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Leadership > The Change Process
Leadership Paradoxes Common in New and Small Schools
Type: Horace Feature
Author(s): Nancy Mohr
Source: Horace. Vol.18, #3. Spring 2002
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In their work with school leaders, Nancy Mohr and Alan Dichter focus not on problems but on paradoxes, such as need to have rules and, in opposition, the need to have the flexibility to evaluate situations on their own merits. Paradoxes ask leaders to balance priorities and resources between conflicting and necessary ideas and goals.
Mohr and Dichter describe leaders' work as addressing the "need to create and internalize systems which help attend to relationship-building–critical friends groups, advisor groups, conflict resolution skills, etc.," and suggest that leaders regard themselves as fulcrums at the center of these paradoxes, seeking balance and preventing collapse.
Mohr and Dichter suggest several common paradoxes as springboards for discussion, flip-sides on which reasonable educators might passionately disagree:
Competing Needs that Leaders Must Balance
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Needing to spend time developing governance structures and systems–wanting to get the conditions right first
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Not postponing the focus on transforming teaching and learning
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Wanting the advantage of smallness to create the intense relationships that lead to powerful learning
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Not having time to deal with intense interpersonal problems–need to focus on the intellectual life of the school
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Wanting to provide choice/variety for adults and students
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Having to make hard decisions about what can be provided and what cannot
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Needing to provide security by having rules which are known to all and applied to all
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Needing to build in the habit of good judgment–looking at situations and problems individually
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Knowing the importance of teachers spending time together developing curriculum and instructional strategies
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Knowing the importance of not overloading staff
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Needing to have a clear plan to share with the community
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Knowing the importance of getting parents and community involved in the conversation early
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Honoring a belief that a democratic organization is essential
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Believing that strong leadership is essential to maintaining the mission and vision of school
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Wanting to honor the varied subject matter areas required /represented and wanting to respond to student interest
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Knowing that less is more
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Believing that equity of outcomes is the bottom line
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Wanting to honor the individual learning styles and pacing of students
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Nancy Mohr is a full-time consultant frequently–but not exclusively–working with leaders, with a special interest in their professional development. She was previously the principal of University Heights High School in New York City. She can be reached at nanmohr@rcn.com.
Alan Dichter is the Assistant Superintendent for Executive Leadership Development at the New York City Board of Education and was previously the principal of Satellite Academy in New York City. He can be reached via email at adichte@nycboe.net.
This resource last updated: May 28, 2002
Database Information:
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Source: Horace. Vol.18, #3. Spring 2002
Publication Year: 2002
Publisher: CES National
Type: Horace Feature
School Level: All
Issue: 18.3
Focus Area: Leadership
STRAND: Leadership: the change process
The Change Process: Managing Change
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