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Chapter Eight: ‘Making it Happen, One Step at a Time’
“But if change is difficult for a solitary individual, how challenging must it be for an entire school?”
In this chapter Covey gives readers a blueprint for implementing a leadership theme. He calls the process “The Four Imperatives of Leadership” and reminds us that success depends on customizing the process to meet the needs of the school.
People will trust a leader when they believe they are heard and cared for. They also have to know that a leader is true to his or her word.
“That trust has to be present for desirable change to happen in a school.”
The second imperative Covey insists on is clarifying purpose. His definitions for terms we hear everyday are worthy of noting here.
The third imperative is aligning systems. A great example is the human body with every system working cooperatively toward one end. What a design! Then too, when one body part gets weak other parts rush to the scene to take up the slack. Metaphorically speaking, when a person goes blind. Ears always rise to the occasion.
Covey breaks down the aligning into four areas--attracting, positioning, rewarding and developing people. Here’s what it looks like from a human resources point of view.
The fourth imperative is unleashing talent. There is no room for insecurity here because this is the principal’s or the director’s opportunity to strategically delegate. Covey reminds us that leadership is an enabling art and that great leaders know how to stir up the gifts and bring out the best in every member of the team. He writes, “this applies to more than teachers. It applies to unleashing the talents of parents and community volunteers, but particularly to unleashing the talents of students.”
Covey’s final thought here has to do with sustaining the change. He strongly recommends reevaluating, and refreshing and most importantly keeping the main thing the main thing.
“But if change is difficult for a solitary individual, how challenging must it be for an entire school?”
In this chapter Covey gives readers a blueprint for implementing a leadership theme. He calls the process “The Four Imperatives of Leadership” and reminds us that success depends on customizing the process to meet the needs of the school.
- Inspire Trust
- Clarify Purpose
- Align Systems
- Unleash Talent
People will trust a leader when they believe they are heard and cared for. They also have to know that a leader is true to his or her word.
“That trust has to be present for desirable change to happen in a school.”
The second imperative Covey insists on is clarifying purpose. His definitions for terms we hear everyday are worthy of noting here.
- mission: the purpose
- vision: the destination
- strategy: the path
- job expectation: the specific roles each individual will play
The third imperative is aligning systems. A great example is the human body with every system working cooperatively toward one end. What a design! Then too, when one body part gets weak other parts rush to the scene to take up the slack. Metaphorically speaking, when a person goes blind. Ears always rise to the occasion.
Covey breaks down the aligning into four areas--attracting, positioning, rewarding and developing people. Here’s what it looks like from a human resources point of view.
- attracting: recruitment (internal)
- positioning: placement (right adults and youth in the right jobs at the right time)
- rewarding: Incentives & accountability-- “How will progress and successes be rewarded? How will people be held accountable for inappropriate actions?”
- developing: training. “It is in the actual “process” of teaching, creating lesson plans, designing displays, and leading school events that teachers, students, and parents best learn the leadership principles.”
The fourth imperative is unleashing talent. There is no room for insecurity here because this is the principal’s or the director’s opportunity to strategically delegate. Covey reminds us that leadership is an enabling art and that great leaders know how to stir up the gifts and bring out the best in every member of the team. He writes, “this applies to more than teachers. It applies to unleashing the talents of parents and community volunteers, but particularly to unleashing the talents of students.”
Covey’s final thought here has to do with sustaining the change. He strongly recommends reevaluating, and refreshing and most importantly keeping the main thing the main thing.