the end, personal understanding of a leader’s strengths and weaknesses enables growth. See “My Leadership Strengths” (page 13) and “My Leadership Challenges” (page 14) at the end of this chapter to jumpstart that understanding. They promote reflection on each of these in order to grow as a leader. Finally, “Celebrating My Strengths” (page 15) helps you focus on positives. Leaders need to take time to recognize themselves and acknowledge when they have used their strengths to move an organization forward. Seeking honest feedback about your strengths and weaknesses is important, too. George (2011) encourages getting that feedback from other leaders and your superiors, as well as from those you lead.
Conclusion
In this chapter, we answered the question, What kind of leader am I? Take time answering the following questions, and think critically about each.
▪ What are you doing right now that fits with what you learned from reading this chapter?
▪ What might you stop doing after reading this chapter?
▪ What might you start doing after reading this chapter?
Action Steps for Improving Your Leadership Skills
Think about your current leadership abilities, whether you are currently leading a team of people or not. Consider the following two steps.
1. Identify your own leadership strengths.
▪ Using the “My Leadership Strengths” worksheet (page 13), list between three and five of your personal leadership strengths.
▪ Brainstorm ways you can use these strengths.
▪ Record when you use these strengths and the impact they have had.
2. Identify your own leadership challenges.
▪ Using the “My Leadership Challenges” worksheet (page 14), list between three and five of your personal leadership challenges.
▪ Brainstorm ways you can strengthen those areas.
My Leadership Strengths
List at least three of your personal leadership strengths. Then brainstorm possible results of using those strengths.
My Leadership Challenges
List at least three of your personal leadership challenges. Then brainstorm ways you can strengthen those areas.
Celebrating My Strengths
List at least three of your personal leadership strengths. Keep a running log of when you used them and why.
Stronger Together © 2018 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.com Visit go.SolutionTree.com/leadership to download this free reproducible.
CHAPTER TWO
How Can I Earn Trust?
In collaborative leadership, trust is essential. Research bears this out. Educational professors Megan Tschannen-Moran and Wayne K. Hoy’s (1998) study demonstrates a significant direct correlation between trust and how often a teacher collaborates with the principal and with colleagues: “Faculty trust is an important aspect of the openness and health of school climate. It is related to the authenticity of both the principal’s and the teachers’ behavior” (p. xx). You will find action steps for building trust later in this chapter (page 22).
While trust is critical, its existence is not always obvious. Joel Peterson (2016) discusses how when trust is low, organizations move toward using power as an influencer—that doesn’t coincide with collaboration. On the other hand, when one person trusts another, he or she spends less energy protecting him- or herself and, therefore, feels safe to take risks (Edmonson, 2004; Jarvenpaa, Knoll, & Leidner, 1998). That feeling is known as psychological safety (Edmonson, 2004).
Anthony S. Bryk, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and Barbara Schneider (2002), Michigan State University College of Education distinguished professor, say you can get an idea of how well teachers trust their principal by how they address the statements on page 18 about trustworthy characteristics. Depending on the leadership structure and the setting, these statements could be adapted to say team leader, leadership team, superintendent, or other leaders. Visit go.SolutionTree.com/leadership for a link to these statements.
Consider asking your teams to anonymously address these statements at the end of each semester to get a clear idea of where you stand.
• It’s OK in this school to discuss feelings, worries, and frustrations with the principal.
• The principal looks out for the personal welfare of the faculty members in this school.
• I take the principal at his or her word.
• The principal in this school is an effective manager, who makes the school run smoothly.
• The principal places students’ needs ahead of his or her political interests.
• The principal has confidence in the teachers’ expertise.
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