In my
previous post, I explained how I was inspired to create some ideal bookshelves—one
for educators, and one for leadership. If you didn’t see it, you can go here.
Also, I’ll briefly explain the caveats (more fully done on previous post).
I believe educators and leaders should read widely and
deeply. All sources can help one grow in both realms. But I’m going to limit
myself to books specifically focused on the topic, albeit a bit more loosely in
some cases. Rather than go into any real
depth about a book, I simply will make a general comment or two about why the
book belongs on my ideal shelf. I hope that will encourage others to read it
for themselves and feel the same power.
Let’s
look at the shelf for leadership in schools:
·
Seven
Secrets of the Savvy School Leader: Surviving and Thriving by Robert Evans.
He knows schools and the people in them.
·
Servant
Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness by Robert
Greenleaf. The greatest leadership manifests itself in serving others rather
than ourselves. This also reminds us that education is a service, not a
product, industry.
·
The Little
Big Things by Tom Peters. A passionate reminder that much of leadership
depends on one’s small, daily actions.
·
Primal
Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman.
Education is such an intense, very human endeavor that EQ comes to the
forefront all the time.
·
Leading in
a Culture of Change by Michael Fullan. Rather than providing a pedantic
formula, this book provides sudden insights tied to real situations.
·
Leading Change
by John Kotter. Normally I dislike formulaic approaches to anything, but following
the eight steps in here has served me well.
·
Good to
Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t by Jim Collins. Perhaps a clichéd choice, but
Collins’ work resonates loudly. Just this week I find myself drawing heavily on
it for a presentation.
·
Made to
Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. In
very concrete fashion, this book presents some wonderful tips for effective
communication.
·
Truman by
David McCullough. Truman’s story is a terrific one of persistence in the face
of adversityand even contempt
·
Team of
Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Schools are full of strong-willed folks with
loads of opinions. Lincoln shows how to value the dissent and use it to strengthen
rather than break apart.
Thoughts? Additions?
2 comments:
Good list, I'll probably pick up the Tom Peter's Book. Good to Great was not that good. I like a book called High Altitude Leadership - a good book about working in team. Flight of the Buffalo is a good leadership book.
Hi, Bill,
Thanks for the comment and suggestions. You're one of the few people I've heard criticize Good to Great. Could you elaborate?
--Mark
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