Leadership Connectors - Support

While I read the second chapter of Leadership Connectors regarding the topic of support, I was transported back to my first year as a teacher. I remember walking into a classroom and being greeted by an interesting scene. There was a hodgepodge of desks (some falling apart), bookshelves full of books and binders that were probably over 30 years old, no blinds over the large windows, and spider webs in the corners of the classroom. Though the teacher who inhabited the room before I did had generously left classroom supplies for me to use, I was definitely nervous about how and when I'd get the supplies and furniture I'd need for my students. However, within a week or so, there were brand new desks, two metal cabinets to be used for storage, and a catalog for school supplies with a purchase order that would more than cover any supplies I would need. Suffice to say, I felt very supported as a brand new teacher and that allowed me to focus not on supplies or needs, but rather on curriculum and student learning.

As a leader, it should be a top priority to show the staff and students at your school site that you support them. Within the school culture, a united vision can only be achieved when all aspects of the school are working together. A team won't feel up to working together if their basic needs aren't being met by other members of the team. The authors of Leadership Connectors put it well, "Effective leaders need people. Effective leaders can't do the job alone." People are much more apt to want to work for leaders who show them respect, have clear communication skills, and support them in their daily work.

While reading this chapter, I looked at it through the lens of being a teacher. Teaching every day, I definitely have an idea as to the type of leadership that I feel supported by - leaders who are visible, willing, and able to help. However, I want to be able to transfer the knowledge that I have now into becoming a more effective leader.

Some of the most significant insights that I took away from this chapter were:

• Support can come in a variety of forms - financial, personnel, emotional, educational, etc.
• Visibility is influence.
• "Outstanding leaders demonstrate respect first even if some of the faculty don't look like them, act like them, dress like them, or think like them."
• Support is mutually provided.
• New teachers need support, but so do veteran teachers.

I enjoyed this chapter a lot because I saw so many parallels to my own life, especially as a relatively new teacher. I hope that as I move on in my leadership journey, I can remember the level and types of support that I found helpful in order to shape my own leadership characteristics.