Doug Eadie
As part of my superintendent and nonprofit CEO coaching work over the past several years, I’ve developed six “hats” that – in my experience – really extraordinary superintendents and other chief executives wear. These roles have proved to be a very useful framework for taking chief executive leadership to the next level. I’ll be really interested in hearing from readers about their views on the work that extraordinary leaders do. Here are the six “hats:”
- Chief Board Governing Partner: taking the lead in helping the board build its governing capacity and building and maintaining a close, positive, and productive board-superintendent partnership that can withstand the inevitable stresses and strains at the top
- Chief Innovator: designing and leading the process of identifying strategic issues, fashioning practical change initiatives to capitalize on opportunities to enhance educational effectiveness and counter threats to carrying out the district’s mission, and actually implementing the change initiatives
- Chief Energizer: inspiring and motivating board and staff members by elevating their sights above the fray, raising their spirits, and calming their fears of change
- Chief Connector: taking the lead in promoting your district’s image in the community and building and maintaining productive working relationships with critical external stakeholder organizations
- Chief Organizational Designer: taking the lead in updating overall district design – including mission, educational services, and structural configuration – in the interest of future stability, educational effectiveness, and growth
- Chief Self-Developer: strengthening your own leadership capacity, including emotional/psychological/spiritual development and the acquisition of new leadership knowledge and skills
What do you think?
