Strategic leadership is a critical component in the effective development of schools. Drawing upon research conducted by the National College for School Leadership, this text examines how this can be done.
Drawing upon Brent Davies's extensive experience in presenting nationally and internationally to school leaders, this book distils the collective wisdom from educationalists across the globe. Updated with new international examples and references and a significant new chapter on developing strategic talent in schools, the book has been described as a 'must read' for existing and aspiring school leaders. The book focuses on: " establishing processes for building whole school involvement " strategic approaches to build capacity in your school " building and sustaining strategic leadership throughout the school " developing strategic talent in schools " characteristics of strategically focused schools This book is an indispensable read for school leaders who want to focus on bringing sustainable improvement to their school. Dr Brent Davies is Professor of Leadership Development at the University of Hull.
'One of the great things about Brent Davies’ books is that they combine rigorous research with practical reality. Leading the Strategically Focused School is no exception. Indeed in this text Brent has surpassed himself in drawing on the two decades of research underpinning his concept of Strategic Leadership and then relating it to the current perceptions of school leaders. The result is a book that resonates with common sense but that is disciplined by the insight of someone in command of his field. This is not a book with easy answers, we have too many of those, but one that captures the holism of contemporary leadership, makes you think and leads to informed action' - Professor David Hopkins, HSBC Chair of International Leadership, and formerly Chief Adviser on School Standards to the Secretary of State 2002-2005 'Brent Davies is now established as the pre-eminent scholar on strategic leadership in schools. This book contains a balanced critique of the existing literature and breaks new ground in tackling the critical issue of how strategic leadership can be sustained. As in all his work, he draws widely from the experience of successful practitioners, and this ensures its credibility and instils confidence in those who are embarking on a career in school leadership' - Professor Brian Caldwell, Associate Director-Global, International Networking for Educational Transformation, and Managing Director, Educational Transformations 'Brent Davies tackles the much misunderstood and abused concept of strategy and gets great results. Linking strategy with sustainability, Leading the Strategically Focused School is full of wonderful conceptual tools, and practical case vignettes. This book is both conceptual and practical, and takes all the excuses off the table. An inspiration and invitation to take action for the good of all' - Michael Fullan, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto 'I recommend the book to anyone who is, or who aspires to be, a leader in schools, as it makes an important contribution to the thinking required to achieve cohesive, strategic approaches to the running of schools based upon sound practical experience' - Brian Roberts, Editor, International Journal of Educational Management Strategic leadership is a critical component in the effective development of schools. Leaders need to consider the `now' of school improvement and also how to build strategic capability within the school in order to ensure long-term success and sustainability. Drawing upon research conducted by the National College for School Leadership, the book examines how this can be done. The book includes chapters on: o establishing processes for building whole school involvement o strategic approaches to build capacity in your school o building and sustaining strategic leadership throughout the school o characteristics of strategically focused schools This book is an indispensable read for school leaders who want to focus on bringing sustainable improvement to their school.
Today’s organizations face difficult challenges in order to remain competitive—the quickening pace of change, increasing uncertainty, growing ambiguity, and complexity. To meet these challenges, organizations must broaden the scope of leadership responsibility for strategic leadership and engage more people in the process of leadership. In Becoming a Strategic Leader Rich Hughes and Kate Beatty from the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) offer executives and managers a handbook for implementing a strategic leadership process that reaches leaders at all levels of organizations. Based on CCL’s successful Developing the Strategic Leader Program, this book outlines the framework of strategic leadership and contains practical suggestions on how to develop the individual, team, and organizational skills needed for institutions to become more adaptable, flexible, and resilient. The authors also show how individual managers can exercise effective strategic leadership through their distinctive and systemic approach—thinking, acting, and influencing.
Drawing together current thinking and research by leading writers in the field, this Reader will help you to understand and critically analyse key strategic aspects of educational leadership, including: - leadership perspectives and values - external and internal contexts - autonomy and accountability - partnership and collaboration - leading strategy and change. The book explores major challenges for educational leaders in managing the increasingly permeable boundary between educational organisations and their external contexts and reconciling environmental expectations and internal priorities. The Reader will encourage you to positively problematize the field and reflect on current debates and issues. This book will be an essential resource for providers and students of postgraduate level courses in educational leadership and management, as well as those involved in undertaking professional development programmes. It will also serve the reflective practitioner as personal reference when occupying or aspiring towards leadership roles in schools, colleges and other educational organisations. Dr Maggie Preedy, Professor Nigel Bennett and Dr Christine Wise have taught, researched and published widely in the field of educational leadership and management. Maggie Preedy and Christine Wise are Senior Lecturers in the Faculty of Education and Language Studies at The Open University, UK. Nigel Bennett is Emeritus Professor of Leadership and Management in Education at The Open University.
"Acquire the knowledge and resources necessary to achieve true success as a leader and enact strategic change and school improvement. In Swimming in the Deep End, author Jennifer Abrams dives deep into the four foundational skills required of effective leadership and change management: (1) thinking before speaking, (2) preempting resistance, (3) responding to resistance, and (4) managing oneself through change and resistance. Throughout the book readers receive ample guidance for building these vital skills and leading school initiatives and implementation plans that face 21st century challenges head-on." --
A Powerful New Approach to Performance Management from the Creators of the Balanced Scorecard In Today's business environment, strategy has never been more important. Yet research shows that most companies fail to execute strategy successfully. Behind this abysmal track record lies an undeniable fact: many companies continue to use management processes-top-down, financially driven, and tactical-that were designed to run yesterday's organizations. Now, the creators of the revolutionary performance management tool called the Balanced Scorecard introduce a new approach that makes strategy a continuous process owned not just by top management, but by everyone. In The Strategy-Focused Organization, Robert Kaplan and David Norton share the results of ten years of learning and research into more than 200 companies that have implemented the Balanced Scorecard. Drawing from more than twenty in-depth case studies-including Mobil, CIGNA, Nova Scotia Power, and AT and T Canada-Kaplan and Norton illustrate how Balanced Scorecard adopters have taken their ground-breaking tool to the next level. These organizations have used the scorecard to create an entirely new performance management framework that puts strategy at the center of key management processes and systems. Kaplan and Norton articulate the five key principles required for building Strategy-Focused Organizations: (1) translate the strategy to operational terms, (2) align the organization to the strategy, (3) make strategy everyone's everyday job, (4) make strategy a continual process, and (5) mobilize change through strong, effective leadership. The authors provide a detailed account of how a range of organizations in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors have deployed these principles to achieve breakthrough, sustainable performance improvements. Presenting a practical, proven framework steeped in rich case study experience, The Strategy-Focused Organization helps solve a universal management problem-not just how to formulate strategy, but how to make it work. Building on one of the most revolutionary business ideas of our time, this important book shows how today's leaders can shape their own companies to meet the challenges and reap the rewards of a new competitive era.
Strategic Management of Human Capital in Education offers a comprehensive and strategic approach to address what has become labeled as "talent and human capital." Grounded in extensive research and examples of leading edge districts, this book shows how the entire human resource system in schools—from recruitment, to selection/placement, induction, professional development, performance management and evaluation, compensation, and career progression—can be reformed and restructured to boost teacher and principal effectiveness in ways that dramatically improve instructional practice and student learning. Strategic Management of Human Capital in Education guides educators towards putting more effective teachers, teacher leaders, and principals in the country’s schools—especially in poverty-impacted urban and rural communities—equipping those teacher and principals with instructional and leadership expertise, and rewarding and retaining those who are successful in attaining these objectives. Drawing from cases, experiences, and deliberations from a national task force, this book outlines a comprehensive framework for how to transform current human resource management practices into authentic, strategic talent management systems in order to improve student achievement.
Using a competency and knowledge approach, this book provides a clear framework which enables school leaders to develop and reflect upon their own skills.
Good Strategy/Bad Strategy clarifies the muddled thinking underlying too many strategies and provides a clear way to create and implement a powerful action-oriented strategy for the real world. Developing and implementing a strategy is the central task of a leader. A good strategy is a specific and coherent response to—and approach for—overcoming the obstacles to progress. A good strategy works by harnessing and applying power where it will have the greatest effect. Yet, Rumelt shows that there has been a growing and unfortunate tendency to equate Mom-and-apple-pie values, fluffy packages of buzzwords, motivational slogans, and financial goals with “strategy.” In Good Strategy/Bad Strategy, he debunks these elements of “bad strategy” and awakens an understanding of the power of a “good strategy.” He introduces nine sources of power—ranging from using leverage to effectively focusing on growth—that are eye-opening yet pragmatic tools that can easily be put to work on Monday morning, and uses fascinating examples from business, nonprofit, and military affairs to bring its original and pragmatic ideas to life. The detailed examples range from Apple to General Motors, from the two Iraq wars to Afghanistan, from a small local market to Wal-Mart, from Nvidia to Silicon Graphics, from the Getty Trust to the Los Angeles Unified School District, from Cisco Systems to Paccar, and from Global Crossing to the 2007–08 financial crisis. Reflecting an astonishing grasp and integration of economics, finance, technology, history, and the brilliance and foibles of the human character, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy stems from Rumelt’s decades of digging beyond the superficial to address hard questions with honesty and integrity.