Good evening,
I am finally responding to Allen Wilkinson's thoughts on leadership and followership. I work for the Peel Board of Education, just outside of Toronto, Ontario. Many of the concerns identified by Allen are common to us as well. However, I may be a little more optomistic, despite all the massive changes that the present Conservative government wants to bring about in education. The reality is that we are all leaders and followers at the same time. On one level, we must comply to the wishes and expectations of others (i.e. the government, the superintyentdent, the Board of Education, etc.). On the other hand, if we realize it, we are often in that wonderful position of leadership as well. I feel that the truly enlightened administrator is the one who can find the balance and knows when to exercise the right decision, based on his (her) role in the organization. As they say in the song, you have to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. If you can find that balance as an educational administrator, you will be well on the way the being successful and enjoying the job.