Leadership what does it look like?

I hadn't really thought about thought leadership in the concept of followers until I watched the Leaders  and  Followship: What teaches us about these roles in life by Ira Chaleff.

If we aren't engaged then how can our students? This is actually
just the angle and timing of the photo. This teacher was actually 
enjoying himself at a science in a van demonstration.

It really struck a cord for me as over the years I have often wondered as a follower where the breakdown has been. The metaphor that the Follower can bring out the creativity of the partner in the leader role. This reminded me that I am accountable also. When the follower didn't work collaboratively with the leader it undid the partnership. Where has leadership gone wrong for me? The people in the leadership roles are not leading by example. They are not in the classroom or working with students daily to promote learner. Often they are bogged down with paperwork or National Standard reports. When working together I am being told what to do without taking my opinions/skills into consideration What am I going to do? As a leader supporting someone else in ICT I am going to

• give regular training opportunities
• teach the skills of an effective follower
• evalauate performance regular meetings to see how ICT problems are being solved
• upskill others for support
• share knowledge and purpose so everyone is aware why we are doing this
• help out with ICT issues-leading by example

One of the most important messages i am going to take away from the readings is extracted from "I've Never Thought of Myself as a Leader But" The leaders are in a position of influence they have and it is this influence that is crucial to becoming a change agent and leading practice (Whalley et al. 2005). Change comes about through the recognition of new possibilites rather than being enforced from above.

References:

Leadership and Followership: What Tango Teaches Us About These Roles in Life Ira Chaleff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cswrnc1dggg

Clark, Rory McDowall. (2012). "I've Never Thought of Myself as a Leader But": The Early Years Professional and Catalytic Leadership. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal,20(3), 391-401.

Crowther, F., Kagan, S., Fergusson, M. & Hann, L. (2002). Developing teacher leaders: How teacher leadership

enhances school success . California: Corwin Press.