So I look back into my EPMS work review forms, found that I have some information. It was the 2007 WR forms, that year I became a HOD. In it, there was a section that asked us, the school middle managers, what are our belief statements of leadership and I put this down:
1. A good leader models the way
2. A good leader cares for fellow collegues and encourages the hearts
3. Communications is vital in ensuring good working relationship and work efficiency
I think it was that around that time that I was researching about leadership principles that I could introduce to the Student Council. It was then I came to know about "The Leadership Challenge" Model also know as the KP model (Kouzes and Posner). I also came to know that our Principal, Mr Stephen Chin, also uses it as his leadership principle.
As I read more about this model, I felt quite akin to the 5 Exemplary Practices that a good leader should have. Wanting the Student Council to have a Leadership model to shape their leadership practices and since our principal is also using it (and he can also use this principles to informally mentor the SC, I decided that this would be the Leadership Principles I would adopt and strive to excel in. I later used the following as part of the concept paper for Student Leadership Development. Personally, I have been checking myself how I am doing in these 5 aspects even as I assess and mentor the Student Councillors with these same 5 practices. These has also been useful in other domain of my personal life too as I also lead, influence and develop other people in my life (children, wife, church youths, young people etc)
As I reflect again on these 5 aspects, I thought of what I have done or at least tried to do.
1. Model the way:
- professionalism: doing things well, excellently
- continual improvementhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
- showing care for pupils and staff
- tried to be learning new things, being open and teachable.
Have I been exemplary in Learning and Caring?
2. Inspire a shared vision:
- firstly: I personally needs to catch a vision "For without a vision, the people perish". That vision thereafter needs to be cascaded down to Strategic Plans and then action plans.
- practicing "Influencer" skills: to motivate, influence and effect changes
(6 circles: Personal, Social, Structural x motivation, ability)
This is a useful concepts to influence people and effect change in organisation.
"How am I doing in forming the vision/ a target for the organisation, myself and people who are important to me? If the vision is clear, am I motivating, inspiring them, are the people following me?"
- organization and supervisees
3. Challenge the process
- This is one of my passion (look into not just own area but other part of organization) trying make things better, sometimes I will also use my handyman skills to effect change more quickly.
Eg: school environment, major functions, organizational excellence (pen picture forms), school culture.
- However, sometimes, there are challenges to effect change due to bureaucracy and money. I probably have to find a better way of packaging or sometimes use constant bugging of higher authority.
4. Empower others to act
- To me, it's more like coaching. To help and guide others to be able to do their job well. It can be
> through walking with them/ hand holding/ demonstration
> through modeling the way
- There are a few colleagues (new teachers as well as new leaders) that I am supposed to guide and coach.
- This is also an ability to Foster Collaboration/ build team spirit.
5. Encourage the hearts
- This is basically to be Caring, getting people to be Resilient, strong in their heart, not to give up.
- Have I done well here? Generally, people says I am caring. However, I probably still lacking in details.
Links and Ranks:
"Model the way" tends more to the personal caring attributes, just like "Encourage the hearts". I always remember and use this famous phrase: "The pupils do care how much you know, until they know how much you care". I have always shared with new teachers my philosophy as a teacher: the 3 Fs: Firm, Fair, to be a Friend. Before being appointed as a HOD, I have already been using this, and I strongly believe that all teachers should be able to practice the 3 Fs. The 3rd F requires us to be able to reach out to the hearts and interests of the pupil, encouraging them to bring out the best in them.
To be a leader of teachers who deal with young people, one should be exemplary in these 2 "Model the way" and "Encourage the heart". This, I believe is fundamental.
"Challenge the process": This requires one to be thinking, innovating, improving...not resting on the laurels but challenging status quo. If a leader is to be leading people to higher ground of progress, whether in academic, mental strength or even spirituality, he has to be knowing the way or finding the new and better way, exploring new frontiers. For the betterment of the organisation, always.
I have always feel that the last 2 are of the higher order, not just for the Student Council but for myself too.
"Enabling others to act" and "Inspire a shared vision" both requires one to be inspirational, motivational,sometime even charismatic..to gel people together. Enabling other to act requires one to be quite an expert before we can coach or at least facilitate other learning. To have a vision requires one to be visionary.. look very far ahead of everyone. Making it more difficult is getting all the comrade to share the same vision.
They are also the 2 areas of growth for me.
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