Reflection

Please continue to do your best. If your today is even just a little better than your yesterday, imagine how great your tomorrows will be! Have a great weekend, everyone. —Sean

Source: Copyright © 2019 Independent School District 318, Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Used with permission. Independent School District 318, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Figure 1.3: Superintendent’s letter to staff.

On occasion, your staff will need you to exude confidence, resolve, or optimism regardless of your personal feelings. Ideally, authentic leaders would exhibit candor with all stakeholders, but in reality, it’s not always appropriate to do this. There are times when our hearts are with our staff, but our minds are elsewhere concerned about personal or professional experiences unrelated to the immediate needs of the staff. Showing your humanness connects you to your staff, but there is a balancing act between what you personally need and what your staff need to be successful. We recommend you find a mentor or a group of trusted individuals you can contact to ask questions, share successes, and discuss struggles. You may find these people within your own district, in a regional cohort of school leaders, or on an online social media platform.

“An authentic leader is someone who is a servant leader, leading with grace, compassion, and transparency. They are someone who is willing to listen and learn, who allows others with expertise to lead. I wish I learned to ask more questions upfront and to accept mentorship from someone who had come before me. Being able to have that touchpoint is extremely important in the area of growth. Though I cannot be immune to all leadership problems, I can be assisted in the hope of having guidance to navigate foreseeable issues.” —Teacher leader, personal communication, June 22, 2020

Reflection

You will find the “Establishing Authentic Leadership Rating Scale” reproducible at the end of the chapter (page 31). The rating scale will help you assess your current