Leadership and Vision

I just came from a school board meeting where we took a look at our vision for the school:

PROVIDING AND EDUCATION FOR NOW AND ETERNITY 

We discussed ways we can make sure that our vision is present everyday, whether it be with our words or our actions. It was a positive and uplifting discussion as a teacher leader in my building. As I was driving home by myself...I point that out because that rarely happens. This is usually what my car looks like when I'm driving anywhere...

 Yep...me and four kids...don't let their cute smiles fool you...they are loud and very competitive with each other (and I wouldn't trade their personalities for anything! I am a blessed mama!)

Okay...back to leadership...so as I was driving home by myself from this discussion, I got to thinking what leadership has to do with vision. Why was it the role of the school board to discuss the vision, when it is the teacher's role to carry that vision out daily in our school?

Here is what I came up with:

I believe that leadership and vision go hand in hand; you can’t have one without the other. Good vision stems from good leadership. Even though leadership and vision can both consist of forward thinking, leadership takes place in the present, whereas vision sets the action for the future. Kouzes & Posner (2006) write, “You are the most important leader in your organization for the people who look to you" (p.11).   Leaders serve and sacrifice using the leadership aspirations of being forward looking yet willing to be a follower too in order to fulfill the vision. I would have to say that our current principal is an effective leader. He leads up towards the common goal of providing an education for now and eternity. With the principal leading us towards this goal, we have been able to create unity and action in our mission. When creating a vision, it is important for the leader to effectively communicate their vision to all key players. There it is...they why of my question. It is the role of the leader to communicate the vision to all the key players and to demonstrate what that looks like daily in our school.

What is leadership and vision to you in your school? I would love to hear how this topic plays out in your school!

Tona

HE>I

Reference
Kouzes, J. & Posner, B. (2006). A leader’s legacy. San Francisco. Jossey-Bass.