What’s Your Leadership Story?

Book excerpt: In this book, Gretchen Oltman and Vicki Bautista walk you through the eight steps necessary to craft a personal leadership philosophy: a reflective explanation of the leadership style, core values, mindset, and real-life experiences that make you the leader you are today. When you can authentically tell your story, your school community will know you, what you value, and why you make decisions the way you do. You will rediscover a sense of purpose, renewal, and inspiration that may have slipped away amid the chaos of life—and you can build a stronger connection with those you lead and work beside. Leading in a school setting does not mean you need to lose your individual identity. You became a school leader by following your own unique path. You possess talents that set you apart from others. By working purposefully to share your personal leadership philosophy, you can create a new expectation of what school leaders should be and counter the unrealistic assumptions that others may hold. You can be more than your title. What's your leadership story?