I don’t believe that autocratic leadership behaviours are particularly successful in the long term. Boss style behaviour breeds fear, and a lack of psychological safety will impact on the ability of the team to flourish.
Instead, I believe in ethical leadership. I really like this image taken from The Education Alliance (TEAL)’s ethical leadership charter, from Putting Staff First, pg. 154. (Thank you to Sam Gibbs for referring to this in her excellent blog.)
LEADERS:
😊 Build TRUST and are trustworthy
😊 Show OPTIMISM, and are positive and encouraging
😊 Demonstrate KINDNESS, respect and generosity of spirit
😊 Show COURAGE for the best interests of their children and their team
😊 Are conscientious and prioritise SERVICE to others
😊 Use their experience and insights to act with WISDOM
😊 Are fair and ensure JUSTICE
😊 Anticipate and prepare for the future through their VISION
If you are a school leader or governor, you may be interested in reading more about ethical leadership in this guide from the National Governance Association. Download it here: https://www.nga.org.uk/media/ylteeeuz/ethical-leadership-report-final.pdf
🤔 Which attributes of a leader matter most to you?
Join in the conversation and share your thoughts. I'd love to hear from you.
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