Introduction
I have occupied educational leadership roles in schools for the past 13 years. These roles are always challenging but also exciting. I never tire of pondering the questions posed of leadership. How can we be better leaders? How do we classify leadership styles? Should leadership assume different facades and behaviours for different situations? Is there a best way to lead? Do leaders have distinctive qualities? Is there such a thing as charisma in leadership?
But whatever kind of leaders we are, I think we would agree that the most effective leaders are always tuned into the main game; they focus their energies quite clearly on driving improvement for their schools. Their passion for teaching and learning permeates everything. They are able to inspire and enthuse their staff, students and community and they bring a strong achievement focus to the culture of the school. Highly effective school leaders have a vision for their schools which they deliver through people. They provide leadership to their community that sees others believe and commit to that vision. They establish clear standards and high expectations, ensuring accountability to agreed goals. They will support others, bringing out the best in people and encouraging independence. They will combine styles of leadership to maximise the school’s capacity while ensuring that the resources to attain the vision are in place.
Heifetz and Linsky (2002) coined the phrase ‘sacred heart’, when talking about the qualities of leadership. It is critical that leaders maintains their enthusiasm and belief in the importance of their vision, and not become numbed by cynicism.
‘The virtue of a sacred heart lies in the courage to maintain your innocence and wonder, your doubt and curiosity, and your compassion and love even through your darkest most difficult moments. Leading with an open heart means you could be at your lowest point, abandoned by your people and entirely powerless, yet remain receptive to the full range of human emotions without going numb....A sacred heart allows you to feel, hear, and diagnose . . .’.
That is quite a tall order! I could be describing a breed of super-hero but I am not. In fact, there have been significant bodies of research that link educational leaders with the notion of super heroes. One could believe that such are the expectations placed on principals, on a daily basis. The reality, as we all know, is very different. Principals are not super heroes and the overwhelming nature of the role brings with it ‘wounding’ that can tear at the essence of our being.
Nevertheless, let me indulge the super hero analogy a little. After all, I am a child of the fifties - the era of the Saturday afternoon matinee and later, television heroes. Superman was and still is, one of my favourites! Superman on Earth, is vulnerable when exposed to kryptonite, the element of his own planet Krypton, losing all his super powers and energy. So for this super hero, it is the fabric of his own world, that is his undoing . . . just as it is for principals. For us, kryptonite comes in varied, surprising and enigmatic forms . . . but those challenges are all part of our world even if they are not within our circle of influence. To counteract our kryptonite, we need a collective plan of varied strategies to block the attack on our vulnerabilities. For Superman, that means creating a barrier by encasing the kryptonite in lead. But how do we create a protective barrier that will withstand all the threats to our wellbeing?
I have been drawn to the research of Richard H. Ackerman and Pat Maslin-Ostrowski (2002) into the area of wounded leaders. They ask: ‘How does a reasonable, well-intentioned person, who is a school leader, preserve a healthy and real sense of self’, (xi) when faced with the challenging situations that lead to a wounding?
How does a person grow from a wounding rather than collapsing?
As a passionate supporter of public education and increasingly concerned that we are losing talented leaders at the peak of their careers, I can’t help but ask, Why is that? While we must acknowledge the financial considerations that are behind many of the decisions to retire before the age of 55, this is not the only motive for calling it a day. Feelings of disengagement can result from a build up of personal disappointments or crises brought on by the sheer magnitude of the role and the frustrations of dealing with the system.
This is certainly a recurrent theme in the stories I have collected and analysed. I have searched for the kryptonite and found it. Sometimes it has been overtly present, at other times more subtle to discern. Its impact, however, is always to harm or weaken. Unless we can neutralise or reverse its influence by blocking or harnessing its destructive force, we will continue to be in danger!
This report, I must stress, is not an academic study; that was never its purpose. It is my analysis of 52 stories that have come to live in my mind as my ‘voices from the coalface’. These stories, my ‘voices’, have been entrusted to me by educational leaders (both primary and secondary) across Victoria, and, in a few cases, from interstate. I collected them between July 2007 and January 2008 and was totally unprepared for the willingness with which they came. I asked all kinds of school leaders to tell me their ‘wounded’ stories, with the assurance that stories would remain confidential. Stories would be collated and used to gather information about patterns and types of woundings.
It was never my intention to publish the stories in the way that Ackerman and Maslin-Ostrowski have done. My focus has been the analysis of the stories and the exploration of the range of incidents/experiences that impact and scar. What messages would I find in those stories? What conclusions or recommendations could be made to support principals in the role? Would these conclusions marry with the ones I had already formed as an observer of my colleagues?
If we are to strengthen public education through our leadership, we need to be strong and resilient. I hoped that my investigation would throw up some ideas about identifying or strengthening the support frameworks around us to assist us all to become more resilient. I was keen to analyse, within a local context, the factors that helped leaders get through a ‘wounding’ and grow. Conversely, what factors hindered? So I asked principals to tell me the following information.
As anticipated, not all stories answered all these questions directly. Sometimes these answers were implied within the body of the story.
It was also not difficult for me to understand, and be equally moved by those principals who contacted me as a token of support but they simply didn’t have the time to write down their stories. It was then that I realised I needed to offer the option of taping and transcribing stories, as opposed to just collecting them. This worked well and a small percentage of stories were collected this way.
A few others who made contact with me were simply not ready to share their stories – they were ‘still too raw’. However, it was important for those people to tell me that they supported my work and wished me well. Although I have not counted these responses in my total of 52, I consider them to be stories in themselves . . . perhaps the most poignant.
I have been inexorably changed by the experience of collecting and reading these stories. I have been humbled by their honesty, passion, dignity and resilience. At times, I have been moved to tears by their pain, and at other times, exhilarated by their sense of hope. It was not difficult for me to add my story to those I collected. There was something very comforting about doing that, as if through the reading and sharing of stories a bond of understanding had been created, that needed no other acknowledgement.
This investigation is a work of the heart . . . the observations, interpretations and thoughts are those of one of the voices . . . one of the 52. I am the fifty-second voice from the coalface and proud to be so.
Analysis of stories
Although 52 stories were received, some responses contained multiple themes. Therefore the 52 respondents have yielded 68 references to the identified themes. With many of the stories, it was difficult to tease out a single category of incident, however I eventually grouped these into nine categories as the table shows.
I was, however, apprehensive about reducing the stories to tabulated results. By representing the content of the stories as themes in a table, we detract from their impact. The table format sanitises and dehumanises the themes because it alienates the stories from their owners. The emotion of the telling is lost and with that, much of the urgency of the pain or the optimism that was expressed. This perspective needs to be kept in mind when making judgements about content and themes. Sadly, the quiet dignity and fiery passion that forms the aura around the stories, is a private pleasure indulged by me alone.
Listen to the voices!
To redress my concern about the tabulation of themes alienating the story from the teller, I have included quotes from many of the stories in the next section of the report. There are 52 quotes representing 52 voices. The quotes neither identify the stories nor the tellers. But by including these quotes, we can certainly learn something of the dimension and depth of emotion for the role, as well as the supports that are effective in sustaining those who are teetering on the edge. Anything included in brackets, is my clarification.
I ask you to listen to the voices and hear what they say. They represent us all and bind us together! The quotes are included in no particular order and the intention is not to give more emphasis to one than another. They are like a patchwork quilt in which each square adds another element that is an integral part of the whole. So, take the quotes for what they are; flavours and scents of the dynamics of educational leadership.
Voice1: ‘It (the situation) consumes so much of you personally. What got me through? The kids . . . realising I am there for them . . . that’s what it’s all about, a supportive family and an ex-prin. who was a great mentor also helped me get through this crisis.’
Voice 2: ‘I feel great support from my staff.’
Voice 3: ‘I was incredibly naïve about who, and how, I would be supported.’
Voice 4: ‘I value my colleagues more than before.’
Voice 5: ‘A great strength in small rural communities is the collegiate support with other small school leaders.’
Voice 6: ‘Talk with someone you trust. Operate within your circle of influence. Debrief- I didn’t understand the value of this until I did it. Accept all the advice but in the end remain true to your principles.’
Voice 7: ‘Persistence is what gets me up and gets me going. I talk a lot to my colleagues and my family.’
Voice 8: ‘It is important to have a peaceful place where you feel safe (home) and principal colleagues are supportive. But in the end it is just me and the process and you do feel pretty alone when you go through that.’
Voice 9: ‘It’s fantastic, invigorating work.’
Voice 10: ‘I feel frustrated and disappointed that I am unable to help these colleagues or identify the outward signs and behaviour patterns of principals under stress.’
Voice 11: ‘This is the work that re-energises me.’
Voice 12: ‘My job can be a constant source of frustration and anxiety but also one of humility, teamwork and enjoyment.’
Voice 13: ‘I will most likely not seek further promotion as no doubt it will involve me in further frightening and b (…) scary incidents.’*
Voice 14: ‘I want someone else to read and understand the pressures we are under.’
Voice 15: ‘I received severe abusive language directed at me from the regional director. If that is the degree of support and understanding then I don’t want to be a principal.if I spoke to my staff and students like that I would be severely reprimanded or lose my job.’
Voice 16: ‘(The incident) caused me to question my capabilities at a very vulnerable time.’
Voice 17: ‘I retire in a few months’ time and look forward to quality time and still working in some capacity and establishing my health. I have heard the average age for principal deaths is 62.’
Voice 18: ‘I have reservations about whether I want to manage this type of situation (workplace bully) in my own school as principal. Luckily, I am a very positive person anyway.’
Voice 19: ‘I suffered severe clinical depression, was suicidal and was unable to continue. I keep a close watch on myself take anti-anxiety medication (and) practise positive thinking strategies.’
Voice 20: ‘He stood 30cm from me yelling that he had a knife and would slit my throat. I stood my ground and asked him to leave but later, I burst into tears and was a shaking mess.’
Voice 21: ‘The issue made me stronger. I did have some personal counselling and got some clear guidelines on how to deal with people, not to let an issue grow or for them to take charge.’
Voice 22: ‘Even today I think do I want to do this? I love the job but I don’t like the aggression and violence. Now my heart skips a beat if I think I have to deal with an aggressive situation. I don’t want to die as soon as I retire.’
Voice 23: ‘I was personally humiliated by the media and didn’t want to go out in case I would be recognised. I felt violated and that there was nothing I could do to protect my good name.’
Voice 24: ‘Strangely, the experience has not changed my attitude to the role of the principal. I enjoy the variety of challenges that come my way. Having survived a serious death threat and all that surrounded it I feel that the everyday stuff that I still cope with is quite manageable, except that I get no life of my own.’
Voice 25: ‘I wanted to run away and hide. Smeared by a blood- thirsty press . . . regardless of the real facts. You grow from such a wounding by the tight knit nature of a great staff.’
Voice 26: ‘Resilience is a valuable characteristic . . . it’s rising from adversity and growing stronger than before.’
Voice 27: ‘The straw that broke the camel’s back was a physical and verbal attack from the parents of a student at the school… a stress- related depressive illness manifested itself in the following ways: withdrawal, development of negative defence mechanisms, anxiety, guilt, panic, avoidance of social interaction, and inability to concentrate and follow through on tasks.’
Voice 28: ‘The skin thickens and it becomes necessary to separate the ‘business’ from the ‘personal’ even more so to maintain a positive outlook.’
Voice 29: ‘I am still alive and kicking because I love my job and am lucky enough to have a personality that likes to talk and rid myself of demons.’
Voice 30: ‘I work with children, teach and learn from/with them, every day.’
Voice 31: ‘I feel like I get wounded every day.’
Voice 32: ‘Sometimes I think it is my job to make it possible for others to do the thinking about curriculum and teaching practice, for others to be developing new ideas.’
Voice 33: ‘It’s a great job but you have to deal with things others don’t understand. When you have to be so cautious, it’s not good.’
Voice 34: ‘From those tough years, I have learnt that there is perspective. So I am more able to judge things.’
Voice 35: ‘My constant worries at school are: Am I supporting each staff member fully? What else can I do to support them? How can I help our students and families? Did I speak to all staff today? When was I last in each classroom? What else do I have to do for the department/region? When did I have my last drink of water or cup of tea?’
Voice 36: ‘As a new leader you tend to think that if I just work hard enough and long enough it will all come together, but as you move through the principal journey you will learn that no, life is not like that and some things you will be average at, some things you will do well and others are simply out of your control.’
Voice 37: ‘I am very wary about talking to colleagues. Very big on journal writing . . . I write it. If I didn’t get rid of it somehow, I would be nutty.’
Voice 38: ‘You are never going to win with some parents. Sometimes I rationalise it and other times I can’t. Even though I try to look at the positive and what I can learn from this, it is difficult not to lose confidence. This year for the first time I have applied for another position.’
Voice 39: ‘Hard to bounce back with the same enthusiasm.’
Voice 40: ‘The principalship can be very lonely sometimes. In addition, I did not receive the support that I thought I deserved. I thought during the whole episode, based on my long and unblemished reputation as a principal of a school, I could have expected some more support and trust (region). Restoring the wounded leader was basically up to myself.’
Voice 41: ‘The complexity of the role means that when things happen they happen with a vengeance and you really are alone.’
Voice 42: ‘At a family dinner I burst into tears again. It does take its toll. But you do need to be resilient.’
Voice 43: ‘I work at trying to be an educational leader, to focus on the learning process for kids, teachers and parents. This is the work that re-energises me, however too many times, too many people at the regional and central office level keep putting another technical job on our desk.’
Voice 44: ‘I am worried that some of my staff on contracts will not have a job next year. I know that’s the nature of contract positions, but it still doesn’t help.’
Voice 45: ‘Why am I writing this at just 5 in the morning? I woke about 3.45am with my head spinning of the events at school of the previous week. No matter how hard I tried I was wide awake and staring into the darkness.’
Voice 46: ‘I was threatened with physical violence by an angry parent who is known to the police for his violent and aggressive behaviour.’
Voice 47: ‘As an aspiring principal, witnessing this saga has had a dramatic effect on my desire to become a principal. I have watched all the additional workload, stress and distress this problem has generated.’
Voice 48: ‘I was not really aware when I started this job that my depression was so related to what people thought of me at work. I suffered severe clinical depression, was suicidal and unable to continue.’
Voice 49: ‘Many sleep-deprived nights, the need to take sleeping tablets and the emotional drain on us both (wife). I am yet to gain any sort of work/ life balance.’
Voice 50: ‘Being worn away gradually after a number of disappointments makes it hard to bounce back.’
Voice 51: ‘I was totally gutted by the phone call notifying me that I had been unsuccessful (again) in receiving a promotion.’
Voice 52: ‘A constant question is am I cutting it? If I was doing better the data would show it. My contract comes up for renewal next year . . .’
Supports
If we are to learn anything from this work, it is compelling to look at the types of supports that were identified as most important when rebounding from a critical time or wounding.
Overwhelmingly, the support of colleagues was identified as the most powerful factor. This was seen to be a greater support than that of the principals’ families. This was followed by support from the region - usually via senior education officers or the centre. It should be noted however that the level/quality of support derived from the Department of Education and Early Childhood (DEECD) either from senior education officers, regional directors, regional staff or the central office could be problematic, and at times serendipitous. It was seen to be a matter of chance or luck whether you had a supportive and empathetic line manager. At times, the level of empathy was related to the number of years that the senior officer had been ‘out of a school’. Those out of schools for a longer time were seen to lack understanding of the pressures and demands of the principalship. Some senior education officers and regional directors were seen to be extremely supportive, ‘fantastic’; others were left lacking. Some were even described as ‘bullies’.
Another observation worthy of comment, is that principals identified very little support coming from their school councils and per se, school communities. There were only three mentions of this type of support in the stories collected, and these were given only a passing reference. Given the role and emphasis of school councils and school council presidents in school decision-making, principal selection and contract renewal, there appears to be a schism between the role of school councils and the perceived levels of support given to individual principals.
As would be expected, families of principals had a significant role to play in supporting them through the ever-present tensions associated with the role. However this did not compare with the value placed on support from colleagues. We can surmise that the common experiences that unite colleagues in unspoken ways, brings a deeper level of connection with the issues faced. While families offered huge support, they often ‘did not really understand’ what a principal was going through.
Support from one’s own staff particularly within small schools, was an important regenerative factor and greatly appreciated by those who mentioned this in their stories.
Other research
Recently, there has been a significant body of research into the area of principal wellbeing and the three reports to which I will refer, have special relevance regarding my own investigation. The first two are Australian studies and the third an American one. Although these reports are different in their emphasis and goals, they reinforce many of the findings of my own work and echo the sentiments expressed in the 52 stories that have been collected.
These reports are:
‘The Privilege and the Price’
The findings of this report have had a huge impact on the principal wellbeing dialogue, and articulate very clearly the previously expressed sentiments of many individual principals and their professional associations.
What is surprising is that in spite of the pressures which principals feel under, as a group, they report high levels of satisfaction with their jobs and are highly committed and motivated. ‘Making a difference’ is important to them and most do not want to change their jobs. It is believed that this has a great deal to do with the type of person who goes into this role - a carer, not a manager. While on an intellectual level such people can accept the management side of the role, at an emotional level there is conflict between what the carer and what the manager must do. This tension is irreconcilable within many principals and leads to frustration, malaise and self-doubt.
Because a large proportion of principals see their jobs as a way of life, this may impact seriously on their health. The most common health problems identified were weight control, cardio vascular disorders and headaches. Many principals returned to work before they had fully recovered, leaving their health vulnerable. Nearly eight out of ten said their jobs were high stress suggesting principal class are significantly more stressed than comparable personnel in the workforce.
Excessive non-core demands placed on principals by the Department and lack of sufficient support staff contributed to feelings of being overworked and undervalued. Most principals felt they did not spend sufficient time on matters such as planning and educational leadership, while too much time was spent on accountability and complaints.
The sheer volume of work was the biggest source of stress, but this was exacerbated by non-performing staff and student welfare issues.
Increased stress has been created by changes in society making the role more complex than before. More family breakdowns, disruptive students and difficult parents are commonplace. In country areas, particularly, reduced services leave the principal to be the sole ‘authority’ figure. It is not unusual for principals to feel seriously insecure as a result of threats of violence or actual violence from those in whose lives they had been called upon to intervene.
Principals generally feel that they are more highly valued by and receive greater support from the senior education officer than regional office and in turn greater support from regional office than head office. The literature revealed that stressors included the sense of being unvalued and the imbalance between authority and responsibility, degree and type of accountability and the volume and hours of work.
The findings clearly mirror the issues raised in the accounts sent to me as summarised in the ‘Listen to the Voices!’ section of this report. Given that The Privilege and the Price findings were published in 2004, it is concerning that these pressing issues remain unacted upon. It is very concerning that little, if any, action has taken place to rectify the issues.
While the link between those drawn to this profession and carers has been made to explain the tensions experienced by those caught between the leader-manager conflict, this does not ameliorate the problem or alleviate it in any way. It is not a case of understanding the problem, automatically making it better. We may understand more about why we feel the way we do, but that does not solve the very real day to day struggles faced by principal class personnel. There needs to be some very clear and practical supports put in place for principals in their workplace and in their ability to strike a work-life balance. The voices speak clearly about their needs and there are also some sensible solutions articulated.
Maintaining, sustaining and refuelling leaders
Kathy Lacey’s report, which I now discuss, has also been re-worked this year into the CSE Occasional Paper: A national overview of services and resources for principal wellbeing in the primary sector: Providing refuelling pit-stops for principals.
The original report was prepared for the Australian Primary Principals Association. Lacey’s report reinforces many of the findings identified in The Privilege and the Price, particularly those related to the way that principals feel about their jobs – the vast majority love their work and would not choose to change it.
One of the things looked at by Lacey is the awareness by principals of the services and resources available to support them. Generally, this awareness is not high. Therefore, those needing help or in crisis, are not easily able to gain the support they require.
Lacey speaks about the importance of providing ‘proactive and reactive organisational strategies’. In the feedback I received from the collection of my stories, support for principals was limited and there was also a reluctance to access these supports for fear of being labelled. Lacey’s report also picked up this point. However there is a culture of public silence regarding the use of this service.
Peer support was also identified by Lacey as powerful in sustaining leaders under pressure. This correlated with the emphasis placed on peer support as a healer in the stories collected by me.
‘Principals gain enormous support from colleagues. Local networks at both the systemic and professional association level provide avenues for principals to develop collegiate relationships with peers. Factors that limit and /or influence the success of local networks include possible conflicts of interest with local selection procedures for promotion, divided loyalties when the employer is providing pastoral care, and difficulties with the local community when principals leave the school to attend network meetings’ (p.5)
The unfulfilled need to feel valued by the system is indirectly expressed in many of the stories collected by the feelings of being overwhelmed by the nature of the role. I struggle to find a solution to this issue because on the one hand we have the passionate individual, on the other the amorphous bureaucracy. I was particularly interested in Lacey’s comments about professional learning. Investment in quality professional learning opportunities for principals is one way of acknowledging their worth. DEECD, is to some extent committed to this goal through the Blueprint initiatives.
Lacey finds that principals who participate in employer funded programs not only continue to develop skills, but remain intellectually stimulated. Those who are intellectually stimulated in this way have increased self-esteem and resilience. Recommendation is made for various types of employee-funded programs including sabbatical leave.
I know that my own involvement in the High Performing Principals program in 2006 had a huge impact on my feelings of being valued by the system and my self-esteem. I agree that ideally, such opportunities should be offered to all principals. The extract from one of the milestone reports submitted as part of the accountability process for my involvement in the program (not unlike the sentiments I remember being expressed by other participants) illustrates this point.
‘The most significant influence on my career and professional growth has been my involvement in the development program for high performing principals.
There is not a day that goes by, when I am not reminded of the immeasurable learnings gained. There can be no question that I am a now a different person and a different leader; one who sees more broadly yet more specifically and skilfully at the same time. I am far more aware of the possibilities for my own school and the system, as well as the reality of how to achieve those goals. I have become a more confident and passionate educational leader who is extremely proud to have had the opportunity to participate in this enriching program. At the same time, I feel privileged to be in a position to give something back to the system . . . to make a difference which is, I suppose, what we all yearn to do.
I have learned that the magic of such experiences is that you always come away with more than you bargained for; it became impossible for me to contain the learnings to the original plan and at the end of the day, my focus changed. I could liken the experience to an explosion of knowledge or an intricate mind map that keeps expanding, finding new connections in surprising ways.’
Such energy is a sure-fire way of building resilience.
This finding is also expressed in the recent OECD case study report of school leadership in Victoria.
‘Participants in the Development Programme for High Performing Principals gave it exceptionally high ratings. Sixty principals a year take part. Participants felt this was an extremely worthwhile programme and commented that it was like a reward that provided many with renewed passion for the role.’ (p.24)
Lacey also raises the issue of flexible work options as an antidote to principal stress. Co-principalships in job-share arrangements have worked successfully in some settings and could be offered more readily as a solution for both inducting new leaders into the role, and as a way of sharing the load. It would also help to re-energise tired leaders who still feel that they have a lot to contribute. There has been a sense, however, that this is not a favoured option by the system.
The autonomy gap
The Autonomy Gap research does not investigate principal wellbeing; it looks at levels of autonomy in American principals and how that impacts on their ability to exercise strong leadership. I thought this was an interesting path to follow when considering that within schools in Victoria, high levels of autonomy generated by self-management, bring with it, high levels of wounding and stress.
The American system is a very different one, it must be acknowledged.
Levels of autonomy vary with the types of schools. For example, the autonomy gap is smaller for principals in a non-union right-to-work state particularly with regard to the hiring of teachers and transfers. In Charter schools the level of autonomy is greater.
Within Victorian state schools we can regard the notion of autonomy as a double edged sword; it brings with it the benefits of high levels of independence and power to lead and develop a school. However it also leaves the leader exposed to risks. Risks in the form of abuse, blame, and wearing the burden of responsibility at the expense of personal wellbeing.
Principals in the Victorian system see themselves (for want of a better word to describe the enormity of their roles) as chief executive officers. While the use of this term, appears a little clinical when considering the notion of educational leadership, it captures the flavour of overall responsibility that I wanted to emphasise. American principals, in contrast see themselves more as ‘middle managers’.
This differentiation is important when considering the impact of wounding. That awestricken feeling that you are ultimately responsible for what happens in your school; the buck stops with you; that at times you are totally alone, is expressed in many of the stories collected. This is not the mindset of a ‘middle manager’.
The following extract from The Autonomy Gap highlights the difference in perceptions and mindset, that I argue, would also impact on stress levels and resilience. While I acknowledge that this research is not about resilience, it would be a fascinating connection to explore.
‘Despite having their hands tied over critical decisions, most district principals interviewed for this study appear content with the meagre authority they possess. They don’t aspire to be chief executives of their schools; rather, they seem to accept their roles as middle managers. They would like to have more control over personnel (especially hiring, firing and transferring teachers) but they don’t demand it. They don’t quit over it. They have learned to work the system, not change the system. They seek to do the best they can as managers, not revolutionaries.’
That is the essential difference: managers or revolutionaries? If we had to pick a side, I have no doubt that our role aligns more with the revolutionary – the educational leader pioneering on to new and challenging horizons (even the super hero!). But it is hard to be out the front leading and simultaneously out the back managing the myriad of important but mundane things! So we are often left exposed to the elements without the protective gear to insulate us from the cold.
Summary of findings
The recommendations that come out of this work are neither new nor earth-shattering. Several of the findings reinforce the work of previous researchers and thus give greater urgency to the importance of their implementation.
Conclusion
It is unlikely that we can change the nature of principals or their roles. But we can prepare them better for what they need to do, and sustain them better when they do it. In the short term this may require considerable financial investment, however in the long term, there would be savings. Savings would result from improvements in principal effectiveness, health and well being. More pressing however is the need to re-dress the drain of prematurely lost expertise. Public education needs this expertise and should honour those who possess it.
Re-visiting the Saturday matinee/TV hero connection, I want to leave you with a favourite poem of mine, by Australian poet, Bruce Dawe. As is the case with many of Dawe’s poems, the title is intriguing. It is called, ‘After you, Gary Cooper . . .’ (2007, p.19).
Dawe’s message about ‘Life’, which he likens to a wild west movie, is an apt one for the principalship. We need to be prepared for all aspects of the role; we need to be able to move in and out of the intricacies with a deliberate confidence – choosing the most appropriate course of action in the knowledge that we are not lone gunslingers. So, I say: After you, Gary Cooper . . .
‘After you, Gary Cooper...
One of the main things I would say
(off-hand of course) about this
awkward proposition known as
Life, is that it can be a bit of a
bastard if you don’t happen to have
the basic formula for facing it
ready to hand- -packed on the hip,
butt out, with trigger tied back
like a Colt forty-five
-and your insurance premiums paid up.
Particularly, since Life,
that taciturn hero with the steel-blue eye,
though certainly not chain-lightning
on the draw, can usually overcome
what bystanders, if safely out of earshot, might call
a marked deficiency
by pumping an awful lot of hot lead
in your direction once he does clear leather.
References
The Privilege and the Price: A study of principal class workload and its impact on health and wellbeing. Victorian Department of Education and Training 2004.
Sometimes Gladness. Collected Poems 1954-2005. Sixth Edition, Dawe, B. Pearson Education Australia 2007
Maintaining, Sustaining and Refuelling Leaders – A national overview of services and resources for principal wellbeing in the primary sector. Dr Kathy Lacey, 2007.
The Wounded Leader: How Real Leadership Emerges in Times of Crisis, Ackerman, R. and Maslin-Ostrowski, P. Jossey Bass San Francisco 2002.
‘The Autonomy Gap. Barriers to Effective School Leadership’, Adamowski, S, Bowles Therriault, S., Cavanna, A.P. A joint project of the American Institute for Research and Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Washington D.C. 2007.
Leadership on the Line , Harvard Business School Press. Boston, Mass. 2002, Heifetz, R and Linsky, M.
‘School leadership development strategies: building leadership capacity in Victoria, Australia. A case study report for the OECD activity. Improving school leadership’. Matthews, P., Moorman, H., Nusche, D. December 2007.
Acknowledgements
I wish to acknowledge the support I have received from various professional associations, colleagues, principal networks and regional offices, in circulating my request for stories. I would also like to thank Kathy Lacey for her initial contact and encouragement. I would especially like to thank Pat Maslin-Ostrowski for the time spent with me in February 2008, and her guidance and encouragement to enable me to complete this project
June 2008
Discuss presentationABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ms Judi Gurvich is Principal of Malvern Central School, in Malvern, Victoria, Australia.