so that we all work together to transform our school.” Our conversation set in motion the
culture of collective accountability that is essential for sustainable change. Many similar “cultural conversations” took place throughout our transformation journey. Organizational culture embodies the
beliefs, values, traditions, practices, poli- cies and norms held by the people within the organization (Deal, Terrence & Peterson, 1999). School culture is the most pervasive aspect of school life. It touches and affects every other aspect. The power of culture is foundational in any organizational develop- ment and transformation. At the heart of the leader’s work is the
unrelenting quest to build pathways to suc- cessful culture. Whether it is to build and foster a culture of continuous learning, a culture of high expectations, a culture of inquiry, a culture of personal responsibility and collective accountability or a culture of excellence, leaders must constantly work on bringing out the best in their people and aim to align those positive traits with the school’s needs. In the coaching of new and upcom-
ing leaders, combining principle-centered characteristics and the specific leadership behaviors and actions most suited to create the right culture for the organization would be an ideal start. Coaching must provide ad- vice, encouragement and feedback in order to transform in meaningful ways. When a leader’s level of self-awareness is
deep enough to effect personal change, he or she is more capable of adopting a fuller spectrum of leadership skills to improve the school’s effectiveness and achievement. Consequently, leaders who are intentional in modeling their culture-building mind- set will spark the same passion in potential leaders around them. And the cycle goes on.
5.
Transformative mindset (sustainable change). “To this day, I live up to my
vision. As a transformational leader and a change agent, I have committed myself to profoundly influence and elevate the level of efficacy of teachers and all stakeholders by shaping a school culture that embraces reflection and growth as its core values. My
January/February 2014 35
measure of success is predicated upon being able to bring out the best in each person and developing their untapped talent and optimum potential. In order to sustain this passion for reaching new zeniths of growth, I continually nurture my thirst for greater
opportunity possible to engage in serious self-development as a leader? How can I suc- cessfully bridge the transfer of learning to others and model how to replicate the per- sonal transformation process that is associ- ated with effective leadership when I have not gone through it myself? The transformational leadership mind-
challenges and greater learning.” This was my statement in response to a question about why I would like to pursue a doctoral degree on educational leadership.
Engaging in self-development as a leader I believe that a prerequisite to becoming
an effective mentor entails modeling the same mindset and actions that are expected of the mentee. How can I possibly coach and mentor when I am not able to relish every
set always focuses on the four “Is” – indi- vidual consideration, intellectual stimula- tion, inspirational motivation and idealized influence. Because of the leader’s uncanny ability to innovate, engage and motivate, individuals and teams are able to perform at high levels more consistently. As a result, achievement becomes an expected out- growth of a culture that thrives on passion- ate engagement in meaningful work and the inherent desire of each team member to contribute their talent and energy toward the common goal. Because the transformative mindset is
built upon trust, it sets the foundation for increased self-efficacy of individuals. The collective efficacy of teams, sustainable posi-
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