"In 2014 Michael Fullan set his sights on the daily needs of school leaders in his bestselling book The Principal. This updated edition shows how the principal's role continues to change and how we can embrace the transformation in short order. As crucial in-school influencers of student learning, principals have an opportunity and an obligation to maximize student achievement. But how? In The Principal 2.0, Fullan explains why the answer lies neither in micro-managing instruction nor in autonomous entrepreneurialism. He shows a new way forward that allows principals to expand their roles without overstepping and contribute to the development of the whole school.
Even in difficult times of crisis, there's room for principals to take action. In The Principal 2.0, Fullan explains how to loosen focus on accountability and instead concentrate on capacity-building; focus less on technology and more on pedagogy; abandon fragmented strategies; and forgo individualistic solutions in favor of collaborative effort.
Discover why The Principal is a bestseller in educational leadership and strike out into the future with this new edition, updated for the changing role of today's principals."
"Good leadership is not innate. One must learn to lead by mastering five core competencies -- attending to moral purpose, understanding the change process, building relationships, sharing knowledge, and creating coherence in their organizations."
"Over the past two decades, Michael Fullan has written influentially about the change that school and district leaders must bring about as formalized achievement standards and new technology transform how schools are run. What he hasn't done until now is explore and discuss in detail how and why the principal's role itself must change.
Principals are often called the second most crucial in-school influencers (after teachers) of student learning. But what should the principal do in order to maximize student achievement? In The Principal, Fullan explains why the answer lies neither in micro-managing instruction nor in autonomous entrepreneurialism. He also shows systematically how the principal’s role must change, and demonstrates how it can be done in short order, at scale.
Fullan shows how principals have been boxed into a narrow role that undercuts their ability to develop the whole school. He sheds light on how, in times of crisis, it’s all too easy for principals to do the wrong thing—to take actions that are ineffective or even counter-productive, particularly when they don’t feel entirely in charge. But even in the toughest of external conditions, he shows, there is always leeway for action. Fullan explains how to choose the right versus wrong drivers—loosening focus on accountability and instead concentrating on capacity-building; focusing less on technology and more on pedagogy; abandoning fragmented strategies and striving for “systemness”; and forgoing individualistic solutions in favor of collaborative effort. He shares how principals can foster the professional capital of teachers and get far more accomplished for all students.
The author explains the three key roles that administrators must play in order to have the biggest impact on student achievement—the learning leader, the district and system player, and the change agent. Throughout The Principal are 'action items' to help leaders implement Fullan’s program effectively, as well as provocative discussion questions that enhance the book’s usefulness in professional development and leadership courses."
"We live in a challenging, complex, inter-connected and unpredictable world beset by a range of seemingly insoluble problems. But, says Michael Fullan—an internationally acclaimed authority on organizational change—we have an increasing understanding of how to tackle complex change. This involves developing a new kind of leader: one who recognizes what is needed to bring about deep and lasting changes in living systems at all levels. These leaders need a deep understanding of what motivates us as human beings and how we tap into and influence other people's self-motivation.
In his previous best-selling books The Six Secrets of Change, Leading in a Culture of Change, and Turnaround Leadership, Michael Fullan examined the concepts and processes of change. In Change Leader he turns his focus to the core practices of leadership that are so vital for leading in today's complex world. He reveals seven core practices for today's leaders, all of which appear to be deceptively simple but actually get to the essence of what differentiates a powerful leader from one who is merely competent:
• Practice Drives Theory
• Be Resolute
• Motivate the Masses
• Collaborate to Compete
• Learn Confidently
• Know Your Impact
• Sustain Simplexity
Fullan argues that powerful leaders have built bedrocks of credibility, have learned how to identify the few things that matter most, and know how to leverage their skills in ways that benefit their entire organization. The author shows leaders how to avoid policies and strategies that focus on shallow and short-term goals and develop leadership skills for long-term success.
With a wealth of illustrative examples from business, education, nonprofit, and government sectors Change Leader provides a much-needed leadership guide for today's turbulent climate."
"It is commonly acknowledged that successful organizations adjust quickly and intelligently to shifts in consumer tastes, political climate, and economic opportunity. But how are some able to succeed at change while so many others fail?
Drawing on his acclaimed work in bringing about large-scale and substantial change in education reform in both public school systems and universities, as well as engaging in major change initiatives internationally, Michael Fullan lays out the key factors that allow an organization to sustain meaningful change and explores essential lessons for business and public sector leaders for surviving and thriving in today's complex environment."
