Reimagining Literacy Leadership: Are You Ready for the Challenge?

Three qualities today's principals must develop to thrive in an evolving educational landscape

In this post, I reflect on whether educators should pursue the principalship in today’s climate. I explore three qualities leaders must cultivate to engage with challenges such as book bans and mandates. I highlight how these traits, when cultivated with intention, can help principals succeed in guiding their schools through complex issues. At the end, readers are invited to share what additional qualities are crucial for effective literacy leadership.

"Do you recommend that someone go into the principalship these days?"

The questions came from a 30-something educator, a strong teacher apparently looking to make a difference for a larger number of students beyond their classroom, not unlike myself at their age.

Once, I might have been slightly annoyed at this question. Of course I want principals in schools, and preferably good ones.

But I think I know what they were really asking. Would our current conditions - book bans, literacy mandates, unreasonable demands from stakeholders - be a deterrent for me to advise someone to become a principal?

My answer, surprisingly, is yes. But not like what you might think.

Yes, I don’t want educators becoming principals who are driven by control and gaining a sense of power. That’s been true as far as I can remember.

But I would also advise against teachers becoming principals who struggle to manage stress. In fact, if a past version of myself, lacking some development of stress management, were to ask me that same question, I might advise him to hit pause on their principalship pursuits.

So, what type of person would I encourage to explore school leadership? I can think of three qualities, all that can be developed through intention and practice, that school leaders need in order to be successful in today's educational climate.

First, principals need to be knowledgeable. Yes, knowledgeable about pedagogy, literacy, and adult learning (andragogy). But leaders need to also be knowledgeable about themselves.

This self-awareness can be assessed through self-inquiry:

• What is my purpose as a principal?

• What motivates and inspires me to come to work each day?

• What are the core values I hold most dear in the context of education?

• What are the lines that, when crossed, signal to me to take a stand on something?

• How do others perceive me, and how do I successfully manage these perceptions through emotional self-regulation and personal wellbeing activities such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, swimming, journaling, diet, etc.?

Being knowledgeable both externally and internally is the foundation for the other two qualities for team effective school leadership: empathy and flexibility.

Both of these qualities can be a double-edged sword. Too much empathy, and we risk absorbing others' stress and anxiety. Too much flexibility, and we may lose our direction toward our vision as a school.

Empathy, the capacity to take another person’s perspective, is a key to understanding. It helps a school leader to see things through the eyes of a staff member, a student, a parent. Used with intention, awareness developed through empathy can motivate us to advocate for change. Empathy can also help us discern potential flaws in someone's thinking. Subsequently, it can help us coach them toward a more informed understanding.

Likewise, flexibility supports one's capacity to see the gray in polarizing practices, such as the commercially-driven version of the science of reading. We are more creative around finding third ways to solve problems together vs. living in a limited either/or thinking that has created a lot of the toxicity in today’s educational discourse. 

Grounded in knowledge, empathy and flexibility, school leaders can guide others to find consensus around effective policies and practice while not losing themselves in the process.

What qualities would you add to this list? Why does this capacity deserve a school leader’s attention?

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This fall, I am offering a course for literacy leaders on using a coach’s notebook for productivity and prioritization. Click on the button below for details and registration.