¶ … great leaders in times of change is that good leaders facilitate the change and enable the organization to achieve the objective. A great leader, however, has a vision of beyond the change -- one that encapsulates the higher and greater objective. The great leader not only facilitates the change but also provides the support and vision for the next steps after the change. In other words, the leader provides support for the entire culture, the organization's balance and mission.
Christal notes that the effective educational change leaders "comprehend and communicate what will be demanded of their graduates" and that they also "model the behaviors of learning, collaboration, effective teaching and risk-taking" (Wagner, 2013). I agree with this assessment because 1) it is important for leaders to understand and be able to express what their students will need to know going forward, and 2) leaders should embody the values and skills they expect others to have or to teach. Everyone learns by example, and the more that the right example is set by the leaders, the more that followers will imbibe it and perform it naturally without even thinking. This is the concept of mimicking behavior; meanwhile, the right values and principles for why these skills are necessary or important can be taught, which will support the rational side of the mind and help to form the foundation of the student's life going forward.
Thus, I agree with these statements. Leaders are in a unique position: people look to them for guidance, for wisdom, for understanding, and for a voice. Leaders not only communicate through words, but they also communicate through actions. Sometimes actions are louder than words, so it is imperative that a great leader always be mindful of how actions will be received and interpreted.
Wagner, T. (2013). What Does It Mean to Be a "Change Leader" in Education?
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