Without question, educational leadership can be one of the most complex and challenging areas of professional practice in our 21st century communities and culture. Contemporary trends, leading to increased normative pressure to bring measurable improvement to every aspect and component of the educational process, coupled with an ever-changing political landscape and rising community expectations and demands, have only served to heighten the enormity of those complexities and challenges. Consequently, educational leaders are often confronted with nagging questions pertaining to the appropriate and efficient use of available resources in the face of declining revenues and deficit budgets. They are also required to navigate the challenges posed by competing interests and priorities within their constituent communities and the inherent political tensions that often result. As an outcome, the critical need for strategic thinking in conjunction with courageous and visionary leadership has never been greater.

Mon Jul 15 10:47 PM

Interruptions during the school day eat away at instructional time in the classroom. According to a recent survey we conducted, 17.5% of U.S. K-12 educators report losing four hours or more of instructional time every week due to disruptive student behavior. This means almost 18 days out of every school year are lost, all while school is in session.

Mon May 27 08:22 PM

Nothing could be more true for K-12 education than this by a team of seasoned management consultants writing in the MIT Sloan Management Review: A fundamental assumption underlying traditional approaches to strategy is that industry boundaries and economics remain broadly stable over time. This assumption is no longer realistic... Change, not stability, are the key drivers for most organizations today, and that was true even before the triple tectonic shifts of 2020: pandemic, economic disruption, and acceleration of the long battle against social injustice.

Tue May 14 08:39 AM

Four years ago when I published #EdJourney, I posited that significant changes at individual schools might take place over a period of 3-15 years, depending on leadership, intentionality, and focus. I have really never seen an example of significant change (other than in schools where a wolf is at the door) in the first year of a new principal or head of school. New leaders almost always use that first year to listen and learn the culture of the school, which is not only good, but very much in line with what we see as the successful “architect-leader”. Until now.

Tue Apr 09 08:29 AM

By: Dr. James Hutto, Superintendent Search Consultant McPherson & Jacobson, LLC

Tue Mar 19 09:25 AM

Let’s be honest. Taylor Swift aside, it seems that Super Bowl viewers are divided by those watching the game versus the commercials. And the commercials in this month’s (2024) Super Bowl seemed to bring out more “Stars” than usual: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Tom Brady, JLo, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Jenna Ortega, Chris Pratt, Addison Rae, Jelly Roll, Judge Judy, Ice Spice, Lionel Messi, Kate McKinnon, Vince Vaughn, Quinta Brunson, Wayne Gretzky, Christopher Walken, and more.

Tue Feb 27 08:50 AM

Leadership is a generally broad concept that has been extensively examined, variously defined, and vigorously debated. Studies of leadership have produced multiple theories focusing on style, level of performance, a particular set of observable character traits, and numerous other variables believed to be associated with effective leadership. As interesting and entertaining as some of these theories may be, those of us who have had the opportunity to occupy the seat, with our name on the letterhead, know all too well that it is more often the practical and not necessarily the theoretical that will carry the day in real time and in the real world. We have all likely been confronted with situations that somehow were not covered in our graduate studies, the latest books we’ve read, or that seminar we recently attended. Oftentimes, when these situations arise we find ourselves smack-dab in the middle of one of leadership’s teachable moments and we better learn the lesson well.

Tue Feb 06 10:28 AM

For those of us who have had the privilege to serve, we know that leadership is far more than a designated position or title. We clearly recognize that effective leadership also entails its own unique set of challenges, some universal and others unique to specific roles, responsibilities, and work environments. These emerging and presenting challenges can be both highly complex and numerous, requiring a healthy perspective, perseverance under pressure and ultimately the sheer courage to lead!

Wed Jan 17 09:22 AM