Using the below Interview Response from a leader to:

1. Apply and Compare and/or contrast these 4 different leadership styles from Northouse (2019): Servant, Adaptive, Transformational, and Authentic Leadership based on the responses from the interview below.

2. Make an argument for what leadership model, based on the 4 mentioned above, best applies to this leader.

3. Cite work from the Interview Responses below and/or Northouse (2019) text with explanations to prove your point.

Leader: (An Elementary School Principal).

Interview Questions and Response:

1. Can you describe a time when you successfully led a team through a complex and challenging project? What strategies did you employ to ensure effective communication, collaboration, and timely delivery?

Park Brook Elementary is a school with a Focus on Fitness Initiative to increase academic growth and positive behaviors. Sixteen years ago, I was moved to Park Brook. Park Brook at that time was known for considerable negative behaviors as well as low academic growth, with 5^th grade having the lowest growth of any school or grade in the district, considerably below the district and state averages for growth. I immediately began to look at changes that I could make to the school to increase academic growth and positive behaviors. Fitness and movement, while research based, is not a common or necessarily accepted means in education to change a school environment.

First of all, I sought out a partner in the school who had credibility with the staff and who was supportive of this initiative. We took one step forward to get staff on board with us, which was to host an afterschool Boot Camp and take students to the Twin Cities 5K. I did research and conducted staff training so that staff knew the 'why' behind why I was moving the school in this direction.

Reviewing data has consistently been a part of how lead my school. I shared data from schools across the nation that have instituted fitness, and my staff has been able to see the changes in our data as well. When I instituted kinesthetic seating (stability balls), which is now the standard, I began by offering the option to staff who wanted to use the stability balls.This allowed teachers who wanted the change to be the leaders, to share with colleagues why the stability balls work, and to avoid nay-sayers from having a voice. All staff were on board by the end of the second year. There were some issues that had to be addressed, such as how to store the balls at night, how to keep them from rolling around, how to teach the students to use them, and so on, which we were able to accomplish before having everyone use the stability balls.

I then brought in training to teach staff how to incorporate more movement in the classroom. I attend and help lead our after-school fitness classes and weekend events. I use the stability ball as a chair in my office, and so on. All of this to say, a major change needs to be made intentionally, with staff understanding why the change is being made, and provide the support that they need.

I need to circle back to the data. Park Brook is now known as a school that is very calm, even with student sitting on stability balls and moving throughout the day. The academic growth is consistently towards the top of the district, fifth largest district in Minnesota, and currently the academic growth rate is above where one would expect it to be.

2. In a rapidly evolving world in this age and time, how would you foster a culture of innovation and encourage continuous learning among team members?

Relationships are important where the staff know that you will support them and that staff do not fear for what may happen if they try something different or new. Innovation will at times result in failure, we need to minimize failure of course, but if we are going to try something different, we need to support staff and work through issues together without repercussions.

3. How do you encourage empowerment and autonomy among your team members?

My staff need to know the standards and what is expected.

I think of curriculum. Thirty some year ago, curriculum was a tool provided for teachers as a means to teach the standards. Teachers used the curriculum but were also provided freedom to adjust and modify to meet the needs of the students. Somewhere along the lines, there was a dramatic shift to the curriculum must be taught with fidelity. We are now shifting back to provide freedom to adjust and modify.

I have always felt as though teachers need to adjust the curriculum, which have always done at Park Brook. Teachers need to know the standards, we need to have discussions about what is occurring, and we must look at the data to ensure that we are meeting the goals and objectives. Staff must have the freedom to accomplish the goals as a leader needs to know the final goals and what is to be accomplished, but the leader may not have the best ideas or solutions to meet the needs, but rather provides the framework for the staff to do the work.

4. How do you define leadership within the context of serving others?

Staff are willing to do their best when they are treated the right way. I view my role as a principal in several aspects: setting the vision for the school, setting the standard for the school, and ensuring that staff feel supported in their role in reaching the vision for the school.

Staff need to see that I am putting forth effort, that I am willing to support them, that I am listening to the needs of the staff, and that I am willing to step in and assist wherever needed. Throughout the year I take time to acknowledge the work of the staff, and acknowledgement cannot be generalized, but rather individualized.

5. What is the significance of vision and values in shaping one's leadership style?

I am known in the district for running the fitness school. A leader must have a vision that is conveyed to others so that the staff know the journey you are taking them on. Whenever I post a position, I clearly state that Park Brook is a school with a Focus on Fitness Initiative so that anyone applying knows what is expected of them and the culture of the building. I also ask questions related to why fitness is important for education during the interview.

A leader is not placed in a position to maintain status quo, but rather to move an organization forward in a positive manner. When I was moved to Park Brook, maintaining status quo was not in the best interest of anyone. I had to move the school forward, while creating a team, and building trust with the team. A leader cannot forsake their integrity at any time.Once one's integrity is lost, a leader will struggle to ever rebuild trust with that team.

6. What strategies do you use to encourage and drive each member of your team to surpass expectations and readily adopt change?

An environment where staff enjoy coming to work each day is absolutely essential if a team is to be successful. If staff are looking at how to move to another position or job, the team is not successful. I make sure I greet my staff, care about my staff and their families, and thank my staff for the work that they do each day. When there is a difficult situation in a classroom, I do best to provide the support that they need.

7. How do you build trust and credibility with your team members and stakeholders?

Trust is not simply given; one must act with integrity.

In the past week I realized that I made a staffing error as I misread a chart with staffing allocations for the 2024-2025 school year. (Staffing allocations in education refers to the number of staff members, funds from all accounts, that I will receive for my school for the next school year.) I met with each staff member impacted and started by stating that I had made an error, when I met with team leaders, I once again took responsibility as I did when I shared with the entire staff to update the staffing for the coming year. I share this as a team does not expect perfection, however, trust with a team is built when a leader can simply state when they made an error. This also allows team members to know that if an error occurs on their part, they need not fear as I have set the stage for how we deal with being human.

Trust also comes from the staff knowing that I am willing to support and help. I will step in and teach a class when needed, and I am willing to clean the cafeteria when needed. While I mention the above, one must have skills as well. Leaders must have skills to be in the position, and need to know when to delegate.

In this past week I also was asked about class lists for next year. My response was that I would support the team's decision regarding placement of students who need special education support and English Language Support.I laid the groundwork that everyone looks at the lists from a different perspective, but that they have the information and knowledge that I do not have to effectively create the lists. A leader needs to know when to delegate and how to set parameters and speak into issues that may arise.

8. Could you kindly provide an account of a scenario in which you were required to modify your leadership approach in order to suit the varied dynamics within a team?

There was a time when I had a staff member who was quite challenging and did not act with integrity.There were issues with students as well in her conduct. The staff in the building were supportive of me, frustrated with this individual, and understood what I had to do. This staff member would create petitions for what she wanted, thinking staff were supportive of her, when most were not supportive of her. I also had to ensure that I was acting in a manner that would cause me to have the support of the union.

I moved in many circumstances to an authoritarian leader in order to ensure that I maintained control.Whenever I set out expectations, I made sure that I documented in several forms the expectations so that I could use those as I moved to termination with this individual. This also allowed other staff to know that I was in control and that I was responding.

A leader must always set out and document expectations, but this time period had a different feel as I was attempting to set boundaries for this individual. I always had to be aware that she was attempting to forming a group to go in the opposite direction that I was leading.