Leading From Below the Surface: A Non-Traditional Approach to School Leadership

"Creighton gets leaders to look further and more deeply at what is going on within an organization. He clearly demonstrates that looking ′below the surface′ at motivations, struggles, and challenges is imperative." Pamela Flood, Assistant Professor Florida State University A groundbreaking model that digs deeper to uncover the root of effective leadership!Filling the gap between existing theoretical models and real-world practice, this landmark guide introduces a fresh paradigm shift that will shape the future of successful school leadership. Brimming with straightforward how-to′s and practical examples, the book draws upon the latest influential best practices of effective business management and tailors them to meet the needs of educational leaders at all levels. Leading From Below the Surface offers a deeper exploration of the more subjective, intangible aspects of leadership to get to the real issues, moving decision making outside the confines of school boardrooms and offices and into the dynamic hallways, community centers, school kitchens, and playgrounds. Special features include: Tools for expanding beyond data-based to evidence-based decision making for an enlightened perspective Tactics for building political capital Time management tips Reader-friendly text and real-life scenarios for practical application Leading From Below the Surface empowers educators to take a more comprehensive approach to managing schools that can boost teacher morale, student achievement, and community perceptions for overall success.

Table of Contents:
Preface What This Book Is Not About Acknowledgments About the Author 1. Introduction First, What Is the Surface? OK, Now What Does "Below the Surface" Mean? Leadership Is Both Objective and Subjective 2. What Does Traditional Leadership Look Like, and How Did We Get Here from There? Behavioral Leadership Situational Leadership Contingency Leadership Theory Path-Goal Theory of Leadership Transformational Leadership Theory A Conceptual Framework for Leading From Below the Surface 3. What Is Leading From Below the Surface? Bending the Rules Without Breaking Them Managing Your Portfolio of Political Capital Bourdieu and Capital 4. Evidence-Based Decision Making Below the Surface: Data- or Evidence-Based? Data-Driven vs. Evidence-Based Decision Making Attendance Rates vs. Absence Rates Narrowing the Achievement Gap Dropout Rate: 2% or 28%? Concluding Thoughts 5. Institutional Effectiveness vs. Strategy A Closer Look at Strategy How Does Strategy Relate to School Leadership? Describing the Strategy Identifying Positive and Negative Forces 6. Cooperation vs. Collaboration Closing Thoughts 7. Looking Beyond the Obvious From Superintendent to Secretary of Education The SAT Story Not Settling for Embroidering the Edges Concluding Thoughts 8. Creating Leadership Behaviors: A Leadership Practice Field OK, On to a Leadership Practice Field Defining a Practice A Practice Field Further Defined Practicing Leading From Below the Surface Practicing Listening Practicing Respecting 9. Implications for Practicing School Administrators Accountability Leading From Below the Surface The Disjuncture Between Societal Use and School Use of Technology The Virtual Classroom References Index

About the Author :
Theodore B. Creighton is currently a Professor and Program Leader in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Virginia Tech. Prior to joining the faculty at Virginia Tech, he served as Director of the Center for Research and Doctoral Studies in Educational Leadership at Sam Houston State University and as a Professor in Educational Leadership at Idaho State University. His background includes teaching at all grade levels in Washington, D.C.; Cleveland, Ohio; and Los Angeles, California. His administrative experience includes serving as principal and superintendent in both Fresno and Kern Counties, California. He holds a BS degree in teacher education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a master′s degree in educational administration from California State University Long Beach, and a doctorate from the University of California Davis. Though active in many professional organizations, he devotes considerable time to his role as Executive Director of the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration. He also serves as a member of the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA), and as a Stafford Faculty Fellow for the National Institute on Leadership, Disabilities and Students Placed at Risk (NILDSPAR). He recently was appointed as Project Director of the Connexions Knowledge Base Project, an international initiative in collaboration with Rice University charged with assembling the knowledge base in educational administration. His research includes examining the forces of the school principalship, and he is widely published in the area of schools with alternative forms of school leadership.

Review :
"Creighton gets leaders to look further and more deeply at what is going on within an organization. He clearly demonstrates that looking ‘below the surface’ at motivations, struggles, and challenges is imperative."