Leading From Below the Surface

A Non-Traditional Approach to School Leadership

`Theodore Creighton gets leaders to look further and more deeply at what is going on within an organization. He clearly demonstrates that looking 'below the surface' at motivations, struggles, and challenges is imperative' - Pamela Flood, Assistant Professor, Florida State University

Having served as teacher, principal, and superintendent before moving into higher education, Theodore Creighton is acutely aware that theoretical leadership theories often lack direction for working with the immediacy necessary for practical decision making in schools and on campuses. Often decisions are made from behind the scenes, under the radar, and occasionally require the bending of rules. The book presents a new model of school leadership that addresses and makes room for the more functional, real-world considerations that principals face, which includes understanding data and factors that are also "below the surface." The book also demonstrates practical examples, leadership practices, building political capital, e-communication, and time management, while continuing to emphasize leadership in the context of the "blurry" lines of practice