Not only does Mrs. DuPrau embody these values as a leader, she also notes that creating a positive and welcoming work environment for everyone is at the core of her leadership philosophy. She argues that “when people feel valued, recognized and included, they will work twenty times harder to get a job done” (A. DuPrau, personal communication, April 21, 2021). This statement echoes the sentiment of servant leadership, which emphasizes “making a positive difference in followers’ lives by providing an open and caring atmosphere conducive to growth and development” (Paul& Fitzpatrick, 2015, p. 29). Servant leaders have a central philosophy of serving others and putting their own needs last. While commending Mrs. DuPrau for these selfless tendencies, she stops me mid-sentence and shakes her head sadly, sharing that this aspect of her personality often lands her in trouble. She notes that “because I have a tendency to say yes to everything and everyone, I often overcommit myself to the point of putting my own needs, especially basic ones, last… I will frequently work through lunch and forget to eat or take work calls and emails at home, cutt into family time with my kids'' (A. DuPrau, personal communication, April 21, 2021).  Mrs. DuPrau suggests that she is still learning to manage this part of her leadership philosophy- she wants to be available to her team but also put boundaries on how much she makes herself available to others. 

We briefly discuss her professional role model and the qualities that set this individual apart from others. Mrs. DuPrau tells me a heartwarming story about her very first principal, a strong, caring and joy-filled woman, who took in a student temporarily while he battled issues at home. Mrs. DuPrau shares that this principal “led and loved her community fiercely… and gave everyone the time of day no matter how many obligations were currently sitting on her plate” (A. DuPrau, personal communication, April 21, 2021). Mrs. DuPrau notes that she would like to encompass these same qualities as she leads and shapes her own school community. She states that this type of leadership- leaders empowering their followers- can trickle down to positively impact more people than intended, essentially causing a ripple effect of connection and belonging. Indeed, “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not followers…[by]  altering the perspective or psychology of a follower and shift them to want to become a leader too” (Western Governors University, 2021).

We conclude our interview with my final question regarding the advice she would give an individual entering a leadership position for the first time. Mrs. DuPrau gets a faraway look in her eyes, smiles softly at me and responds, “Be good to people and don’t take yourself too seriously” (A. DuPrau, personal communication, April 21, 2021)

References
Cherry, K. (2019). The Major Leadership Theories. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-theories-2795323 

Coleman, J. (2018, August 18). The Power Of Relational Leadership. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johncoleman/2018/04/16/the-power-of-relational-leadership/?sh=2dd10990369d 

Paul, K. W., & Fitzpatrick, C. (2015). Advising as servant leadership: Investigating student satisfaction. NACADA Journal, 35(2), 28-35. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.easydb.angelo.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=7f2571df-a469-4e77-8150-11ff3543b8cc%40pdc-v-sessmgr03 

Western Governors University. (2021). Leadership Theories and Styles. https://www.wgu.edu/blog/leadership-theories-styles2004.html#:~:text=Leadership%20theories%20are%20the%20explanations,to%20increase%20their%20leadership%20capabilities