Full Description
"Ramsey blends practical business ideas, good practice, and commonsense ideas into lessons that all principals should find useful in their work."
Paul Young, 2002-2003 President
National Association of Elementary School Principals
"Once again Ramsey, like a wise mentor, cuts to the heart of leadership. Every reader who likes new ideas, appreciates fresh perspective, and seeks core truths about leadership will include this book in his or her library and recommend it to colleagues."
Don Draayer
1990 AASA National Superintendent of the Year
What does it take to be an effective school leader? What can we learn from successful schools and other businesses?
Much of what makes a great business organization tick can help make an effective school click as well. This valuable new resource combines the best thinking from today's finest schools with proven ideas taken directly from successful businesses and other public and private organizations.
School Leadership From A to Z blends proven traditional success secrets for school leaders with newfound strategies and unique methods from businesses and organizations outside the education community. This fresh approach provides 26 compact sections, offering provocative insider insight into critical elements of school leadership, including: Attitude and Ambiguity Tolerance; Coaching, Culture, and Common Sense; Exceeding Expectations; Inform, Instruct, and Inspire; Networking and Nitpicking; Removing Obstacles, and much more!
This handbook for educational leaders is the first ever to draw heavily on tough lessons from business and life, as well as successful school experiences, providing:
Leadership lessons from both businesses and schools
Ideas to borrow from the best practices of organizations
What business leaders say about leadership
New vocabulary for school leaders
A reference list of business leadership titles helpful to school leaders
If your school is not what it could or should be, something needs to change. This marvelous new resource provides you with the necessary ingredients for success!
Contents
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Introduction
A. Attitude and Ambiguity Tolerance
B. Built-in Backbone
C. Coaching, Culture and Common Sense
D. Do the Next Right Thing
E. Exceeding Expectations
F. Fun and the Fish Market Philosophy
G. Goombah and the Golden Rule
H. History and Heroes
I. Inform, Instruct and Inspire
J. Jacks or Better
K. "Kick Butt and Hug"
L. Low-Maintenance Leadership
M. Metaphors and Morale
N. Networking and Nit-picking
O. Optimism or Else
P. P's and Q's
Q. Quid Pro Quo
R. Removing Obstacles
S. Straight Talk
T. Teflon Tenacity
U. U-Turns
V. Vision and Vocabulary
W. Work and Play
X. X-Ray Thinking
Y. Yin and Yang
Z. Zen for School Leaders
A Final Word
Resource 1: A New Vocabulary for School Leaders
Resource 2: What Business Leaders Say About Leadership That School Leaders Need to Hear
Resource 3: Business Books You Might Want to Read to Become a Better School Leader
Resource 4: Borrowing from Business-Bright Ideas You Can Use in Your School Starting Tomorrow Morning
