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Bravely Leading From Within

Chapter 1

Bravely Leading From Within

Leadership is not about titles or the corner office. It’s about the willingness to step up, put yourself out there, and lean into courage. The world is desperate for braver leaders. It’s time for all of us to step up.

—Brené Brown

Be brave. Show courage. These are two little pieces of advice people often receive during personally and professionally challenging times. Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary defines someone who is brave (n.d.) as one with mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty. When high-ranking company leaders were asked, “What, if anything, about the way people are leading today, needs to change in order for leaders to be successful in a complex, rapidly changing environment where we’re faced with seemingly intractable challenges and an insatiable demand for innovation?” the response was quite simple: “We need braver leaders and more courageous cultures” (Brown, 2018, p. 6). The research participants specifically suggest elements of bravery and courage when describing successful leadership.

Based on our experiences working in schools, we concur with the research participants’ assessment. We have observed that where there are bold, resolute leaders who fiercely stand for what is best for students and uphold this stance no matter what, the school staff are more likely to embrace the change and innovation necessary to improve outcomes for students. Finding the mental strength despite all obstacles and stepping up as needed take courageous personal resolve. Leading from within draws on your inner strength and resilience, and aids you in building confidence in yourself and others. The exceptional leaders we have worked with recognize that determined,

empowered teachers are optimal for students, so they mold their school culture with a sharp focus on ensuring their staff feel equipped to contribute courageously to the school mission and vision. As a leader, do everything in your power to help the organization and those you lead become as effective as possible.

This opening chapter investigates the why and what of brave leadership and courageous cultures crucial for school improvement. Together, let’s acknowledge the obstacles that get in the way of leadership impact and how to overcome them. We ask you to reflect and explore strategies and opportunities to develop your style of brave leadership and hear from school leaders about the lessons learned from their experiences.

Coauthors and school-improvement experts Anthony Muhammad and Luis F. Cruz (2019) write:

Leadership represents the ability to use influence to improve organizational productivity. Leadership is not a position; it is a set of actions that positively shape the climate and culture of the working environment. In essence, leadership is a verb, not a noun. We know a good leader is present when those whom [they influence] have become more effective and productive at their given task because of the impact of the leader. (p. 2)

In our opinion, this requires courage and honesty.

We know it’s not easy to be a brave leader. It means you must trust yourself, know what you stand for, embrace fear, be vulnerable, and essentially be unflinching and dauntless. Sounds easy, right? We know it’s not, but we also know how powerful it is when we witness brave leaders in action. Leading from within begins with harnessing every bit of courage you have to lead with a consistent, unwavering focus on what you know will make the most significant impact on students. Read the following two excerpts from school principals. Consider the impact of their work on the day-to-day life of a school.

1. Kimberly Miles, principal of East Gresham Elementary School in

Gresham, Oregon, demonstrates how one simple, unremarkable interaction required her to courageously say “no” when a “yes” response would have made the person making the request happier. She describes how she had to disappoint a custodian and some students to avoid diminishing the teaching and learning culture of the school:

Our highly regarded, dedicated custodian of more than twentyfive years often goes over and above what is asked of him, so when he needs assistance, the school community is always willing to support him. One long-held tradition at East Gresham was for the fifth-grade leadership students to stay after breakfast and help the custodian with his extensive clean-up duties. Students loved spending time with the custodian and helping him and their school. Unfortunately, this tradition of helping the custodian meant students were missing ten to fifteen minutes of their ninety-minute literacy block—instruction they needed for their growth in literacy. (K. Miles, personal communication, January 21, 2021)

Like many people, Principal Miles wanted to comply with the custodian’s request for support and continue a much-loved tradition that built student confidence and feelings of ownership and connection, but when she stopped for a moment to consider the decision, she quickly realized the tradition diminished the time students had for learning. She went to the custodian, communicated the why behind her decision to end the tradition, and reiterated the importance of helping each member of the school community understand why a commitment to creating a teaching and learning culture was critical. By explaining why, Principal Miles opened the door to discussions about daily tasks and how she and staff could work further on helping students feel appreciated and valued while completing those tasks. 2. Another example comes from Sarah Stobaugh, principal of

Morrilton Intermediate School in Morrilton, Arkansas. She sums up brave leadership:

Deciding always to do what is right for those that you serve. It’s not walking past a “mistake” and not working to correct it. I know it sounds a bit cliché, but remember your why and your purpose and make all decisions based on that. It’s being intentional with your time and your words. There have been several moments when as a leader, I could have chosen an easier route for my teachers and myself, but it would have contradicted our purpose. Courageous leadership is always working parallel with your purpose. For example, a teacher new to our school was

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