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June 15, 2001
Practically speaking, what steps can schools take to create transformational change?
OHLER: The field of education is predicated upon the belief that given the right leadership, everyone within an organization can change for the better. Not only can they "learn more," but they can also imagine, think, and create more effectively. There are plenty of ways to get skills: workshops, exciting keynote speeches, well-written books and articles, professional development course work, and mentoring relationships, to name a few.
But there are a lot of "change wanna-bes" out there. Many approach change as an external event; that is, we reorganize a structure, a building, or an organization and in so doing fix what is wrong. But whether we like it or not, before organizations can change in any lasting sense, leaders must change. This kind of change is much more a personal transformation than a professional one.
The most practical step that a leader who wants to initiate change can take is to try to change a personal habit-just one. Looking for one to change? Ask your spouse. He or she has quite a list. In trying to consciously change a habit-which is usually mental, emotional, and kinesthetic-you will come face to face with just how hard change is. Leaders who can talk about how they have changed will gain an audience and a following much faster than those who can't.
WARLICK: Even a born leader has to learn to influence people; likewise even the most reserved follower can be inspired by vision to lead-with some learning. I guess at the root of the questions we're attempting to answer here is where does leadership come from and how does it happen?
Traditionally, the school building pretty clearly defined how the institution itself was administered. You walk in the front door and the administrative offices are your first encounter. Down the hall are classrooms, the gymnasium, media center, and cafeteria. You are asked by a sign at the front to check in at the "office" before advancing further into the building.
Increasingly, the public's perception of our schools will be defined by Web sites. Even though the administrator's page appears at the top of the main menu, visitors can easily skip over it and venture on to classrooms, special programs, samples of student work, and other aspects of teaching and learning. This image of an open, easily explored, and shared environment will eventually become the model for schooling.
We have to begin, however, with the first model, because this is where we are right now. Learning to be technology leaders has to come from the school office, the central office, state departments of education, and the universities. Preparing educators as leaders is not necessarily a staff development event that has to be scheduled, although this is a good way to start. It must also be a self-sustaining and ongoing sharing of knowledge and experience. There are lots of tools on the Internet for facilitating this kind of conversation online; however, we need tools designed specifically for the education community.
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