School administration calls for leadership, too

Just like teaching and classroom management, school administration needs good, quality leadership, too. Indeed, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how essential personnel management is, or how important administrative staff should act and move---like all other leaders in the academe.

Thomas Hoerr, in his book “The Art of School Leadership” emphasizes that “good leaders change organizations; great leaders change people. People are at the heart of any organization, particularly a school, and it is only through changing people - nurturing and challenging them, helping them grow and develop, creating a culture in which they all learn - that an organization can flourish. Leadership is about relationships.”

And when you're in the personnel section, it is vital to remember that “leaders increase a group's productivity by helping everyone in the group become more effective. Whatever the task or goal, a great leader helps everyone improve. A leader begins by setting the vision but doesn't stop there. A leader listens, understands, motivates, reinforces, and makes the tough decisions. A leader passes out praise when things go well and takes responsibility and picks up the pieces when things fall apart.Leadership is about relationshi p s.”

Beyer (2009) cites that “generally, preparation programs remain segmented in topical categories such as finance, leadership, law, curriculum, and yes, personnel. Life does not proceed that way, nor does the day-to-day job of a school administrator. Administrators seldom have the luxury of segmenting their day and spending one hour strictly on legal issues and then the next on student issues, curriculum, or personnel concerns. All these topics are intertwined in the fast-paced administrative problem-solving and decisionmaking processes of the day for a school to operate efficiently and succeeed.