Focused
Understanding, Negotiating, and Maximizing Your Influence as a School Leader
- Jim Watterston
- Yong Zhao - University of Kansas
Transform educational systems by zeroing in on what matters.
As schools grapple with an array of social, economic, and political challenges, education leaders must hone their focus on important tasks and learn how to navigate bureaucratic constraints, policies, and parental concerns while fostering change. This essential guide proposes that school leaders become "brave and focused," not by abandoning structures or making changes recklessly, but by understanding their influence and maximizing positive change with evidence-based decisions.
Divided into three stages, Focused addresses building a leadership paradigm for outstanding schools, discusses the most influential elements for collective success, and offers solutions to the pitfalls that frequently hinder success. Other features include:
- Illustrative vignettes, practical examples, and stories
- Research-based action steps to become a more focused leader
- Focus points at the close of each chapter to support implementing a new leadership approach
Focused provides a practical guide for school leaders to successfully navigate today's complex educational systems and develop the change-makers, artisans, innovators, inventors, and civic leaders of tomorrow.
"This book challenges and inspires leaders to maximize their impact. Its pages will be well-worn as school leaders worldwide eagerly grasp its profound insights. The book reflects the authors’ deep understanding of students' needs and offers a roadmap for leaders to meet those needs with unwavering dedication."
"Focused: Understanding, Negotiating, and Maximizing Your Influence as a School Leader is an enlightening, informative, and inspirational roadmap for any aspiring or experienced school leader; it tackles the seemingly overwhelming challenges facing education leaders, providing guidance and, even more importantly, well-grounded reasons for hope in our profession."
"Watterston and Zhao have given hope to school leaders looking to transform their schools. This book gives concrete suggestions on how leaders can work with students, staff, and the larger community to bring about changes now. School leaders will be energized by these ideas to improve students’ experiences and their schools."
"Focused shares a clear vision of where education needs to head and how leadership roles will need to change to meet that vision. It successfully integrates research, stories from the field, and a blend of current reality with future focus."
"Watterston and Zhao articulate ways to rethink leadership—for principals and teacher leaders. The impact on students will be significant."