PHILOSOPHY OF LEADERSHIP STATEMENT

Philosophy of Leadership Statement

To paraphrase Nelson Mandela, education can be used to change the world (2013). I

have seen firsthand how an educational experience can vastly alter the trajectory of a child’s

life. I feel empowered to enact change on the broadest level possible to ensure the largest

amount of children are benefiting. My desire to be an educational leader stems from my

personal philosophy that you can make work worship and live every day as a servant leader to

make other lives better. I see education as a vehicle to make this happen. Through my

experiences with Teach for America, I saw that inadequate leadership in a building can

drastically change lives and I want to ensure I am a positive impetus for change. Thus, my

leadership philosophy is crafted based on previous experiences with leaders as well as my

personal values and beliefs.

My first belief is that an administrator is a designated title, while leadership is earned

through demonstration. Positional power may be granted by the nature of a job but leadership is

determined in a different manner (Northouse, 2018). Leaders are not people who believe they

have created greatness, but rather, they recognize and empower the greatness in others. It is

the responsibility of the leader to know and be committed to members in their school and truly

capitalize on their strengths for their common goal. Leaders set the tone, the spirit and the

vision of a building. Leaders clearly articulate their vision and inspire others to work

collaboratively to reach goals. A leader should be the lead learner of a school. Leaders are

willing to try new things and acquire new information and skills. Leaders are willing to put

themselves into any scenario they would ask of others.

The values I strive to embody as a leader include integrity, equity, being proactive and

emanating positive energy. I have a strong moral compass and will not deviate from what is

right and true even when it not the easy way. I know as a leader I will often be asked to make
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unfortunate decisions that seem impossible. I hope my school will trust my level of integrity to

know the choices I make in those times will be what I know is right. I believe in leading from a

social justice lens and will work to ensure I am attentive to eradicating inequities in a school. I

aim to communicate effectively the mission and vision I have and plan ahead to ensure my

school is as productive as possible. I believe my organization and communication skills will

enable me to see certain difficulties before they arise and proactively handle situations.

Although it may feel unavoidable at times, I do not put trust in leaders who constantly appear

frantic, and hope to veer away from this attribute. I feel fortunate to work with students each day

and aim to spread that positive spirit in each of my interactions by bringing joy to the forefront of

my leadership. I believe that my demeanor and spirit will be felt and mirrored in classrooms

through the building. My love for students and staff, as well as my passion for the work we do,

will frame all of my interactions.

Included in my philosophy of leadership are several expectations for school members. I

hope to empower staff members to be creative and passionate, remain flexible and always put

empathy first. I aim to fill the building with creative, inventive, resourceful individuals who feel

entitled to take license over what they are passionate about. I lead with the humility that I have

areas of weakness. I will seek staff members to complement my weaknesses to create a

well-rounded and fulfilled school. I have high expectations for my staff members to be flexible.

We will enact processes and procedures the group decides will be most influential in

progressing student learning. I desire to foster creative minds who will help raise the standard

way of operating instead of falling on norms.

As a leader, I will also have some non-negotiables that relate to the values that I hold. I view

these ideas as absolute due to the impact they have on advancing student growth. I see these
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tenets as vital to helping students and staff members recognize and meet their potential. I aim to

create a culture where staff members feel free to hold their leader accountable for improvement.

My philosophy of leadership will serve to guide me through the celebrations and

challenges of being a school leader. I will strive to maintain this philosophy each day. This

philosophy can be used as a beacon when I have veered off-course or as a navigational tool to

help me move forward. I will pledge a deep sense of commitment to the school that I hope to

lead and hope that feeling is transferred to the members of the school through the positive

relationships that are formed.

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References:

Mandela, N. (2013, December). ​Nelson Mandela on the Power of Education​. Retrieved

from ​www.washington​post.com

Northouse, P.G. (2018). ​Leadership: Theory and Practice​. Sage publications.