This single entity can also more consistently value the differences of both the students and teachers in a meaningful, useful way. "Good leaders seek to bring together sets of different realities to form a holistic identity for the organization" (Walker & Quong, 1998) it is through the acknowledging and valuing of differences that this leadership can empower teachers to commit fully to the task of self-appraisal, realizing that they all have different strengths and weaknesses and that's valid and to even be expected in any school setting. it's using these differences as a springboard to motivate continuous improvement on behalf of the teachers that presents the most real and significant challenge. Finally, it needs to be acknowledged that even the most effective form of leadership is a dynamic animal and is not something that is static. Leadership suffers when it is not supported; even the best leaders still need professional development and encouragement so that they can make decisions with confidence and aplomb (Thornton, 2010). Moreover, leadership is a skill that needs a commitment to continuing education and a forum where leaders can support one another, sharing their insights and mistakes and learning from one another.

Explain how you would know whether leadership effectiveness was improved by application of these ideas (what evidence would you need?).

In these particular cases, it would actually be some simple to determine if the leadership effectiveness was actually improved via an application of these ideas. In the case scenario outlined, the objective was lucid: improve the effectiveness...

The goal of empowering teachers to complete these self-appraisals with a higher level of excellence was to improve the excellence of their overall teaching methods. The goal of improving the overall excellence of their teaching methods was to improve student outcomes. With more superior and bettered student outcomes as the overall goal of the leadership endeavor, the effectiveness of this endeavor will be easy to determine. Gathering data which records student scores on tests, essays and other forms of assessment is necessary. Ultimately, leadership effectiveness will have a direct relationship with student outcomes. The truly effective leadership techniques will ultimately demonstrate improved student outcomes in a direct relationship.
References

Earl, L., & Katz, S. (2010). Creating a Culture of Inquiry. In a. Blankenstein, & P. Cole, Data Enhanced Leadership (pp. 9-30). Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

Gronn, P. (2008). The Future of Distributive Leadership. Journal of Educational Administration, 141-153.

Robinson, V., & Le Fevre, D. (2011). Principals' Capability in Challenging Conversations. Journal of Educational Administration, 227-255.

Santamaria, L. (2011). Applied Critical Leadership in Education. New York: Routledge.

Thornton, K. (2010). School Leadership and Student Outcomes. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington.

Walker, a., & Quong, T. (1998). Valuing Differences. Peabody Journal of…