being often focus primarily on adults' emotional and relational states. In a professional context, however, autonomy and engagement serve as essential starting points and, while frequently overlooked, have direct implications for educator efficacy. To foster these drivers, school and district leaders can take three actions.

3 Tangible Ways to Help

1. Facilitate collaborative planning: Repeatedly, teachers across multiple studies reported increased workloads associated with preparing for remote and hybrid learning. Back in person, they face new challenges as they differentiate instruction and work to accelerate student growth. To increase engagement and make work more sustainable, leaders can set aside dedicated time for collaborative planning.

In Texas, Austin Independent School District leaders facilitated remote planning sessions so that teachers could work within grade-level and subject-area teams from across the district, reducing their workload. At New Mexico's Taos Academy Charter School, leaders created dedicated planning time that encouraged teachers to build connections across the curriculum, design active learning projects, and divide their teaching time to create more opportunities for students while increasing their own capacity.

Collaborative planning has tangible benefits. It allows educators to reclaim time, giving them a greater sense of autonomy; it reduces their workload, making their work more sustainable; and it encourages collaboration, fostering deeper engagement.

2. Support work-life balance: Anecdotal evidence collected by TLA researchers revealed that some educators felt as though they had more autonomy during remote learning. Suddenly, they had control over their daily schedules. Teachers also reported struggles, however, in balancing the demands of home life and work life with technology making them feel always on.

To help educators retain their autonomy and find their work more sustainable, leaders can actively encourage their teachers to disconnect after work hours, whether by turning off app notifications or removing school communication tools from personal devices. They can also clearly communicate norms such as expecting emails to be returned only during the work week-and then respect those boundaries-and manage expectations about communication with students and their families. Perhaps most important, leaders need to model these behaviors themselves.

3. Distribute leadership: During remote learning, some schools and districts supported autonomy and engagement through distributed leadership and decision-making. By including multiple stakeholders in decision-making processes, leaders meaningfully involved teachers in decisions that directly affected them. This created a greater sense of coherence and increased buy-in for various initiatives such as small-group tutoring and new Covid protocols. It also mitigated threats to agency and autonomy because educators felt ownership.

Leaders from multiple schools and districts reported that distributed leadership increased their capacity to respond to challenging situations. At the same time, collective decision-making positively supported educators' sense of autonomy and increased positive engagement.

Getting Started

Leaders face a unique challenge in that no single solution exists for addressing adult well-being. Although this article suggests three strategies, a first step should always be to ask educators what they actually need. Whether through a formal survey, an informal poll, or individual interviews, leaders should solicit input before designing potential solutions, so that educators will perceive programs as professionally helpful-leading to engagement-rather than as a threat to their agency and time.

Leaders also need to realize that to sustain autonomy and engagement, both must become socialized into the broader culture. While it can be tempting to focus on short-term wins, the ultimate goal should be to socialize a culture of well-being within schools and districts. When this happens, the onus for adult well-being shifts away from principals and district leaders and toward the collective.

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3 Steps School Leaders Can Take to Support Teachers Right Now

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As a term, adult well-being is an abstract concept encompassing mental, emotional, and physical health. For education leaders, this ambiguity can make it a difficult topic to address.