Breaking the Leadership Rules: What is the Educational ‘Bottom Line’?

by Paul Power

Overview

This paper from the Australian Curriculum Corporation Conference, Breaking the Leadership Rules, held in Hobart in 2004, is a quick read. The writer, Paul Power, pulls together the features of leadership that are successful both in education and in the business world.

The education world has neglected to learn from business, he suggests, protesting that education is 'not about making profits' and that therefore business models are not relevant. Power argues, however, that there are many similarities between the two and that, for example, we might re-conceive the 'bottom line' differently for education.

Schools, like businesses, exist to make a difference. Schools’ bottom lines are about improving student learning. Like business leaders, the school leader needs to be able to identify where the school is now and where it needs to get to. In both business and schools, the management of people is a high priority.

Using diagrams and clear lists, Power challenges the principal to be a rigorous, passionate, clear, focused, fair leader who has high expectations of teachers and students. It is the principal’s responsibility to ensure that the education offered by the school is making a difference to the lives of the students. He says the best leaders in both worlds “do NOT tolerate mediocrity”.

Reflective questions

These reflective questions might guide you in your reading of this article:

  • What do you think is the ‘education bottom line’ Power refers to? What is the bottom line in your school?
  • In terms of the model in the diagram at the top of page 3, which of the components is a strength in your school? Which is your school weaker in, and what can you do to develop it into a strength?
  • The people in a school can make the biggest difference between achieving mediocrity and excellence. How do you know that teachers in your school are achieving excellence rather than mediocrity?

Reference

Power, P. (2004, October). Breaking the Leadership Rules: What is the educational ‘bottom line’? Paper presented at the 11th national Curriculum Corporation Conference, Breaking the Leadership Rules, Hobart. Reproduced with permission.

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