Organizing for Dummies

Yes, Organizing for Dummies is another book from the well known series, ..... for Dummies. If I wasn't so frugal and cautious, I would have invested in this organization and made a bundle. At any rate, Organizing for Dummies is a quick and easy read. It is not rocket science but is packed with practical ideas on ways to get organized. The picture on the front of the book leads you to believe it's focus is on the physical room but there are organizational tips that apply to running a household as well as an organization (or business).

Like the "for Dummies" series, the book is organized in sections (typically 3-6). This book starts out with a brief introduction, chapter one talks about training your mind, chapter two discusses gathering the right tools and supplies to create a practical system, and chapter three talks about scheduling for maximum productivity.

MY TWO CENTS
I really like the "for Dummies" series. They are filled with facts, rich research and a ton of practical ideas. They never claim to be the answer to our problems but they provide an enormous amount of usable information. I have found that these books often times reinforce what I am already doing or painfully remind me I need to change my ways. Organizing for Dummies is a practical book that provides many time tested organizational techniques that can have a positive impact on your professional and personal life immediately.

Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun

Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun by Wess Roberts, Ph.D. was published in1993 by Dell Publishing. This book was the long awaited sequel to Wess Roberts earlier work, Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun. There are a total of eighteen chapters filled with Hun history and words of wisdom to the rising Hun clan. The topics cover ranged from not wasting your energy to dodging arrows to risk-taking can backfire to a few good warriors. Each chapter began with a brief history lesson and ended with Attila the Hun addressing the warriors and/or the Hun clan. The words of advise were always given in bullet form, thus easy to write down, remember and quote.

MY TWO CENTS
For the most part, I enjoy reading about leadership. I specifically enjoy reading autobiographies and biographies that have a leadership flavor to them. Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun was a fascinating read for me for three reasons: 1) I knew very little about Attila the Hun and this book contained some interesting history lessons, 2) Wess Roberts was able to use many of the actions of Attila the Hun and apply them in today’s leadership venues, and 3) Attila the Hun was a man of action not just idle words. Although some of the recommendations of Attila the Hun won’t work in all settings, I have an appreciation for the history, the stories and words of advisement.

This is one of those books that have a unique perspective and angle on leadership. Due to its uniqueness, I would recommend both of Dr. Roberts’ leadership books to occupy shelf space in your office. In addition, both of these books are excellent conversation pieces.

The Control Freak

Have you ever had controlling tendancies? Do you know a meddling manager or a pushy parent? Do you plan the day, the week, and the month for you and your family? What happens when your 15 minute trip to the store turns out to take 45 - 60 minutes because you forgot your wallet along with the list? I don't know about you but typically my heart begins to beat in my fingers, my chest tightens, and thoughts race through my mind. I am a control freak, actually according to Les Parrott III, Ph.D. I am a recovering control freak. Truth be told, I like the sound of a "recovering" control freak better than a control freak in denile. If you have issues with control, work with those who have issues with control, live with someone who has issues with control, or simply want to deal with your own issues of control, then book entitled, The Control Freak by Les Parrott III, Ph.D. is the book for you.

This book is well written and an easy read for the layman. Dr. Les Parrott III organized the book into three basic sections: 1) Who is in control? 2) Taming the control freaks around you, and 3) Controlling the control freak within you.

The first part of the book gives the reader a brief understanding of the need to control, the symbianic relationship between control and anxiety, the autonmomy of a control freak (my favorite chapter), and why control freaks act the way they do.

The second part of the book covers six common control freaks you will either encounter or are. Dr. Parrott III reviews these six control freak types, briefly describes how they evolved, and provides practical tips on how to deal with, work with, or avoid them. The six types of control freaks Dr. Parrott III writes about are: The meddling manager, the coercive colleague, the supervising spouse, the pushy parent, the invasive in-law, and the tenacious teen.

The third and last section in the book talks about controlling the control freak within. Throughout the book, the author provides the reader with self tests and assessments to determine whether they are or the person their thinking of is a control freak. This section is no different. Dr. Parrott III gives you a 13 question assessment so you can review your answers and diagnose your control freak symptoms. In his pragmatic ways, Les provides the reader with safeguards to keep you from spinning out of control, rebuilding damaged relationships, and taking charge without being a control freak.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:

This is an easy read as well as a quick read. Dr. Les Parrott III writes for the average man. He gives hope to those of us who are spinning out of control with our need to control our environments (i.e. home, work, personal, spiritual). I highly recommend this book to anyone dealing with personal control issues or those of you struggling with working with others who have the need to control.

I have to admit, I bought this book because my life was spinning out of control. My anxiety was going through the roof. My personal life, professional life, and spiritual life were slipping out of my hands. Every time I jumped to grab the rings, I realized the rings were made of smoke. Through The Control Freak, Dr. Les Parrott III was able to help me understand that I do have an issue with control. The more I control events or things the more stable, the more comfortable, and the more I can do. However, when I begin to lose control (i.e. something does not go as planned) my anxiety begins to rise and my control tendancies kick into hyper-drive. When I am in hyper-drive, life all around me is negatively impacted. Through this book, Dr. Les Parrott III showed me that all control is not bad or counter productive. I also learned that when I or someone I work with has a strong desire to control everything, it is a sure sign that their anxiety is high (for some reason or another) and they need to control so that their anxiety will be reduced. Finally, this book has given me a new set of glasses to wear. Over the last few weeks I have been looking at people and their interactions with one another and trying to determine whether they are a control freak or someone who submits to the control freak. If I have determined they are a control freak, then I adjust my ways of interacting with them so that their anxiety drops as well as mine. Has this been successful? Not every time, but I have come to the realization that our personal and professional anxiety rises when we feel we are out of control. All in all, this book has helped me gain control of my over controlling tendencies.

I highly recommend The Control Freak by Dr. Les Parrott III. It is worthy of one's coveted bookshelf space.

50 One-Minute Tips to Better Communicate

50 One-Minute Tips to Better Communicate by Phillip E. Bozek,Ph.D. was published in 1991. This text is a practical guide to getting the most out of your memos, meetings, and business presentations. The fifty tips that are offered are nothing more than common sense applications to your memos, meeting agendas, and presentations. Dr. Bozek offers 17 tips for improving your meetings, 16 tips for improving your memos, and 17 tips for improving your presentations. The tips in this book are practical and useful for the beginner, the novis (sp), and the professional. Effective communication is something every person needs to improve upon. Some of the best projects I have worked on, some of the best organizations I have worked with, some of the best classes I have participated in, and some of my best relationships were directly related to effective and explicit communication. People are more willing to follow, support, and defend a cause when they clearly understand the cause. If I know where I am going, where I want the organization to go, and clearly communicate the destination, I have discovered that you tend to have a more dedicated following. This book provides many opportunities for a leader (i.e. the leader of a small group, leader of a classroom, a leader of an organization) to clearly communicate his/her message.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
I find myself referring back to this text at least once or twice a year. Upon my most recent review of this text, I reflected upon some of the practical tips Dr. Bozek has offered. I discovered that many of his practical suggestions have become a common practice in my daily, weekly, monthly communications with my students, parents, teachers, and colleagues. Although it appears that I use many of these tips as if they naturally flow from my fingertips, I can only hope they serve the purpose they were designed to do....clearly communicate purpose and/or direction.

I recommend this 88 page communication book for the professional shelf of any leader, layman or professional.

Outlearning the Wolves

Who ever thought that a simple book about sheep and wolves could unveil the benefits of a learning organization. Outlearning the Wolves: Surviving and Thriving in a Learning Organization is such a book. Through the sheep characters, David Hutchens is able to communicate the benefit and the power the comes with the concept of questioning the status quo. According to nature the wolf eats the sheep and the sheep accept their fate. However, Otto, one of the new sheep, began to question why the wolf had to eat the sheep. Otto began to question among the other sheep and encouraged other sheep to challenge the status quo of the sheep eating wolf. Although Otto died well before his time, he planted the seed of asking questions and seeking out the answer. Marietta, one of the sheep who took his word to heart, gathered the sheep together to resolve the issue of the wolf eatting the sheep. Through the efforts of many members of the flock they discovered why the wolf kills more sheep during the dry season than in the rainy season. Together they devised and executed a plan to solve the issue of the wolves coming into their pasture and taking a sheep for their dinner. In the end, the sheep became a "learning flock".

MY TWO AND A HALF CENTS:

I love parables. The more simple they are the more I tend to benefit from them. The first page of this book only had four words - "This is a wolf." My kind of book! :)

The message is simple: No matter who you are in life, you can outlearn the wolves.

Years ago in the education field our opperating montra was "life long learners". After reading this business management type book the term life-long learners made a little more sense to me. In education and in life we often set in our ways. If the child is failing or if I am failing I all to often blow it off due to variables outside of my direct influence. David Hutchens encourages his readers to challenge the barriers (percieved or real) and ask questions from every angle. Just because someone says it can not be done, doesn't mean it can not be done. In my younger years it was rare that I questioned anyone. If I was told it could not be done or I was not permitted to do it or you will never be able to do it I would accept my fate and walk away. It wasn't until I was encouraged to ask questions and challenge the status quo. Why can't I earn an A? Why can't I become a teacher? Why can't I be an administrator? Why can't all children learn? What barriers are preventing our EL students from mastering ELA standards? What steps do we need to take in order to improve our API score and AYP status? Collectively questioning, seeking answers, adapting, implementing, and revising ones plan are variables on a learning organization. It is my hope that I remain and finetune my life long learning skills. It is my hope that all organizations I work in question the status quo, collect data, generate plans based on data, implement the plan, and then continue to revisit and revise. A person or a group of people who are constantly looking for ways to learn and better themselves (personally or professionally) will always be in the front. These are the leaders who take organizations into places others have only dreamed of. Here's to the Otto's in the world.

School Personnel Administration: A California Perspective

School Personnel Administration: A California Perspective (sixth edition) was written by Arthur J. Townley and June H. Schmieder-Ramirez. The first edition was printed in 2001 and this sixth edition was printed in 2007.


School Personnel Administration: A California Perspective (sixth edition) is a text that provides the reader with a brief but detailed history of the personnel position in the educational field particularly in California. In addition, this text provides the reader with a comprehensive look at the roles, responsibilities, and governing laws that surround the personnel administration position.

This text is fifteen chapters and comes with a companion CD. The CD is nothing more than an outline of the text, however, it does provide some additional information in some sections of the text. The fifteen chapters focus on the personnel administration position within California. These chapters cover the following topics: history of personnel administration, the chief personnel officer, process of selecting personnel, process of evaluating personnel, process of discipline, staff development, collective bargaining, certificated personnel, classified personnel, organizational culture/climate, and the legal aspects of school personnel administration.

MY TWO AND HALF CENTS

For those of us who are looking to learn about the personnel administrative role within the educational field in California, this is a book for you. School Personnel Administration: A California Perspective contains a great deal of information about the personnel administrative position. This information is concise and easy to read. However, it is not light reading. When reading this textbook, I highly recommend you read 1-2 chapters per sitting. The text is so rich with information, it can be overwhelming and you may miss vital information if you rush through the text.

I found this textbook to be very informative and worthy of my professional bookshelf. As I read through the text, many of the questions and misunderstandings surrounding the personnel administrative department were answered. This text will help all of those who have worked or are currently working in the educational field gain a better understanding of how the personnel department functions and why they do what they do. I recommend this text for those who have become interested in a position within the personnel administration department.

Swanson's Unwritten Rules of Management

William H. Swanson is the author of Swanson’s Unwritten Rules of Management. He wrote this thirty-three unwritten rule management booklet in 2004. Mr. Swanson joined the Raytheon Company in 1972 as an engineer on the shop floor. As of the writing of this management booklet, he has become the chairman and CEO of Raytheon Company. Throughout his journey, he has jotted down his thoughts and bits of wisdom on how to perform more effectively. This booklet is a product of his journal writing as well as effective practices.

Mr. William Swanson has compiled thirty-three rules he operates by on a regular basis. Each rule begins with the rule and then a brief story justifying the purpose of the rule. These justifications and/or insights are filled with humor, wisdom, and raw, yet practical experience.

Of the thirty-three unwritten rules, I have a few favorites. Rule number 4 has to do with looking for what is missing. This makes a lot of sense to me, especially in a meeting. Typically, presenters provide the audience with needed information or information they have a deep understanding of. Often times the most important message are the things unsaid and/or avoided. Rule #8 encourages you to put forth your best efforts, especially when new to the organization, on all assignments. A good supervisor and/or individuals in influential positions are always watching up-and-coming team members. They observe as well as remember how you handled those menial as well as those difficult tasks. Often times, it is those menial and trivial assignments that define as well as spell out an employee’s working character. Lastly, rule #28 states that “you remember 1/3 of what you read, ½ of what people tell you, but 100% of what you feel.” This rule makes a lot of sense to me. I try to read plenty but I find it difficult to remember the things I read. Thus, I write these brief reviews on the books that have been exposed to my eyes. Throughout the day, many people talk to me. Remembering what they say has become an arduous task. Thus, I carry a little 3X5 note pad in my left shirt pocket and write down the things I need to remember. I started this practice when I first became a vice-principal and had to remember all the “promises” I would make. To this day, I write down messages, phone numbers, birthdays, work orders, and special announcements in this little notebook. Lastly, we all have feelings. I work with teachers, students, parents, and family members. They all have feelings. When I interact with any one of these individuals, it is important that they will remember 1/3 of what they read, ½ of what they hear, but 100% of what they feel. If I come across angry, upset, happy, joyous, dull, boring, uninterested, or energetic, that is what they will remember. It is vital to always be cognizant of how I present myself to others so that their feelings will match what they read and/or heard from me.

For a seasoned leader or an up-and-coming leader, this is a worth while leadership booklet. All thirty-three unwritten rules by Mr. Swanson are practical and easy to put into practice. I have read this booklet a number of times and have discovered something new each time. After this recent read, I found many of the thirty-three unwritten rules to align themselves with the book entitled, The Leadership Challenge. The Leadership Challenge is an excellent text on leadership. With two plus decades of research supporting their position on leadership, The Leadership Challenge is a book worth exploring.

10 Best Teaching Practices

10 Best Teaching Practices: How Brain Research, Learning Styles, and STandards Define Teaching Competencies is written by Donna Walker Tileston. She has written this book for the teacher who has been seeking out teaching methods that have a proven track record and have been supported by research. Donna Walker Tileston has skillfully incorporated brain research and learning styles information into a book for quick reference. The ten best practices covered in this book are not new. We have all seen them, heard about them, read about them, and even practiced them in our own classroom.

Donna Walker Tileston has provided her readers with the latest in brain research, learning styles, and standards based instruction. She builds a solid case on why educators (i.e. teachers, principals, and district administrators) need to put into action these 10 teaching practices.

This book has been divided up into eleven chapters. The first ten chapters cover the ten best practices Donna Walker Tileston champions and the last chapter discusses how to put it all together.

The importance of creating an emotionally supportive and enriching environment was covered in chapter 1. Chapter 2 supports the notion that a wide repertoire of teaching techniques must be utilized throughout the lesson. Connecting new concepts or new learning across disciplines with concepts and learning that has taken place previously was discussed in chapter 3. Chapter 4 takes some time to review the research that supports teaching for long-term memory. As educators, it has been our responsibility to integrate higher-level thinking skills into the daily learning of our students. This practice was covered in some detail in chapter 5. Chapter 6 reviews the research on positive impact collaboration has both inside the classroom with the students as well as outside of the classroom with the teachers. Collaboration can and will improve how students learn, what students learn, how teachers work together, how teachers teach, and what teachers teach. Bridging the gender gap, the race gap, and the socioeconomic status gap is covered in chapter 7. This chapter discusses the importance and ever growing need to ensure that "all learners" have an opportunity to be academically successful in our educational system. Chapter 8 addresses authentic assessment and the need to move away from using assessment to test our student's short-term memory but to use authentic assessment for assessing their long-term memory. Chapter 9 identifies the importance of relevance as it applies to learning in the classroom. Technology and its place in today's society has been explored in chapter 10. The last chapter is two pages (my kind of chapter) and sums up what was said.

MY TWO CENTS:

If you are familiar with the latest research of "best practices" then this book is nothing more than a review or a synopsis of the teaching practices that make a difference. I would recommend this book for new teachers as well as principals. Why? This book is an easy read and in a short period of time, the reader will be exposed to the top ten teaching practices that are research supported as well as have enough information to begin a deeper study in one or more of the practices. I'll admit some of those books on brain research are thick with tier 3 words and dwell in the clouds. When reading books like that, I tend to trudge through them (three steps forward and two steps back) and get lost in their language. Donna Walker Tileston has successfully taken years of research and experience and placed it in an easy to read, yet highly informative book.

Hey Jason, thank you for recommending this book. It brought me up to speed and has provided me with some of the research needed to support and/or correct the actions taking place in the classroom.

Bringing Words to Life

Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Isabell Beck, Margaret McKeown, and Linda Kucan. The seven chapters of this book provide an explicit rational for a robust vocabulary as well as practical ways to provide effective vocabulary instruction to the students under your care.

The authors spent some time reviewing current research about vocabulary and vocabulary instruction. Through their research, the authors determined that there were simply too many vocabulary words to teach children. Tier research lead them to categorize words into three tiers. Tier 1 words consist of the most basic words - lady, block, sad, run, like, etc... Tier 1 words typically do not need explicit instructional attention within the school setting. Words within the tier 2 realm are typically high frequency words. These are words one would come across in a variety of domains. Tier 2 words are not exclusive to one event, one content, or one situation. Tier two words are tier two because of the enormous role they play in the language user's repertoire. They tend to cross over easily into a wide variety of settings and/or contents. Some examples of tier 2 words are "introduce, introduction, reintroduce, and introducing. Tier 3 words are those vocabulary words that are exclusive to a particular situation and or subject. Tier 3 words are limited in their use. The remainder of the book focuses on tier 2 vocabulary words. The authors cover techniques on how to chose tier 2 words to explicitly teach and practical ways to introduce tier 2 vocabulary words in the elementary and secondary grades.

TWO CENTS WORTH:

Vocabulary usage or the development of my vocabulary has been difficult for me for as long as I can remember. When writing about a subject or writing vocabulary words sentences, I was the kid who "over-used" the following words: live, love, very, cool, and like. Bringing Words to Life was a book I didn't know I would find personally and professionally valuable and meaningful to me. In my world there were only two tiers of words: the simple word tier and the hard word tier. Occasionally a fellow student or colleague would befriend me and dare to take time to explain various tier 2 words that they used. Their patience and nonjudgement I have been grateful for. After reading this book, a whole new world has opened up to me. Utilizing some of the Thinking Maps organizers, I am more prone to take a simple tier 1 words and discover several other vocabulary words that can be used in its place. As an educator, I am grateful for the scientific research that supports the author's premise as well as a wide variety of strategies to build a robust vocabulary in the students one teaches.

For those of us who see vocabulary as a key to understanding and expanding one's knowledge in all curricular areas (i.e. writing, English language arts, science, math, social studies, physical education, etc...), this book will be a valuable resource for administrators and teachers. This would be an excellent book for staff development, staff discussions, and staff implementation. I am confident that the information in this book will have a positive impact on the way teachers see vocabulary and, most importantly, how they develop vocabulary in the students under their care.

I found this book to be empowering, encouraging, and easy to implement into my daily life as an educator. I look forward to sharing this with my staff, students, and colleagues.

NO AR QUIZ.

The Moral Imperative of School Leadership

The Moral Imperative of School Leadership is written by Michael Fullan. He is the author of several other books dealing with systematic changes within the school system.

After learning that my school did not make it's projected A.P.I. score or the A.M.O. (annual measurable objectives) for 2006 the air was sucked out of my lungs and my heart proceeded to beat slower than a dead-man's. Even though we had show academic growth in our targeted areas, we did not meet the 24.4% proficient criteria in ELA for two of the four sub-groups: Hispanic and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged. This placed us in the arena of a 1st year program improvement school. Up until now, we have been extremely proactive.

When we received the notice that we had become a 1st year program improvement school under the No Child Left Behind act, I as well as every member of the staff were devastated. For three months, I sulked, walked the darkest streets, and experienced depression at new depths. We did everything we were told, everything research suggested, and implemented them with fidelity.

This book was recommended by my boss during one of our conversations. Before the conversation ended, she loaned me the book. Needless to say, I read the book within a week and it began to reshape my thinking as well as helped me gain a new perspective of the place I hold within this huge educational system. Each one of us can make a difference as individuals, we can make a difference as a school, we can make a difference at the district level, and we can make a difference regionally. It is more than we “can” make a difference; it is our moral imperative to make a difference!

Mr. Fullan has divided up this book into five simple chapters. He discusses the need to revamp the principal’s role in order to help change the context within which teachers and students learn. Michael Fullan then discusses many of the self-imposed barriers both the principal faces as well as the school system. The third chapter discusses in some detail the first of two levels of making a difference. Making a difference individually is level one and making a difference as a school is level 2. Chapter four covers the remaining two levels of making a difference. These last two levels go beyond the school. Level three is making a difference regionally and level four is making a difference in our society. In the last chapter, Michael Fullan provides global steps toward making a difference on all four levels.

MY THREE CENTS:
As I mentioned earlier, this book was introduced to me at a pivotal point in my professional career. All of the time and effort that our educational team put forth into the education of the children under our care was not measuring up to the goals set forth by the No Child Left Behind act. We were devastated. I was mystified.

A couple years ago I read a book entitled “Good To Great” by Jim Collins. Mr. Collins talked about leadership in a five-level hierarchy. I was fascinated by this concept but saddened because it was not directly related to education, my professional field. Then along came a spider the book “The Moral Imperative of School Leadership” and Michael Fullan borrowed from the familiar leadership hierarchy concept in Good to Great. However, instead of a five-level hierarchy Mr. Fullan talked about four. The concepts were the same: all people can make a difference at level one; however, the difference you will make will have the lowest impact. As you move up the hierarchy, the higher the influence you will make within the system.

I will never find the silver bullet that will change my API scores into the 800-900’s or my AMO’s at/or above 75% proficient in ELA and Math. However it is my moral obligation to do what ever I can to level the educational field for all the children I serve so that they, too, have every opportunity to attain success in our educational system as well as within our society.

This is a recommended read for those principals who have tried everything under the sun and have been unable to gain ground. This book will help clear your mind, gather your thoughts, and reaffirm many of the things you are already doing. Remember, numbers are only numbers but children are children who will some day grow up and run society. Children will remember the things taught by those individuals who where their champion on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. You can and you will make a difference as an academic leader, it is your moral obligation. Good luck on your professional and personal journey!

NO AR QUIZ :(

What's Worth Fighting for in the Principalship?

What's Worth Fighting for in the Principalship by Michael Fullan is one of three books in the What's Worth Fighting For? series. The remaining two texts in this series are What's Worth Fighting for in Your School? and What's Worth Fighting for Out There? have been written by Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves.

What's Worth Fighting for in the Principalship has been broken up into three parts. Part 1 builds the case for how bad things are for the principal. Part 2 builds the case about how the principal position is that of a middle manager (perceived authority and autonomy, yet has little). Lastly, part 3 provides guidelines for action. Although this is a book about leadership, specifically principal leadership, the author maintains that there is "NO SILVER BULLET".

Mahatma Gandhi was once quoted saying, "We must be the change we want to see in the world." As principals, we too, need to be the change we want to see in the children and teachers we serve.

Chapter 1 talks about how bad are things for the principal? The author contends that the current design for obtaining, supporting, and guiding principals is flawed. In fact, it has been designed to foster dependency and to play the "blame-game". The author suggests we live in a non rational world that demands we act within a rational world. He talks about the "if-then" philosophy many of us engage in. He suggests that this is a philosophy that shifts blame and provides no solution(s). "If-only the schools will tighten up rules and regulations, improved discipline will follow." (Patterson et al, 1986:27). These if-only statements shift the blame and allow no one to take responsibility or action.

Chapter 2 talks about principals as the middle managers. The author, Michael Fullan, suggests that in today's day, principals are middle managers. He contends that there are a plethora of management technique books and research out there; however, THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET. There is no shortcuts, no guaranteed management techniques, no set of management techniques that will always do the job, and there are no techniques out there that will solve every job. Mr. Fullan suggests that the sooner a principal realizes that there is "no silver bullet" the better off he/she will be. One should see these "management techniques" as tools instead of the "cure-all". Several research-based management type books were briefly reviewed including his book entitled, "Change Forces". In his book Change Forces, Mr. Fullan identified eight lessons principals who are change agents engage in (page 15). Those eight lessons are:

1. You can't mandate what matters.
2. Change is a journey not a blueprint.
3. Problems are our friends.
4. Vision and strategic planning come later.
5. Individualism and collectivism must have equal power.
6. Neither centralization nor decentralization work.
7. Connection with the wider environment is critical for success.
8. Every person is a change agent.

Interviews of teachers and principals were conducted regarding the top "things a principal must do to be a good accelerated school principal" (page 20). The results uncovered were:

• be willing to let go of control;
• be supportive of staff;
• be present;
• stand up to the district;
• be a real expert on the accelerated school process;
• be positive;
• believe every child is a success;
• be open-minded; listen to everybody's opinions; and
• be sensitive to staff morale. (Ibid, p. 123)

Chapter 3, the second to last chapter, provides guidelines for principals who want to know "what's worth fighting for". According to the author, there are ten guidelines (pages 26-27).

1. Avoid if-only statements.
2. Start small, think big.
3. Focus on fundamentals.
4. Practice risk taking.
5. Empower others.
6. Build a vision.
7. Decide what you are NOT going to do.
8. Build allies.
9. Know when to be cautious.
10. Give up the search for the "silver bullet."

The phrase, there is no silver bullet, rang through my head throughout the reading of this book. I appreciated the author and his candor that even his wisdom is not the silver bullet. It is refreshing to hear someone say, "I have an answer but it is not THE answer." I have difficulty with those kind of people whose self-perception is that they always have the answer and they are always right.

Michael Fullan, in my opinion, has been able to organize, articulate, and put into print many of the concepts and thoughts that have been whirling in my pint-sized brain. I have been in search of the "silver bullet" throughout my educational career and it was refreshing to hear that it is time NOT well spent. Although there is no silver bullet, acquiring new methods and techniques is healthy and beneficial. You acquire additional tools that can and should be utilized when the right time presents itself.

The other "guide line" that really stuck with me was the "if-only" statements. I have fallen into this never ending trap over the past 10 years. It make sense that this is a train of thought that traps the one making the statement into a "never ending cycle". If only I received more support from the teachers, our scores would increase dramatically. If only we had clear and cohesive discipline policy, our students would respect one another. If only, if only, if only. This line of thought only shifts the blame and disables one from taking action.

I highly recommend this book to up and coming educational leaders as well as to those who have been in the administrative field for a number of years. This is a book that clearly defines some of the pressing issues educational leaders face as well as practical and respectful practices that will have a powerful and positive impact on the education of the students we serve. What's Worth Fighting for in the Principalship is a book that will occupy space on my professional library shelf as well as a book that I will refer to throughout the remaining years I'm in education.

On a side note, I couldn't help but noticed how this book shares many of the same insights uncovered and discussed in the book, "The Leadership Challenge" written by J.M. Kouzes and B.Z. Posner. In The Leadership Challenge the authors utilized over 20 years of research and discovered five practices of exemplary leaders. Those five practices are: 1) model the way, 2) inspire a shared vision, 3) challenge the process, 4) enlist others, and 5) encourage the heart. These five practices can easily be seen in the ten guide lines Michael Miller offers his readers. Both books, in my opinion, are worth the time to read, ponder, place into action, and take up valuable space in your professional library.

NO AR QUIZ :(

The Secret: What Great Leaders Know - And Do

The Secret: What Great Leaders Know - And Do by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller is one of many management-type books offered by one or both of these authors. The Secret has been written in a story format. It brings the reader through a series of meetings between Debbie, the main character of the story, and her mentor, the CEO of the company she works at. Over a year's time, Jeff, Debbie's mentor, walks her through a journey of discovery.

During Debbie's journey of discovery, she learns that the secret to leadership is to SERVE. Each letter of the word SERVE refers to a key concept in the secret to leadership. S reminds the leader to "See the Future". E reminders the leader to Engage and develop others. R reminds the leader to Reinvent continuously. V reminds the leader to Value results and relationships. The last E reminds the leader to Embody the values of the organization.

After reading The Secret, I couldn't help but notice some similarities between the research-based leadership book entitled, "The Leadership Challenge". In the Leadership Challenge, the authors provide the readers with five research-based practices that all exemplary leaders embodied. Those five practices are: Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others, and Encourage the Heart. Like the SERVE model, exemplary leaders inspire a shared vision of the future (see the future), enable others to act (engage and develop others), challenge the process (reinvent continuously), encourage the heart value relationships), and model the way (embody the values of the organization).

For those of us who are looking for ways to improve our leadership skills it is important to note that there is "no silver bullet". There is no "quick fix" nor everlasting solution. The journey of building your leadership skills and sharpening the skills you possess is never ending. With each new day comes new challenges and new circumstances. Every day is new; therefore, every approach to overcome the challenge should be tackled in a new way.

The Secret by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller was an easy read and provided practical strategies that WILL increase and sharpen one's leadership skills. I recommend this book as well as others written by these two authors. Their ideas, their values, and their desire to SERVE others propel many of us into successful leadership experiences.

It is my hope that I can embody many of the SERVE principles in my leadership journey on a daily basis.

The One Minute Apology

Another book in the One Minute series called The One Minute Apology has come across my desk. These one minute books are enjoyable short stories with an intended purpose. I first came across the One Minute Manager back in the late 80's early 90's and enjoyed its simple premise and simple way of delivering a powerful message. Since then I have picked up a few of the other One Minute books and have added them to my personal library. Now that I am an administrator and responsible for the education of many children and adults, my interest in this series of books has reemerged. All to often I make mistakes and need to apologize, but it is my pride and self-centeredness that stands in the way. And I usually feel like crap when my big ego gets in the way.

This book begins with a young man who seeks the advise of the One Minute Manager. He visits him while he is on vacation out on a beautiful lake with his family. The young man learns the powerful lessons of the One Minute Apology from the One Minute Manager, his daughter Annie, his son Brad, his wife Carol, and his mother Nana.

In a nutshell, the One Minute Apology is broken up into three parts: Honesty, Surrender, and Integrity.

No one is perfect. It has been said, "The one man who was perfect, they hung on a cross." And since Jesus walked on this earth, there has not been another perfect person. Perfection people strive for but people will never achieve it. We all make mistakes. To err is human. This book provides the reader with the necessary steps to take when an err has occurred and how to remedy the situation with integrity.

What did I learn from this book and how will I apply it in my daily (home and family) life?
A real student would say they learned a great deal from this book and that they will take these powerful insights and use them daily in their personal and professional life. Well, I'd like to say that but truth of the matter is that when my wife walks into the room or I step into the office, I'll forget everything I read about except two to four main points (or phrases). So what has stuck with me? There were four points and/or stories I will be leaving with.

The first has to do with being aware of your actions and ask yourself the honest question, "Did I make a mistake in words, deeds, and/or actions?" It is important that I look at each situation and be honest with myself. As a person in a position of authority, an easy trap to fall into is the one that you always believe you are right simply because you are in a leadership position.

Secondly, I will take with me is the story about Abraham Lincoln and Colonel Scott. I was taken aback by Abraham's response to Scott's personal request to attend his wife's funeral and comfort his children. This man, this rock, this strong leader of our country was down right rude, inconsiderate, and uncaring. However, the very next morning, Abraham Lincoln went to Colonel Scott's house and sincerely apologized and made things right. This story I will read in it's entirety several times in the near future.

Thirdly, I need to write my own obituary. It sounds weird but in a way it makes a great deal of sense. The brief story about Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Peace prize hit home. How do I want my wife, my children, my family, my friends, and my co-workers to remember me by? A man honest man with integrity and a gentle heart? I hope I don't die soon. I'm not to sure my current obituary would be pleasant to read. This will be a task I take on within the next month or so.

Lastly, I need to stop using worry words. According to the author of the One Minute Apology, worry words are: should have, could have, would have, and if only. As I reflect over the past six months, those worry words have infiltrated my vocabulary, both in writing and verbally. In retrospect, it is easy to see how these words do not build strength or confidence in the leader nor his constituents.

I enjoyed this book as much as I did the One Minute Manager. In fact, I went on line and purchased several other books written by Ken Blanchard. The books I purchased were: The Secret, Leadership and the One Minute Manager, Gung Ho, Putting the One Minute Manager to Work, Self-Leadership and the One Minute Manager, and Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Role Model of All Times.

I hope to read those titles in the near future.
Some quotes from the book that just seem to hit home.

• "The time consuming part comes in being completely honest with yourself and taking responsibility for your mistakes before you apologise." page 15


• "At the core of most problems is a truth you don't want to face."


• The longer you wait to apologize your weakness will be perceived as wickedness.


• "Honesty is telling the truth to ourselves and others. Integrity is living that truth." page 33


• "Without a change of behavior, just saying I'm sorry, is not enough."


• "Never apologize just to appease someone."


• "Never assume what another person is thinking."


• "The best way to apologize to someone you have harmed is to tell them you made a mistake, you feel badly about it, and how you will change your behavior."


• "People with humility don't think less of themselves. They just think about themselves less."