Running head: Magnificent master mentors1

Magnificent Master Mentors

Rolanda Eadie

City University
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Abstract

If you ask a variety of people who their favorite leader is, you are bound to get a variety of

responses. There are vast differences in leadership styles and prerogatives, so finding a leader

who inspires and enlightens another person is truly an individual choice based on one’s

personality as well as their own set of core values about what a great leader is. There are some

specific skills that great leaders need to have. I believe a great leader needs to be competent,

personable, empathetic, and passionate towards a team/group goal. Luckily, I have had the

privilege of meeting and working with two outstanding colleagues that I deeply admire and

respect for their leadership style and qualities. They both have helped me, and continue to help

me, shape my leadership philosophy and identity by providing sound advice and feedback. I

thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to interview my principal Mr. Tim Bowman and my assistant

superintendent, Mrs. Corrine Thorsteinson, ~ my two magnificent master mentors!

Keywords​: mentor, leader, hungry, humble, smart

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Magnificent Master Mentors

As leaders around us do their part to help us understand our job and make it more

meaningful, relevant and enjoyable, we can’t help but in turn have a thankfulness and

respectfulness towards them. Both Bowman and Thorsteinson have lead in a way that Crowley

(2011) would say is, “from the heart.” The things that draw me to these two leaders are their

attitudes about children, about other people, and about their profession. That can be simplified by

saying they are both “hungry, humble and smart.” (Lencioni, 2016).

Children Smarts

Let’s face it, we are in the education business because we love children and want to make

a positive difference in their lives. When I asked Thorsteinson about the differences in her roles

from administration in a school to our district office, she shared that in all her roles, her focus is

on people. When she was in a school, her focus was on the teachers and students. Now that she is

in the district office, her focus is on the school administrators the teachers, and the children in

our school division. However, everything that she does is always from the framework of, “What

is the best for kids?” (Personal Communications, Corrine Thorsteinson, 2017).

I love this focus as it truly resonates with me about the true purpose of our job, and it

answers the “why” for absolutely everything that we do in our role as educators. Our actions

should not be taken for our own ease, comfort, enjoyment, or glory, but rather through the lenses

of questioning what does each child in our class need to thrive socially and educationally?

Although I have only been working with Tim Bowman since August, it didn’t take me long to

understand he shares this vision around children and discipline. Bowman is a “big supporter of

the ​Collaborative & Proactive Problem Solving​ Model as described by Dr. Ross Greene as
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opposed to a Consequence and Reward system or a “Carry a Big Stick.” system.” Personal

Communications, Tim Bowman, 2017). Bowman cleverly takes opportunities to share his

philosophy during staff meetings, in the weekly memo, and in his actions when dealing with

discipline issues. It is interesting for the two of us to enter a new school this year. We have

quickly got a sense of who sends children to the office, the reasons that they send children to the

office, and the consequences, or punishment that they believe will, or should happen. He is good

at being able to decipher whether it is a “skill or will” issue with teachers and their discipline.

Patterson et al. (2013). Luckily, Tim and I are on the same page when it comes to our discipline

philosophy.

When I asked him what his philosophy was around school discipline, he answered, “I

believe everyone would like to do well given the opportunity and ability to do so. If a student is

underperforming, then they don’t feel they have the ability to meet the expectation. It is my job

to problem solve why and then develop a plan to bring them to peak performance.” Personal

Communications, Tim Bowman, 2017). In his weekly memo to the staff he wrote, “Tim believes

behavior in our most challenging students is often the result of lagging skills rather than an

attempt to manipulate, avoid, or be malicious.” Personal Communications, Tim Bowman, 2017).

As Green (2017) says, “Kids do well if they can.” (p.1)

As educators, it is not our job to punish children, it is to educate them. As Green (2017)

wisely shared, “​The single most important thing a caregiver can do to help a behaviorally

challenging child is to be the person who, at long last, identifies the lagging skills and unsolved

problems that have been contributing to challenging episodes.” (p.1). Bowman understands the

power of relationships and takes time to connect with the students in our school. He will take
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challenging kids and play soccer with them at recess and take the time to get to know them.

Whitaker (2017) writes, “The most successful education professionals go out of their way to

know as much as possible about the people they are trying to engage, inspire, and empower.)

(p.33). Bowman also works at getting to know the staff at our school as well.

People Smarts

Both of my magnificent mentors have excellent people skills. They are easy to be around,

have positive attitudes, and show dignity and respect towards everyone, every day. According to

Whitaker (2012), “One of the hallmarks of effective principals is how they treat people...The real

challenge is to treat everyone with respect everyday…” (p.27). When I asked Thorsteinson what

her favorite part of her job was, she replied, “Working with people.” (Personal Communications,

Corrine Thorsteinson, 2017). I proceeded to probe deeper and asked her to identify the type of

people she enjoyed working with the most. Her answer was, “Positive people who seek to make

a difference and never give up on kids.” (Personal Communications, Corrine Thorsteinson,

2017). Bowman and I can give a “hear hear,” to that!

Bowman is passionate about, and is driven to help people reach their potential. (Personal

Communications, Tim Bowman, 2017. When I asked Bowman what his leadership philosophy

was, he said “To empower people to be the best versions of themselves.” (Personal

Communications, Tim Bowman, 2017).

Empowering others requires emotional intelligence, or people smarts which according to

Goleman is an essential skill for leaders to have and calls it​ “the sine qua non of leadership.”

(2014).​ Goleman breaks down the emotional intelligence into five components: self-awareness,

self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. (Goleman, 1999). My mentors have
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mastered these skills and therefore can smoothly sail through the ocean of people while

navigating and charting their course towards excellence.

They are quality leaders who strive to bring out the best in others and judge their

performance by the success of all the others under their leadership. Thorsteinson felt that one of

her best moments or memories was the feeling of leaving her staff to the next principal that was

taking over her position. “The hiring was done, and the seeds were planted.” (Personal

Communications, Corrine Thorsteinson, 2017). Now that is a wonderful gift for the next

administrator! Whitaker says, “There are only two ways to improve a school significantly: Get

better teachers or improve the teachers you already have. (Whitaker, 2012, p.5). Growing a staff

takes years. It would no doubt be a bitter sweet moment to leave a staff that you have worked so

hard to nourish. Whitaker (2012) sums up Thorsteinson’s feelings well when he explains clearly

in his book, “It’s people, not programs that matter the most.” (p. 5). (Personal Communications,

Corrine Thorsteinson, 2017).

I have also learned some essential communication skills from Bowman and Thorsteinson.

When I asked Bowman and Thorsteinson how they deal with difficult teachers, they both talked

about determining if it was “skill or will.” Bowman added trying to see things from their

perspective. Thorsteinson included using the TQS and our administrative procedures as

conversation pieces. (Personal Communications, Tim Bowman and Corrine Thorsteinson, 2017).

Fortunately, the Aspiring Leaders program, under the direction of Thorsteinson, included

training in the Influencer (Grenny et al, 2013), as well as Crucial Accountability (Patterson et al.,

2013). The Influencer book, Grenny et al (2013) causes one to look deeper into the motivation

(will) and ability (skill) of people. It also categorizes the two factors further into personal, social
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and structural influences (p.113). This information and training has helped me to see things from

different angles to determine how to help a teacher who is lacking skills, or to try to motivate a

teacher who doesn’t want to do something that our school promotes or values.

The crucial accountability program/book really helped me to understand that there are a

lot of strategies to get my head right before I open my mouth, and instead of telling myself a

story (Patterson et al., 2013). I also notice the calming effect that my mentors have on others

because they are good listeners and do not get rattled easily.

Humble

Both of my mentors are very humble which is another one of the most important traits

that Lencioni refers to in his book, The Ideal Team Player (Lencioni, 2016). “The humble

employee will compliment and praise others, admit mistakes, and share credit for team

accomplishments.” Hallam, 2016, p.141.) Humble people don’t think less of themselves, they

just think of themselves less (Blanchard, 2017). According to Mayo (2017), humble people are

more collaborative and make our world a much better place to be;

Humble leaders improve the performance of a company in the

long run because they create more collaborative environments.

They have a balanced view of themselves – both their virtues and

shortcomings – and a strong appreciation of others’ strengths and

contributions, while being open to new ideas and feedback. These

“unsung heroes” help their believers to build their self-esteem, go

beyond their expectations, and create a community that channels

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individual efforts into an organized group that works for the good

of the collective. (Mayo, 2017 pg. 1).

Bowman selflessly works hard with the goal in mind to assist others. He states, “I tend to

measure my success by how high I can help others get.”​ ​(Personal Communications, Tim

Bowman, 2017). Bowman brings up all staff members by catching them in their good works. He

can be seen every day in every hallway. He quietly goes about to learn the current school system

in operation so that he can work on showing the way (Whitaker et al. 2017).

Hungry

My magnificent mentors are ideal team players that are hungry (Lencioni, 2016). Hungry

leaders know the way, go the way and show the way for others (Whitaker et al. 2017). Whitaker

(2017) states “Truly outstanding educators begin their journey along the path of excellence by

knowing their stuff.” (p.24). Bowman and Thorsteinson are both very knowledgeable and

intuitive about educational matters. That brings comfort to the people that they lead because they

are both are extremely organized and therefore there are less errors and more attention to details.

Bowman’s favorite quote sums it up well. It is from Abraham Lincoln: “Whatever you are, be a

good one.” (Personal Communications, Tim Bowman, 2017).

They are both also open to new ideas and are not stuck in a rut. Hungry leaders “are

constantly thinking about the next step and the next opportunity.” Hallam, (2016.) When it

comes to risks, “Great teachers and leaders are innovators who encourage risk taking and are

always open to new ideas.” (Whitaker et al. 2017, p.36). Bowman “thinks outside of the box.”

and he is also supportive of other people’s ideas and innovative thinking.

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Thorsteinson’s name comes up frequently as a huge supporter of programs and

initiatives that help develop people. Our division is known for the cohorts we have in place to

help new administrators, teachers, aspiring leaders, F.N.M.I., etc. There is even a new cohort for

educational assistants. This inclusion for meetings and training helps all employees feel valued,

respected and cared for. As new administrators, Bowman and I carried the same ideology into

our building by meeting with the educational assistants on each P.D. day.

“The best principals base every decision on their best teachers.” (Whitaker, 2012, p.81).

This is one of Thorsteinson’s favorite quotes. (Personal Communications, Corrine Thorsteinson,

2017). I have also heeded to this advice by seeking out a “superstar” teacher and running a new

idea past them, like the “Free Choice Friday” intramural program, before presenting it to the rest

of the staff. This sounding board is great to feel out how the rest of the staff might embrace

it…or not.

My mentors work hard and are not afraid to “roll up their sleeves and do the heavy

lifting.” (Personal Communications, Corrine Thorsteinson, 2017). Whitaker (2017) says, “Create

a vision and then be a living example of what it takes to achieve it (pg. 64). When I asked

Bowman what he thought were the most important skills or attributes a leader should have, he

said, “Vision- the ability to communicate vision, and the ability to analyze data to create a vision

and then implement the vision.” (Personal Communications, Tim Bowman, 2017). He is teaching

me that a teacher can move a whole lot faster with their own vision that leaders can move a

whole staff. As a teacher, when I had an idea, learned something new at a conference, or our

school was using a certain reading program, I could implement it immediately and/or

learn/experiment together with the students. As an administrator in a large school, there are huge
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differences in staff members, in comfort levels, about learning something new as well as

implementing it. For example, I thought everyone would jump on board and be running the

Fountas and Pinnell Levelled Literacy Intervention during our intervention blocks. I am seeing

how many teachers like to cling to old and familiar ways and are not as excited as I am for

change.

In conclusion, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” (Personal Communications,

Shelagh Hagemann, 2017). Every day I am learning things, skills and strategies while navigating

through new situations, expectations, and complications. Thanks to my magnificent master

mentors, I feel confident and capable that I can tackle the challenges and work wholeheartedly

towards our school mission and vision. Having enthusiasm, a positive attitude, a desire to learn, a

desire to be the best that I can be and reflect each day still is not enough. “Pirate leaders can’t do

it all alone.” (Burgess & Houf, 2017, p. 98). Having daily conversations/reflections with

Bowman is critical to keep charting our course in the same direction. I am truly grateful that I

have a partner that I trust enough to share a letter before it is sent, to talk about a situation and

get his feedback on how he would handle it, and to hear him converse with others so I can hear

effective wording and tone. I feel safe with him, which allows me to be open with him, admit

mistakes and show my weaknesses (Lencioni, 2002). Our school motto is, “A Community Where

Learners Come First.” Thanks to my magnificent master mentors, I am learning, every day, how

to lead effectively by gaining new knowledge, observing excellent leaders, and reflecting on my

practice. I hope to acquire the skills to be known as hungry, humble and smart. (Lencioni, 2016).

I am truly grateful that I have been given the opportunity to be groomed by Bowman and

Thorsteinson~ two magnificent master mentors!

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References

Blanchard, K. (2017). ​Humility, courage, and vulnerability​. Retrieved from:

​https://howwelead.org/2017/03/29/humility-courage-and-vulnerability/

Burgess, S. and Houf, B. (2017).​ Lead like a pirate.​ San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting,

Inc.

Crowley, M. (2011). ​Lead from the heart. ​Bloomington, IN: Balboa Press

Goleman, D. (1999). "Emotional intelligence" key to leadership.​ Health Progress, 80​(2), 9.

Retrieved from http://proxy.cityu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.proxy.cityu.edu/docview/274438810?accountid=1230

Goleman, D. (2004). What Makes a Leader? Harvard Business Review, 82(1), 82-91

Green, R. (2017). ​Lives in the balance​. Retrieved from

https://www.livesinthebalance.org/about-cps

Grenny, J. et al. (2013). ​Influencer​. USA: VitalSmarts, LLC.

Hagemann, Shelagh. (2017). ​Personal communications​. Ponoka Composite High School P.D.

Day, FMNI presentation.

Hallam, S. F. (2016). The ideal team player: How to recognize and cultivate three essential

virtues.​ Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 21​(4), 140-142.

doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy.cityu.edu/10.9774/GLEAF.3709.2016.0C.00010

Lencioni, P. M. (2002). ​The five dysfunctions of a team​. San Francisco, CA:​ Jossey Bass Ltd.

Lencioni, P. M. (2016). ​The ideal team player: How to recognize and cultivate the three

essential virtues​ (1st ed.). US: Jossey Bass Ltd.

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References

Mayo​, M. (2017). ​If humble people make the best leaders, why do we fall for charismatic

narcissists?​ Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2017/04/if-humble-people-make-the-best-

leaders-why-do-we-fall-for-charismatic-narcissists

McFadden, J. (2016). ​The ideal team player by patrick lencioni notes/summary​. Retrieved from:

https://joemcfadden.org/2016/07/25/the-ideal-team-player-by-patrick-lencioni-

notessummary/

Patterson et al. (2013). ​Crucial accountability​. USA: Vital Smarts, LLC.

Whitaker, T. (2012). ​Shifting the monkey​. Bloomington, IN: Triple Nickel Press

Whitaker, T. (2012). ​What great principals do differently.​ New York: Routledge.

Whitaker, T. et al. (2017). ​Start right now​. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.
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