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I have found that the best leaders to work for had 2 of the same characteristics. They served their workers/employees and they delegated to their workers/employees. Each leader in my life has had different leadership styles, communication skills and personalities but the leaders that had an impact on me, had servants hearts and were not afraid to delegate work to me and my fellow co-workers. Being a servant leader means focusing on providing what your workers need to succeed. Doing everything you can so that they understand you have their back and want them to be successful. Delegating means allowing workers to take on tasks that may be above their job title. Even if it means sharing some of your responsibility with them. Ultimately these 2 characteristics are only possible when a leader has humility. When they are not afraid of seeing other people succeed. Humility means you are not afraid of your worker replacing you. Instead, you hope that your worker can replace you so you can move onto higher things as well.

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Leaders are the drivers of change in my eyes. They have a vision, and can articulate it. People follow them because they can see the same vision, it aligns with what they want. Simon Sinek is right, people don't follow what you do, they follow why you do it. When you do something that you are passionate about, you are not afraid to put in the work, get your hands dirty, and see it through.
In schools, leaders can come from all levels. School leaders see the potential in the staff. Leaders who can allow others to develop their skills as leaders and teachers, are the most successful. Most of us don't follow lazy leaders, leadership isn't granted by authority alone. There is a certain amount of human understanding that must accompany leadership. Leaders are learners; they're constantly keeping up on what's happening, focusing on forward movement. Leaders are also able to listen to all, advocate, and self-reflect when necessary.

I hope that in my first school, I work with leaders who understand the value of the library, and the staff within it. I hope I have a collaborative environment to grow within. I also hope that they are brave enough to enact change, and bear with fallout that occurs (because it always seems to happen).

I've really enjoyed learning from everyone in class. Those who are already employed in schools have some great feedback and illustrative thoughts to bring forward.

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Leadership is only such when it is a group or a Ship of followers.  If one has no followers, then he/she does not garner leaderShip.  The "I believe" as Simon Sinek discussed is where it becomes "we believe."
I believe it comes from proper Role Modeling.  If a leader is respected and understood then that leader can assume leadership.  Contradiction and a "Do as I say, not as I do" mentality fosters nothing but dissent and distaste.
My favorite leaders are very rarely any one person. Instead, I pay attention to qualities that some Good Leaders have. No one is perfect so no one deserves blind faith. However, their choices and ideas can be role models to carry onto self-identity and self-promotion.
Unfortunately or fortunately, teaching is not a solo act.  What happens in a classroom is never one person's decision and action.  There is a LARGE funnel that spirals down to the strategies and lessons a teacher employs.  However, when I coach, many times I am both creator and distributor.  What I tend to create from year to year, is a synthesis of my years with children, leaders, and parents.  My emphasis is fun, hard work, and respect.  Everything else is just learning the sport, whether we win or lose.
Although I have not seen it yet in my school, a good Principle has big ears.  He/She listens to everyone and decides with everyone.  I have seen so many teachers seek early retirement because they have no voice.  Leadership of their own classrooms are micromanaged down to the minute.  Good Leadership instills trust in its subordinates.  Some say that Doug Pederson coaches with the mentality that his Captains control and coach other players more than he does.  His belief in his players works contagiously down to every player with a solidarity in belief.

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In the Rheingold interview with George Couros, Couros used the phrase "to learn openly." In our class discussions about the growth mindset, we have talked about the importance of modeling a growth mindset, and part of that has to be sharing our failures as learning experiences. I am now sure of this is widespread or if it is just in the districts where I have taught, but I have found teachers and administrators to be far too guarded to "learn openly." I think that is a terrible disservice to all of us in education, and I hope to see  a shift!
My principal seems, thus far, to be a leader that is generally respected in our school. The thing that I hear most often about him is that he is "on our side." I think that being an advocate for the interests of your teachers and students has to be a part of being a good principal, and advocating for the needs of those you lead should be a trait for all leaders. I think that leaders do need to effectively communicate their "whys," as Simon Sinek pointed out, and they also have to be confident without being afraid to "learn openly." I appreciate these reminders to foster a relationship with your principal and also to be open with your learning. My principal has called our library a "hub" and the "epicenter of the school," so I feel that he values us. However, as we move one to one in the district, I need to be ready to work with my librarian partner to advocate for our services and re-imagine some of our role in the school to align with district and building wide goals/initiatives.

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I define a leader as someone who can bridge the gap; who is able to connect people with new ways of thinking and doing things through use of personal experience, natural charisma, empathy, and perseverance. I have known many leaders in my life, but the one who sticks out the most is my dad. My dad was curious about everything, and during his forty-seven years spent on this earth, his curiosity led him down many paths. He opened and managed his own deli, opened and managed his own mechanic shop, was a teacher, was a school administrator, got his pilot’s license, was a regional manager for Bobcat, was a cook, was a gardener, etc. etc. And no matter what he was doing in these diverse fields, he always had that thing about him that forced him to the forefront of the crowd, and that made people want to listen to what he had to say. People came to my dad for advice more often than I can even remember, and early on in my life I realized there was something special about him, something that can’t be learned but can only come naturally, and that that something special made him a wonderful leader. In fact, he made such an impression on people that, during his funeral in 2008, the line of mourners extended outside of the funeral home.

On the other side of the coin, there are leaders who have those same capabilities but who use them to influence others in negative ways. As an example, take our current administration. Donald Trump is clearly a leader, but he is leading his followers down the wrong path, as far as I am concerned. And I know I shouldn’t be writing about politics, but I also believe our generation needs to be outspoken more than ever right now, and so I’m not going to hold back. I think Trump’s leadership qualities have been wasted on catering to the fears of his base and exploiting those fears for votes in his favor. While he has the ability to carry masses behind him, he is carrying them toward an inevitable downfall.

As to whether I believe I have leadership qualities, I think I take after my dad. I often find myself as the person who others come to for advice, and in school and in work I have often found myself at the forefront. My dad used to say I have a very calming personality and demeanor that makes people gravitate toward me and want to follow me. I don’t know how true this is, but he was the personal who knew me best.

The qualities I would like to see in my first school principle are: engaged, empathetic, focused on growth of himself/herself as well as employees and students, and, of course, they should be fun!

In terms of who is emerging as a leader in our group discussions, I would give a hats off to Steve. I’ve known Steve in a few other classes, and he is always very passionate about his beliefs. He seems engaged in most people’s posts, and ready to give his two cents. I don’t always agree with him (as he knows haha), but I give him credit for often leading the pack.

Finally, the readings/viewings from our playlists have been at the core of my role in the ecosystem of my FE school. Without them, I wouldn’t know anything about anything. Because our playlists cover such a wide array, I feel able to at least dip my toes into many simultaneous topics, so that when I do my FE I at least have a clue about what my FE librarian is talking about. Not only that, but many readings/viewings have proven to me just how vital libraries still are. For instance, “Leading a Reading Culture” describes librarians as being at the forefront of a new future, which certainly empowers me as I continue on in this field.

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In my opinion, I think a strong leader encompasses all of the strict definitions of the actual term plus the personality to care about a population and take charge even in times of difficulty.  My ideal school leader promotes the rules of both the school and administrative rules of the district but also cares for his/her staff as human beings.  I have not encountered any school principals that do not truly care for the human needs of their staff.  I have met a few that let some staff members slip through the cracks with certain rules but have reprimanded others for breaking the same rules.  I think consistency is key: how you treat one is how you treat all.  A good school leader is aware of all of the new and upcoming pedagogies while still reverting to the basics when necessary.  My current school leader has a balance of all of these qualities, and I am very fortunate to work at her school.

In terms of our class, I think that we are all leaders in our own way.  We each have our own definition of leadership, and the fact that we are all enrolled in this course (and overall MLIS program) shows that we are information leaders!  If I had to pick someone from our class, I would not be able to pick just one; I'd have to choose two: Taylor and Jacquelyn.  I have been fortunate enough to be in several classes with both of them, and they each contribute a plethora of great points in all discussions.

I have never used Padlet before, but I wanted to play around with some of the features. Padlet is very cool!  I noticed that some of my classmates have changed the color of their posting, and I did want to try that too. I also figured out how to draw on my post, so I wanted to include that drawing here:

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Thought I had posted this earlier in the week - sorry for the delay!

A leader is someone who helps others see where they would be happiest and supports them on their way there. Good leaders lead by example, and encourage those who are following; a poor leader tells others what should be done and chastises them if they do not get there in a time and fashion that is pleasing to the leader.

I am inspired by the discussions of leadership we’ve seen this week, particularly Dan Heath’s words about putting feelings first. His point that “Knowledge rarely leads to change” particularly resonated with me, as I feel there’s been a hard press on schools to use data-driven instruction. Frankly, seeing columns and pages of numbers is not motivating. Helping people see where the highs and lows are, and helping them see how the gap between them is harmful for all involved, is a much better way to motivate.

In our class discussions, we have a lot of great minds tossing out ideas; but I find myself giving particular attention and weight to the thoughts of Taylor, Jacquelyn, and Anina, who offer insights and set such a wonderful example of the ways one can (and often should) be thinking about school librarianship. They have such positive and empowering views of what the space and the position can be; I often find myself inspired by their ideas, and rethinking some of my own plans in light of their observations and reflections

While reviewing the readings and viewings from the playlists, particularly “Leading a Reading Culture,” it was difficult not to see that school librarians occupy a particularly vital niche in the school ecosystem. School librarians can (and should) be the glue that binds together curriculum and disciplines; they should offer a clear view of how subjects are not disparate classes to endure, but rather a cohesive whole which can be explored across disciplinary lines through inquiry-driven learning in the library. It’s easy to dismiss the library and the librarian in a school, as they are generally not set aside as a “real” class; but that is because the TL and the library should provide ongoing support for ALL classes.

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A leader has earned the trust and respect of individuals through clear communication of shared goals.  I have seen leaders of all kinds (quiet, outgoing, full of energy) that have motivated others by setting examples. The poor leaders often "talk the talk, but don't walk the walk". They lose trust of others through the lack of follow through in their plans. The three main qualities I would like my future principal to have is honesty, good communication and trust of staff to be innovative/successful with students. One of our fellow peers that is emerging as a leader is Steve. He has interesting and relative commentary about various topics. He engages in dialogue with all colleagues to make the most of the learning opportunity.

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Leaders are respected individuals who encourage innovation and empower others to succeed.  Much like the first dancer in the Dancing Guy video, leaders devote energy to ensuring that their organization, team, or movement succeeds rather than focusing on self-promotion.   A poor leader does not treat his followers as equals, and subsequently his followers do not feel personally invested in the success or the organization or the movement.  In a school setting, a leader should be known as a friendly, approachable person.  Finally, leaders should practice transparency.  Sharing resources and ideas helps others succeed, and creates an open, positive learning community.

A recent discussion in the Future Ready Librarians Facebook group posed the question, if you could ask candidates for principal interview questions, what would you ask?  Many commenters answered that they would like to know what the candidate is currently reading, and how often they visit their public library.  The answers to these questions demonstrate whether an individual is a reader and supporter of libraries (both good signs!), and those qualities are important in a school administrator.  However, my favorite suggestions ask the candidate what the ideal school library would look like and provide, or what the library of the future looks like.  If I were on the interview committee for a new school principal, I think I would ask how the candidate views the library as a part of the school’s vision.  This question forces the principal to consider his or her why, which will guide us to provide library services that are valued and supported by school administration.

I think that Kate-Lynn and Steve are emerging as leaders in our class discussions.  They each bring new ideas to the class and thoughtfully debate differences of opinion.

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Simon Sinek's How Great Leaders Inspire Action was a fascinating video. Ultimately, to be a leader others want to follow and work for and with, you need to make it clear the goal that everyone is working towards. As Sinek says, "know your why." It's important to keep in the foreground of your mind that "people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it" (Sinek). This is an important approach in a school where benchmarks and standardized tests may be seen as trivial. In reality, these things exist to better assess student performance, to create relevant lessons, and to alter curriculum to best suit student needs; all of which is done to create an effective school climate that will better prepare students for their future (AKA the WHY).
A proper leader will help for their staff to realize the ultimate why, creating a unity among the school because everyone is working for the same reason.

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I think an ideal school leader starts with the principle of mutual respect with all of the members of the staff. This mutual respect comes from the understanding that we are all pieces of the puzzle that make up the school, we each bring our expertise to the table, and none of us can do our jobs without the other. If the principal sees themselves as a piece of this puzzle, rather than outside it, that is the first step toward working together and creating effective leadership. Leaders create the culture of any work environment. Effective leadership creates satisfied and productive employees, and a positive work environment. By valuing the expertise and work that all members of a staff contribute, one will find that they will reciprocate that respect, and a culture will be where everyone can work together toward mutual goals and fulfilling the mission and vision of a school.
Three characteristics that I would like my principal to have are: 1) The trust in the skills and expertise

of his/her staff to allow them to work independently. 2) The experience and confidence in their own abilities so that they do not feel like are in over their heads and begin to compete with the school staff. 3) A visionary--someone who can see the current situation and appreciate all that it has and the people who have created it, but also be able to step back and create a vision and a path to the future.

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I took a Library Leadership class last semester and we went over characteristics of good leaders. There are different types of leaders but the type that I prefer are leaders who encourage their follows to be leaders themselves. They see themselves as on the same playing field as their followers and don't look down upon them. It would be good to have a principal that advocates collaboration between the administration and other staff and celebrates their process and accomplishments.

Patty Meyer is one leader that I look up to who demonstrates these qualities. She was the leader of my church's vacation bible school (for grades K-6) and was in charge of coordinating the program and leading adult and teen volunteers in preparing and running the program. She was always open to people's ideas, no matter their age. She showed everyone respect and even dedicated time at the end of the program to thank all the volunteers through a song she learned in sign language. She was and still is amazing. It was her supportive leadership that nurtured my confidence and I was able to take over the summer program with a friend when she needed to step down for her health.

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To me, a leader is someone who is always striving towards positive change. As an undergraduate, I remember my college’s president replying to a question about the completion of a campus construction project by saying: “A college campus that is not under construction is falling behind.” I think this quote applies perfectly to the idea of leadership in a metaphorical sense. A leader is constantly working on improving things for the benefit of others.

I hope my first school principal has this mindset. I hope he or she understands my mission as a librarian and provides me with the tools I need to work towards my vision. I would hope that my future principal is a good communicator and understands that they represent the school’s image.

In our discussions, Steve stands out as a leader to me. I know he’s got years of teaching experience up his sleeve and I’m always eager to read what he has to say and view his projects. Not just in this course, but in others we’ve had together, I’ve seen Steve make points I would have never thought about myself. He’s great at connecting the dots and relating experience to theory.

In terms of school leaders who aren’t administrators, I see my FE librarian as that EXACT person. She’s involved in EVERYTHING and works with every department. She’s a leader in that she’s inspired so much positive change in the school. Since she began working at the school the year after I graduated, it’s easy to see the ways in which she’s changed the library and larger school community.

The readings informed me of the importance of gaining followers. A leader needs followers in order to make an impact. This idea made me rethink my future influence by helping me to focus on building relationships with like-minded colleagues that will help me in my leadership by following my lead.

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The definition of "lead" from Merriam Webster is, "to guide someone or something along a way." I think that being a leader is much more complicated than that, though. I'd like to connect my comments again to the John Kotter video from last week: a leader is someone who, through communication and creativity, encourages others. One of the key parts of being a leader, in my opinion, is your relationship to others. Are you motivating others and encouraging them to also be creative? Are you a person that others look up to?

I've seen some pretty poor leadership skills from the administration at my FE school. There seems to be a lack of interest in getting to know the students and interacting with them. The SLMS said they have never seen the principal engage with the kids--he came down during Maker's Day last year and didn't talk to a single student. Noooooo! Engaging and communication is so, so essential- especially with middle school students. They're challenging, but that makes it even more important. The principal who was there when I was a student was more effective. He had all these catchy sayings he'd repeat so often it was impossible not to remember ("We give respect, we take responsibility," "To be early is to be on time,") and he was a big personality. He made himself a huge presence in the school--the dunk tank at family fun night, the science fair, the cafeteria. I think that he was a great example of the "Great Man Theory." There was something so natural about how he lead and how he connected with the community he served.

Honestly, seeing administration in a school right now is making me never want to be an administrator (not that this is something I really considered before though). I think that lacking a strong example of administrative leadership in my FE is a huge cause of this; and when I bring that up with the teachers in my family, everyone seems to have more negative things to say about their administrators than positive things. I'd love for people to share their positive administrative experiences!! I think that from the discussions I've had with teachers, it seems like there are other positions in a school that might be better for leaders.

Two leaders who have emerged in our discussions are Taylor and Steve. They both are strong communicators who bring insightful comments to the discussion. What I love about their posts particularly is that they answer the prompt AND bring in something new for us to think about. It sparks some tangential discussions that I think have been really important. In addition to making their own posts, they respond to others with the same thoughtfulness and enthusiasm.
Kate-Lynn Brown

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Simon Sinek described a leader to be, "someone who leads us is someone who inspires us." I love this quote and idea and I think the leaders who are more authoritative, demanding and ignores trying to connect with those who work with them, to be counterproductive. I have known a few great leaders and some of their qualities are their optimism, passion and drive. Those leaders have always given others that same excitement and spark for a common task. I think that my passion for literature, learning, discovering and using new technologies, can only become infectious and allow others to get excited about these things too--so I would say that I can and do have leadership qualities.

I think my first school principal should be as passionate and excited about the future of libraries as I am. I would hope that they place emphasis on the library as the heart of the school and utilize it to its fullest potential and be supportive of my ideas for the continuous development of it. I also agree with the suggestions/advice given by Pernille Ripp in "What Amazing Principals Do and You Can Too" where she states that a principal who is trusting, honest, stays connected and who can advocate when needed (to name a few things) are some of the makings of an amazing principal. We need our principals and other administrators to believe in us but also stand by us.  I am inspired by the definitions of leadership where it's a cohesive message where everyone is on the same page and working towards a similar goal but also one that inspires to go beyond and keep moving forward.

I think Taylor and Katherine in our group discussion both bring about new ideas, thoughtful reflections and ask great questions to move the conversation forward. Again, they spark ideas and create a motivation for further discussion. I have been lucky to know school leaders that aren't apart of administration (although one person did end up as an administrator because of their motivation to change things in a positive way) and those I have known have continued to keep that drive and excitement. They have also reached out to others, asking their thoughts and feelings on a variety of issues and worked together with people. Also, as we saw the person dancing in the video, "First Follower-Leadership Lesson from Dancing Guy" by Derek Sivers, leaders "must be easy to follow" and "need guts to stand alone and look ridiculous." It takes courage as well as the willingness to try and fail from time to time, as Dr. V mentioned in our lecture.

From what we have read and viewed this week, it reminds me of how my FE librarian's passion for sharing the amazing things the library can offer to the whole school, continues to inspire me each time I'm there and reminds me that I'm apart of that mission-to bring students, teachers and beyond, into the library and learn, get creative, share, grow and thrive. My FE librarian embraces me as an equal, so going back to the Dancing Guy video, I feel like the second person who started dancing, waving people in to join us.

-Lauren James