What personal characteristics define an excellent administrator?
Recently I was asked What personal characteristics define an excellent administrator? My short answer: I believe an excellent administrator is a learner, enjoys children and is effective at leading adults. Additionally, being visionary, strategic and having a growth mindset as a leader is important.
In order to have a strong academic culture I think that we have to be learners. I am always learning- from everything around me. I also can’t imagine working in a school and not loving to be around children! Being effective at leading adults is complex work and each school needs a different recipe of leadership for success.
Later in the day I found this blog post by Joe Nathan in EdWeek and it caused me pause and think. I agree with Joe when he stated: “the ability to clearly communicate the school’s vision, and how it has organized itself to work toward that vision. This means how the school defines learning, teaching, assessment, and progress.” I think that parents, all staff and students need to have this clarity on how we do school. Isn’t it Mike Schmoker that said “clarity precedes competence”? This is what I think when I write visionary and strategic are important.
My favorite part of my job is in helping teachers grow and develop on their professional development journey. Most teachers are curious learners and they want to grow and develop their skills. When leaders, teachers and staff have a growth mindset, students benefit. This quote states by Carol Dweck states it perfectly:
Mindset change is not about picking up a few pointers here and there. It’s about seeing things in a new way. When people…change to a growth mindset, they change from a judge-and-be-judged framework to a learn-and-help-learn framework. Their commitment is to growth, and growth take plenty of time, effort, and mutual support.” ― Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
After all my reading yesterday and reflecting today, I still believe wholeheartedly in my short answer answer above but there is no doubt that as I continue in my career I will continue to refine what an excellent administrator and school looks like.
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-Naida Grussing-Neitzel, Ed.S.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.