This morning I read a leadership blog sharing thoughts on Entrepreneurial Leadership and it brought to mind many leadership practices which are evident in the schools and district offices. It reminds me of a selected leadership book, Teacher Preneurs (2013), which many of you read a number of years ago. In reflecting about the past four weeks, which characteristics of entrepreneurial thinking surfaced as the school and district culture changed?
In Teacher Preneurs the authors project what successful innovative teachers will do to change the face of schooling in the year 2030. Here we are in 2020 and teacher leaders are delivering lessons using many new methodologies. They are on the front line where bold new practices are required if they are to meet the needs of their students during this crisis. Jose’ Vilson asks, “What if accomplished educators’ jobs could be restructured, enabling us to use and spread our expertise in innovative ways while also keeping one foot in the classroom?” (p.17)
Have we not asked all teachers to do just that? They are communicating with colleagues differently, networking with students, learning by innovating, taking risks, solving problems, being empathic to the academic, social and emotional needs of their students while reflecting on their professional practices. The authors state they believe that education calls for a culture which is innovative and creative. To make that happen we must ask teacher leaders to be journey leaders as the new culture is established.
How do school/district leaders lead the cultural changes? Blog contributor, Joel Peterson, CEO, CFO, Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, has developed a framework to assist leaders as they grow in their professional capacity. He defines the entrepreneur as a person who innovates, initiates and steers with a mind to the future. Entrepreneurial leaders are resilient, they shift different leadership styles as needed. They demonstrate the ability to solve problems and are agents of change. They are strategic and have the vision to know why, what and how to manage and inspire the people in the organization to move forward. He suggests four activities to sharpen the practices of entrepreneurial leadership; building trust, creating a mission, securing a team and delivering results (2020).
Why are these skills important as the school/district culture changes? How do you deploy these four practices in your role?
Leadership Now, Building a Community of Leaders. Leading Blog, April 24, 2020.
Berry, B., Byrd, B., & Wieder, A. (2013) Teacher Preneurs, San Francisco, CA.: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
