According to the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (2018), school counselors should lead through the execution of the school's comprehensive school counseling program, respond to the personal and social needs of different students, and the enhancement of learning environments that address students' diverse needs. These areas encompass a large majority of a campus’s daily management.  Therefore, our campus includes counselors within its leadership team.  

Self-assessment is important to grow as a leader. Counselors use the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success to identify students' attitudes, knowledge, and skills and, therefore, provide appropriate interventions for student growth. Using the same model to assess leadership mindsets, abilities, and knowledge helps counselors to enhance competencies, resulting in a beneficial influence on the school climate, students, and the school community.

References:

American School Counselor Association (2021). ASCA Student Standards; Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success. Alexandria, VA: Author.  

Texas Counseling Association. (2018). The Texas model for comprehensive school counseling programs (5th). Austin.

Many historical figures held the view that we should be able to coexist peacefully while still respecting one another's religious convictions. Sadly, religious differences and the inability to respect and acknowledge the beliefs of others still frequently cause division in America. This book explores historical figures' perspectives on the role of religion in everyday culture.

As a result of the diversity that makes America what it is, leaders need to be able to communicate and collaborate with people from different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. To achieve a shared objective, leaders should work to bring all people together, regardless of their background. Leaders have viewed religion's impact on America differently over the years. Many people think that America was shaped by Christianity, while others believe that the various religions that coexisted in America helped shape it into what it is today.  Because America has historically been seen as a Christian nation, other religions may not always be accepted by society. Due to this, many have advised religion stay separate from the workplace and schools. However, the debate of whether or not this separation infringes on freedom keeps resurfacing. Therefore, should American leaders' daily lives should be influenced by religion? 

Although fostering a culture that reflects one's religion may be convenient, it is crucial to remember that leaders should be able to respect different religious viewpoints and encourage groups to interact with one another rather than stick to their own cultural or religious group. Leaders must also be able to respect various religious symbols and languages and use those as opportunities to advance a cohesive culture. By learning the fundamentals of various religions, America's leaders and citizens will build a more unified society. 

The author argues that it is important for both citizens and leaders to make an effort to comprehend, educate themselves about, and respect the various American religions. By incorporating religion into daily life, one can put this into practice. The author also believes that a country shouldn't be founded on the practice of a single dominant religion.

Overall, I concur with the author's opinions. I believe that the only way to heal this nation's current divisions and move it toward healing is to embrace religious diversity. I agree that in order to foster unity in America, Americans should be willing to learn about and respect one another's religious convictions.

I believe that the message of this book applies to all leadership positions, not just those in education. Although a leader's religious beliefs may be a significant core value, it is crucial that the leader be aware of, open to, and sensitive to the diverse backgrounds of those they lead. I firmly believe that embracing people from various backgrounds, cultures, and religions affords any group the ability to view solutions from a variety of perspectives. Despite being a devoted Christian, my school's principal commands the respect of every employee because he strives to promote harmony among our many differences and looks to each member to contribute their unique point of view.

As a school counselor, my current position requires that I constantly be sensitive to the opinions and backgrounds of my students. Students, in my opinion, respond well when a leader is receptive and eager to find out about their background. For instance, I recently spoke with a student who was a Muslim. She seemed genuinely reluctant to share any information at first, but after I started probing and made an effort to understand her faith, she became more forthcoming in counseling. Gaining a student's trust requires building relationships, and my interest in her faith was the first step in doing so. 

I immediately considered relational leadership when thinking about how this book relates to leadership theories learned in this course. Coleman (2018) discusses how leaders work to forge connections while maintaining focus on their objectives. The work of the team is more productive because relational leaders put a strong emphasis on developing relationships. I feel that the leader is attempting to establish cordial and respectful relationships with the group by comprehending, learning, and encouraging religious acceptance.

I would suggest this book given the longstanding religious and political division in America. I agree with the author's general viewpoint that Americans should be able to understand one another's religious and cultural backgrounds in order to work toward a shared objective. 

The dilemma of whether or not religion should be included and discussed in public life has existed for centuries. The author exhorts leaders to take the time to understand, encourage, and learn about various religious views in order to unite Americans, bearing in mind that America is thought of as a democratic nation that stands on the premise of freedom of speech. I think our founding fathers intended for us to use our freedom of speech to educate ourselves about other Americans. This book's overarching point is applicable to any leadership position, whether it be in politics or education. The knowledge I gained from this book will help me as I work to understand my coworkers' and students' backgrounds. This will enable me to demonstrate relational leadership, broaden my own horizons, and foster unity. 

References:

Coleman, J. (2018, August 18). The power of Relational leadership. Forbes. Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/johncoleman/2018/04/16/the-power-of-relational-leadership/ 

Hicks, D. (2009). With God on all sides: Leadership in a devout and diverse America. Oxford University Press. 

Cherry, K. (2020). How do transformational leaders inspire and motivate followers? 

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-transformational-leadership-2795313

Dodd, C. (2021, December 8). Shifting to a virtual school counseling environment. Learning Innovation Catalyst Blog. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://blog.linclearning.com/shifting-to-a-virtual-school-counseling-environment 

 

Coleman, J. (2018, August 18). The Power of relational leadership. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johncoleman/2018/04/16/the-power-of-relational-leadership/?sh=37dee063369d

Frick, D. M. (2004). Robert K. Greenleaf: A life of servant leadership. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Global Leadership Foundation. (2004). The global el test results. https://globalleadershipfoundation.com/deepening-understanding/emotional-intelligence/ 

Goleman, D. (2011). Leadership: The power of emotional intelligence; selected writings. Northampton, MA: More Than Sound.

Greenleaf, R. (2021). What is servant leadership? Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Retrieved November 1, 2022, from https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/ 

Greenleaf, R. K. (2016). The contemporary servant as leader. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.

Imel, S., & National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education, C. O. (2001). Business-Industry Relationships and CTE. In Brief: Fast Facts for Policy and 

Practice No. 12

Keith, K. M. (2015). The case for servant leadership. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.

Mind Tools Content Team. (2022). Emotional Intelligence in Leadership. MindTools. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.mindtools.com/ax3ar6w/emotional-intelligence-in-leadership 
 

National Rural Education Association. (2020). How career technical education can help close the rural/urban education gap. https://www.nrea.net/Blog_Postblogid=374011 

Nayar, V. (2014, August 07). Three differences between managers and leaders. https://hbr.org/2013/08/tests-of-a-leadership-transiti

Osborne, R., & Bowler, K. C. (1998). The Bible. Zondervan Pub. House.

Riggio, R. (2014, January 22). What is authentic leadership? Do you have it?  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201401/what-is-authentic-leadership-do-you-have-it 

Romanelli, F., Cain, J., Smith, K.M. (2006). Emotional intelligence as a predicator of academic and/or professional success. Am J Pharm Education, 70(3), 69. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1636947/

 
Spears, L. C. (2010). Servant leadership and Robert K. Greenleaf’s legacy. In Servant leadership (pp. 11-24). Palgrave Macmillan, London.

Superville, D. R. (2020). Will rural education get a fresh look? 

Education Week, 39 (19), 5.

Texas Counseling Association. (2018). The Texas model for comprehensive school counseling programs (5th). Austin.

Ziglar, Z. (2017, March 28). Leadership. Ziglar Inc. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.ziglar.com/articles/leadership/