Great Summer Reading

I am excited that I have discovered some great leadership books this summer. I am constantly on the lookout for books that will help the leadership team and me to reach the next level in leadership. It is necessary to be reminded how great leaders act, talk, react, and operate so that we don't get stale and that we remember it is not about the individual, but about taking the organization to higher levels!

John Kotter's book Sense of Urgency communicates so vividly what I have been discussing with Principals and with the Cabinet. We must do our work with a greater sense of urgency. Jim Collins in Good to Great reminds us that we are to lead with "rigor not ruthlessness" but there must be a sense of urgency promoted in the organization. I have been calling it intensity. I told principals, "We need to work with more intensity! Teach with more intensity! Lead with more intensity! Think with more intensity! Prepare with more intensity! We must understand how important our work is in the lives of our students!" I am now going to change my discourse on intensity to a discourse on urgency! Similar meaning, but I think urgency is really the term I need to use. We must truly develop a greater sense of urgency in all that we do. Our work is too important not to be "on the edge of our seats" as try to improve the lives of children.

Another great read is Real Leaders Don't Use PowerPoint! This book issues advice on when to use a powerpoint presentation and when not to! Great! I love it!

Why Some Things Stick and Others Don't is another book on how to make your message real to others and get the message out in a way that makes people remember it and buy into it. Teachers, principals, and, yes, superintendents must tell the great stories of public education! When someone asks how are things going we must be able to relate the successes and communicate the stories of the good work being done in today's public schools. Bus drivers, food service employees, custodians, clerical employees, and all support personnel must join the effort in communicating our good stories!

Leaders as Communicators and Diplomats is another good book on how important communication is and how to be an effective communicator.

All of these books have something in common. They remind us of the importance of communication, of how great leaders get out front and carry the message of the organization, and how to motivate others. It is so important to relate to people's heart, not just to their minds.

Our jobs in education must be linked to the brutal facts of accountability, but we must never forget the value of the public school experience. The joy of teaching and the difference that we can make in the future of our students must be communicated over and over again. When we look at individual children, we can't imagine how great their potential is, but we must treat them all as if they were going to grow up and have great value for society. We must do this, because, in reality, they all do have value and they all have the potential to contribute.

Well, I am ready to read some more! I have ordered Primal Leadership because Mr. Johnson, Principal at Richards Middle School recommended that. Can't wait to get it.

By the way, I am creating a Professional Library in the Superintendent's Office. It will be a library focused on leadership. The books I have mentioned in this blog will become a part of it and as it grows, the leadership team may borrow the books. If you don't return them, though, there will be a great penalty (to be discussed privately!). By the way, I know that the titles of books should be underlined but I haven't figured out how to underline in my posting. I am still learning!

Happy Fourth of July! Celebrate America!