Coaching Leaders: The path to improvement
Jan M Robertson
University of Waikato
Important notes from the reading
- Effective leadership is a learned process over time that requires a certain type of leadership skill to initiate and maintain. That is why the process of coaching with a peer partner is paramount to the continued learning of effective leadership practice.
- This means that effective leadership development is based on many of the same principles as effective teacher development.
- Leaders need to be able to embrace change and the possibilities and opportunities it can bring
- Coaching is effective because it helps to close the gap between espoused theories and theories in use. It creates the essential conditions for double-loop learning to occur which is paramount to effective professional development occurring. Double loop learning only happens when learners invite other people to confront their own views.
- Transformational leadership is intentional action to improve the learning experiences of students in the community
Reflecting
Reflection on previous actions will help to bring leaders to a state of openness in which they are prepared to try out new strategies and behaviors. There are times when leaders' attitudes and values need to be challenged before they will be open to changing the ways they act, and there are other times when new experiences will initiate a change of values and beliefs, and therefore future actions.
Conceptualizing
For abstract conceptualization of new ideas to occur, linking theory and practice is important for leaders to begin to formulate new concepts about their practice. Critical reflection should begin to take place when the leader is in this phase of the learning process.
Experimenting
After abstract conceptualization learners may have the readiness to try new experiences. Leaders should now feel confident to actively experiment with different concepts and ideas.
Effective Professional Development
Conceptualizing
For abstract conceptualization of new ideas to occur, linking theory and practice is important for leaders to begin to formulate new concepts about their practice. Critical reflection should begin to take place when the leader is in this phase of the learning process.
Experimenting
After abstract conceptualization learners may have the readiness to try new experiences. Leaders should now feel confident to actively experiment with different concepts and ideas.
Effective Professional Development
- Coaching practices need to be initiated in an institution
- collegial exchange and dialogue is paramount in the adult learning process
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