Ray Kroc, most known for his role in building the dynasty of McDonalds once said The

Quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. (Morrison, 2013) This
could not be more true today. No matter the field or career a leader must set expectations for
themselves as well as the people they are chosen to lead. In searching for articles about each of
the levels of leadership there were so many articles rich in content and ideals. It was interesting
to see that no matter the field, some of the principles and ideals reigned through and through. No
matter at the building level of education, district level supervision of a small or large school
district, or even in the world of business a good leader embodies many of the same qualities.

School level administrators wear many hats and adversity is around each and every corner. In an
article by Nick Morrison (Forbes, 2013) he surveyed many school personnel and administration
to find out what they thought were the most important qualities an administrator should possess
in order to have a successful school environment. There ended up being about eight ideals that
continued to surface no matter if it was a struggling school, a successful school, or a school that
was climbing up from one level of performance to another. What resonated with me was that no
matter what, each person in a place of academic leadership should be doing what is best for the
children. In the interviews of the leaders of various schools some of the principles that came up
were collaboration of the right people, using data from performance to drive the next step for
each individual, staff development for all teachers and allowing them time to implement
instruction with knowledge, know-how, and support.

In another article that focuses on the administrative role of the district library supervisor, my
worst fears were confirmed. It seems as though that over the last few decades the resounding
presence of a leader for the case of library media specialist have fallen to the wayside. The
qualities that a district level administrator must possess have not diminished however. They
must be able to collaborate with others for a common good, bridge the gap from one group to
another, and make strides towards being a constant calming, yet energetic presence in the daily
life of all stakeholders.

The article Take Me to Your Leader talks about several studies that indicate that district
administrators, principals, teachers, and even school librarians have varying perceptions about
what the district library supervisor actually does, as well as the contributions they make to
students and schools in which they serve. It was also found from the various studies that the
supervisors themselves often disagree on what they should be doing and/or be responsible for.
The most alarming was the fact that it mentions that the district level personnel was almost
invisible. It is my hope that through collaboration, advocacy, and persistence the library media
specialist of today, those of the future, and the leaders that pave the way can make our cause
visible again.
Reading an article about leadership in a business sector brought a style of leadership to my
attention that I had once heard of, yet had forgotten about. Servant leadership is one of the more
successful forms of leadership because the employees and their leaders are focused on their
individual strengths rather than a focus on a critical evaluation. There is also a high level of
concern and a genuine motivation to help others. What I love the servant style of leadership is
that the focus is on the success and development of others. Both of these things take precedence
over the interests of the leader or the organization.

In reading the various articles and assigned readings, my heart firmly believes that having a
servants heart and leading from the middle are imperative in the success of our profession, no
matter if we are talking about being at the school level or district level. Leadership is a process,
more than a role or position. (Haycock, 2010) To be influential one must think: What kind of
leader do you wish to become? What kind of relationships do you wish to develop? What kind
of impact do you intend to have? What kind of difference do you expect to make the lives of
teachers and students? (Haycock, 2010) Ultimately the job of the district level supervisor is a
liaison between all media specialists and the common goal of the district as a whole. He/she
must have the best interest of the stakeholders at the forefront of each and every decision to be
made.

References

DISCALA, J., MOSES, A., & WEEKS, A. C. (2015). Take Me to Your Leader: The (Invisible)
School District Library Supervisor. School Library Monthly, 31(5), 29-31.

Haycock, K.. (2010). Leadership and your professional school library association. In S. Coatney
(Ed.), The many faces of school library leadership (pp. 123-131). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries
Unlimited.

Jaramillo, F., Bande, B., & Varela, J. (2015). Servant leadership and ethics: a dyadic
examination of supervisor behaviors and salesperson perceptions. Journal Of Personal Selling &
Sales Management, 35(2), 108-124. doi:10.1080/08853134.2015.1010539

Morrison, N. The Eight Characteristics of Effective School Leaders Retrieved from

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorrison/2013/12/30/the-eight-characteristics-of-effective-
school-leaders/#4ab7b025761e