Transformational Leadership - "True leaders create new leaders for the organization."

Let me first reflect on the fact that many consider me to be a born leader. I find this interesting because Marzano notes that in 1978 (my birth year) James Burns, considered to be the "founder of modern leadership theory", provides a preliminary but solid and captivating definition of leadership. I guess I was born with great responsibility.

I often wondered why my teachers always said they had eyes in the back of their heads. Maybe they were all followers of Bass and Avolio (1994) and believed in the concept of the Four I's of Transformational Leadership. Transformational Leadership is a very popular style of leadership that focuses on change. It incorporates the "Four I's": Individual Consideration (IC), Intellectual Stimulation (IS), Inspirational Motivation (IM), and Idealized Influence (II). IC ensures that everyone is given the necessary attention and that no one is, or feels overlooked. IS focuses on being creative and not necessarily sticking to the script. At times it is important to "step outside the box" when ensuring all needs of those you lead are met. IM deals with expecting the absolute best from all. We can be realistic when having and enforcing the need for high expectations. Lastly, II expects everything be modeled first. You cannot expect something from those you lead if you do not show them what it looks like. I have been fortunate to have many school leaders (which include my teachers) that have done all of the above.

The Four I's of Transformational leadership are key to the effectiveness of an administrator. Transformational Leadership falls right in with a Learning Organization. With the given state of many of our school systems across the country, and how we measure up to those leading education worldwide, an overhaul of our systems is critical. We must identify leaders who first and foremost share a common goal of excellence across the board, and are not afraid to use unconventional methods of learning to reach that goal. We are constantly evolving as a people, and our methods of learning must adapt to that evolution. Thinking outside the box, but staying on task is a must. Students of the 21st century are technology-age students. Our school leaders (administration & teachers) must be proficient in effectively implementing the use technology within every lesson. This is not to negate or abandon "old school" methods, but to enhance the learning process to grasp, maintain, and expand the minds of our students. Effective implementation of Cooperative Learning Groups within Learning Organizations at every level of our schools, will ensure all learning styles and ability levels are met.

I know I use the term effective, and its many forms a lot. Great ideas are useless if not implemented correctly. Too many of our leaders are in positions of leadership because they have great ideas. Many have no clue as to the implementation of those ideas as they relate to the population and/or demographics of those being led. As leaders, we must lead as we would expect our teachers to lead in the classrooms, our parents to lead in the homes, and our students to lead when they are not in school and not at home. With this comes true learning. Carrying and using what you've been taught when your teachers are not around.

A major change is on the horizon. A new age of leaders is near to assist those already in place and holding down the fort. I look forward to modeling what I have learned and continue to learn, as I do my part in taking our school systems to the next level, thus yielding a larger society of great thinkers.