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1. NATIONAL FORUM OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION JOURNAL
VOLUME 27, NUMBER 2, 2010-2011
LEADERSHIP: IT’S NOT JUST A
CHALLENGE, IT’S AN ADVENTURE
James D. Laub
University of Texas—Permian Basin
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this article was to explore effective leadership characteristics and
behaviors that should be exhibited by superintendents, in an attempt to appreciably
impact best practices. As the chief executive officers of school districts, superintendents
are ultimately responsible and accountable to students, faculty, staff, parents and all
other stakeholders. Superintendents are the key element in the stability equation, and
the increased tenure of superintendents is essential to sustained educational reform.
Introduction
H istorically, leadership has been equated with exercising power
and control over subordinates within an organization. The
scientific management movement in the early 20th century
was heralded as the panacea for organizational effectiveness. At that
time, leadership theorists and practitioners were firmly entrenched in
the doctrine of efficiency. Subordinates were simply another “tool”,
basically a means to an end. Several theories of educational leadership
have emerged, with each theory producing volumes of literature and
legions of both proponents and opponents. Over the past decade, well
over 60 various classification systems have been developed to define
“leadership” (Northouse, 2004). Leadership has been defined in terms
of the power relationship that exists between leaders and followers.
Bennis and Nanus (1985) postulated that throughout the years, our
view of what leadership is and who can exercise it has changed
considerably. Leadership competencies have remained constant, but
our understanding of what it is, how it works, and the ways in which
people learn to apply it has shifted. Leadership practice takes form in
the interaction between leaders and followers; leaders act in situations
that are defined by subordinates’ actions (Spillane, 2005).
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2. 44 NATIONAL FORUM OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION JOURNAL
Educational Leadership
Strong and positive leadership owns a significant share of
responsibility for effectiveness in schools. Sergiovanni (2005) wrote
that conventional wisdom tells us that leadership is about finding
solutions to problems, even in the best of circumstances, leadership is
difficult. Effectiveness in schools cannot be traced and attributed to
any single dimension of organizational effectiveness. Leadership
challenges and problems that hinder school efficacy occur daily,
effective educational leaders learn to expect the unexpected – they
must rise to meet any challenge or problem that interferes with student
learning and achievement. Challenges and problems come in many
shapes, sizes, and formats – every day begins anew. Superintendents
are much like mechanics, in that they both have a chest full of tools.
Mastery comes from knowing which tool solves the challenge or
problem at hand. Thus, educational leaders must be open and consider
all claims and theories, they need not necessarily replace existing
theories but challenge existing boundaries (English, 2003).
The days of autocratic tendencies for school superintendents
are gone. The pace for change confronting organizations today has
resulted in a call for more adaptive, flexible leadership (Bass, Avolio,
Jung, & Berson, 2003). Cooperative, participatory leadership should
be the “norm.” Superintendents wear many hats, are responsible for a
multitude of functions, and are not immune from this challenges and
problems. Educational leadership is a multi-dimensioned position with
school administrators serving within educational, political, and
managerial dimensions. Bennis (1997) emphasized that adaptive
leaders work with their followers to generate creative solutions to
complex problems, while also developing them to handle a broader
range of leadership responsibilities. School superintendents that do not
include staff and subordinates in the decision-making and problem-
solving processes are foolish and should keep their resumes up-to-
date. However, school districts with severe problems can be “turned
around” by dedicated, stable leadership (Farkas, Johnson, Duffet, &
Foleno, 2001).

3. James Laub 45
According to Israel and Kasper (2004) with practice, time, skill
proficiency, and developing wisdom superintendents in any school
setting can be instrumental change agents for the betterment of
schools. First and foremost, student success and achievement should
capture the superintendent’s notice; they must be institutional
visionaries. Thinking outside the box and developing a “whatever it
takes” mentality, must be promoted and nurtured. The essence of
educational leadership has been the ability to first understand the
theories and concepts and then apply them in real life scenarios
(Morrison, Rha, & Hellman, 2003). Leadership has changed rather
dramatically as individuals recognize that what leaders do is
determined, in large part, by the nature of those being led and the
culture of the organization in which they work. As quoted by Bob
Dylan, “the times they are a changing.” Effective superintendents must
stay abreast of any changes or obstacles that interfere in the learning
process and then have the fortitude to remove those obstacles.
The status quo of educational administration must be
challenged by always allowing for options, possibilities and
probabilities when addressing systemic improvement (English, 2003).
Educational theorists espouse numerous examples of what constitutes
effective school district attributes. These attributes include: focus on
achievement; shared vision and goals; high expectations; stakeholder
involvement; and proactive learning environments. In a perfect world,
every school district would be effective and every student in that
school district would be successful. Regrettably, school districts do not
dwell in a perfect world, but rather in a world of outdated educational
administration theories. Kowalski (2005) reported that most states
have plenty of people that have the credentials to serve as
superintendents, the problem is quality. Creating a caring, self-
enhancing learning environment should be a participative joint
endeavor between superintendents, subordinates, and stakeholders. As
public school districts move away from centralized decision-making,
educational administrators must be competent to solicit input, analyze
information, and build consensus among all stakeholders (Barnett,
2004).

4. 46 NATIONAL FORUM OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION JOURNAL
Points to Ponder
• Parents do not hide the best students in the closet and send
the rest to public school. Superintendents have the moral,
ethical, and legal responsibility to provide every child in their
school district with the tools necessary to achieve academic
success, regardless of personal feelings. Students bring to
school with them baggage that we may not be aware of - our
job is to educate, not judge.
• Bricks and mortar make a building; they do not make a
school district. Humans and human interactions make a school
district. As such, the primary goal for superintendents should
be to establish a positive culture and climate within the school
district. Superintendents serve as the conduit for the free flow
and exchange of information; they must lead by example and
set the tone.
• Faculty and staff are there by choice, the students are not.
Superintendents must have the courage and conviction to
reassign and replace subordinates that are ineffective. Bottom
line – schools are here to provide educational opportunities for
the kids, not to provide employment opportunities for faculty
and staff members.
• Leadership is not a popularity contest; it is about doing what
is right. Even in the face of adversity and unpopular public
opinion, superintendents must remain focused. Educational
leaders who are afraid of losing their job, by doing their job,
does not deserve that job in the first place. Leadership equates
to bravery, it is not for the timid or faint of heart.
• Successful educational leaders may not necessarily the
sharpest tools in the shed. However, these leaders are savvy
enough to surround themselves with bright, energetic,
optimistic subordinates. They place the right people in the right

5. James Laub 47
positions and situations and then get out of the way. Effective
leaders encourage subordinates are not afraid to train their
replacement.
• Change is a gradual, continual process, but it is a process that
must be promoted, nurtured, and implemented. If you keep
doing things like you have been, you will keep getting the
same results. Remember, if you do not know where you are
going, any road will take you there. Superintendents encourage
creativity and allow subordinates to fail – we learn from our
mistakes.
• Control what you can, learn to realize that some situations are
out of your control. Learn to pick your battles, you do not have
to win all the skirmishes in order to achieve victory and win
the war.
• Delegate, realize that you are not Atlas and that you cannot
support the entire world. No decision is better than a bad one.
Empower subordinates and share the responsibility - do not
overextend, nor look for an immediate fix for every problem.
As the adage goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a
time.”
• Take care of yourself and learn to control internal and
external stressors. As the superintendent your faculty/staff and
stakeholders depend upon, and look to you for guidance. Be
professional in all matters, educational leaders operate under a
microscope, others will notice the slightest change in your
behavior, demeanor, mannerism, and dress.
• Read Ayn Rand’s “The Virtues of Selfishness.” Write and
journal your thoughts for at least five minutes a day. Develop a
network of professional peers and learn from them. Think on
your feet, you will encounter situations every day that you may
not have encountered.

6. 48 NATIONAL FORUM OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION JOURNAL
Concluding Remarks
Public education needs effective educational leaders who are
courageous pioneers and trendsetters. The superintendency is not for
everyone; superintendents face a myriad of challenges. However,
educators who are willing to meet those challenges have a strong
desire to do what is best for children, welcome aboard. Remember, it’s
not just a job, it’s an adventure.

7. James Laub 49
REFERENCES
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