Working At The Edge

Make School Different: Digital leadership & Transformation

#18 of 60: What two actions can you take today to advance your leadership to be more human-centered? 🤔🤔🤔

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In the last week I came across an article that prompted my thinking about leadership in the learner-centered paradigm: From 7 Superintendents: What 2020 Taught Us About  Leading. 

It’s a quick read… đź“– And don’t worry…you can extract meaning from the words regardless of your role in education….

Two (maybe three) principles underlying their actions as leaders struck me…especially connected to our exploration of human-centered schooling and leadership.

First, the inquiry stance. One of the ways we keep from burning out, regardless of our role in education, is to take an inquiry stance. What is it that piques curiosity about our practice? What questions can we ask ourselves and others to continuously improve our practice? 

In times of chaos, such as the global pandemic or the racial unrest in our communities over the past year, we as educators instinctively kick into survival mode, just needing to keep things afloat. One of the ways we can help ourselves get back on a journey to “normal” is to take an inquiry stance. Be curious. Ask questions. ❓❓

Second, collaboration. The article tells the story about a group of leaders not only inquiring into practice but doing so collaboratively. Leadership doesn’t have to be lonely. 1 +1 = 3. There are always others experiencing the same challenges and with the same curiosities. Find that one collaborator, or better yet, group of collaborators. 🤝🤝

AND, both of these require vulnerability. 

The Learner-Centered Leadership Lab referenced in the article sounds like a model structure we can all learn from as we seek to reshape our systems to be more human-centered.

We are reminded to take an inquiry stance and find collaborators. Through these two actions, we create the conditions for greater vulnerability in our own lives and in our organizations.

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âť“ Provocations:

Were there any other principles you took from the article? How does inquiry stance, collaboration and vulnerability resonate with you?

đź’Ž Resources:

What does it mean to lead from an inquiry stance?

🧠 Mindset:

Inquiry stance; collaboration; vulnerability

đź’ˇ Area:

Leadership

📣 Drop your thoughts in the comments, or in the Facebook group, and feel free to share resources. 🔥🔥🔥

Randy Ziegenfuss
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