Leadership has nothing to do with seniority or one’s
position in the hierarchy of a company. Too many people talk
about a company’s leadership referring to the senior executives in the
organization. That’s not exactly right. Leadership has nothing to do with titles.
In fact, you can be a leader in your place of worship, your neighborhood, in
your family, all without having a title. Besides, leadership has nothing to
do with personal attributes. Leadership and management are not
synonymous. Managers need to plan, measure, monitor, coordinate, solve, hire,
fire, and do so many other things. Leaders only lead people.
The leader is someone who has
followers. Leaders are those who empower others. And leadership is the capacity
to translate vision into reality. Furthermore, leadership is a process of
social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the
achievement of a goal.
The key elements of those
above-mentioned definitions are:
1.    Leadership stems from social influence, not authority or power
2.    Leadership requires others, and that implies they don’t
need to be “direct reports”
3.   No mention of personality traits, attributes, or even a
title; there are many styles and many paths to be the effective leadership
4.    It includes a goal, not influence with no intended outcome
Therefore, leadership is a process by which a leader can direct, guide
and influence the behavior and work of others towards accomplishment of
specific goals in a given situation. Leaders are required to develop future
visions, and to motivate the organizational members to achieve the visions.
Leader are facilitators. The more leaders can view themselves as
facilitators of knowledge and team success, the more effective they become. To
lead is to listen. The only way to find out what motivates our team members is
to ask questions and take time to truly listen to them. While every team member
must take his or her turn in different roles to serve the greater good, it’s
also important they have time to do things that stir their passion.
Teacher leaders assume a wide range of roles to
support school and student success. 1. Resource Provider. Teachers help their colleagues by
sharing instructional resources. These might include websites, instructional
materials, readings, or other resources to use with students. They might also
share such professional resources as articles, books, lesson or unit plans, and
assessment tools. 2. Instructional Specialist. An instructional
specialist helps colleagues implement effective teaching strategies. This help
might include ideas for differentiating instruction or planning lessons in
partnership with fellow teachers. 3. Curriculum Specialist. Understanding content standards, how
various components of the curriculum link together, and how to use the
curriculum in planning instruction and assessment is essential to ensuring
consistent curriculum implementation throughout a school. Curriculum
specialists lead teachers to agree on standards, follow the adopted curriculum,
use common pacing charts, and develop shared assessments. 4. Classroom Supporter. Classroom supporters work inside
classrooms to help teachers implement new ideas, often by demonstrating a lesson,
co-teaching, or observing and giving feedback. 5. Learning Facilitator. Facilitating professional learning
opportunities among staff members is another role for teacher leaders. When
teachers learn with and from one another, they can focus on what most directly
improves student learning. Their professional learning becomes more relevant,
focused on teachers’ classroom work, and aligned to fill gaps in student
learning. Such communities of learning can break the norms of isolation present
in many schools. 6. Mentor. Serving as a mentor for novice teachers is a common role for teacher leaders. Mentors
serve as role models; acclimate new teachers to a new school; and advise new
teachers about instruction, curriculum, procedure, practices, and politics.
Being a mentor takes a great deal of time and expertise and makes a significant
contribution to the development of a new professional. 7. School Leader. Being a school leader means serving
on a committee, such as a school improvement team; acting as a grade-level or
department chair; supporting school initiatives; or representing the school on
community or district task forces or committees. A school leader shares the
vision of the school, aligns his or her professional goals with those of the
school and district, and shares responsibility for the success of the school as
a whole. 8. Data Coach. Although teachers have access to a great deal of data, they do not often use that data
to drive classroom instruction. Teacher leaders can lead conversations that
engage their peers in analyzing and using this information to strengthen
instruction. 9. Catalyst for Change. Teacher leaders can also be
catalysts for change. Teachers who take on the catalyst role feel secure in
their own work and have a strong commitment to continual improvement. They pose
questions to generate analysis of student learning. 10. Learner. Among the most important roles,
teacher leaders are learners. Learners model continual improvement, demonstrate
lifelong learning, and use what they learn to help all students achieve.
Teachers exhibit leadership in multiple, sometimes
overlapping, ways. Some leadership roles are formal with designated
responsibilities. Other more informal roles emerge as teachers interact with
their peers. The variety of roles ensures that teachers can find ways to lead
that fit their talents and interests. Regardless of the roles they assume,
teacher leaders shape the culture of their schools, improve student learning,
and influence practice among their peers.
 

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