Day 154: Teachers As Leaders

Daily Blog Challenge Day 154/365

I recently read an Article about the six characteristics people look for in a leader.  I take no credit for this list.  I am using it merely as a reflection tool.

Integrity – People need to know that the person in charge won’t take advantage of his or her position – that they won’t lie, steal, play favorites, and betray subordinates.

Judgment  — Most failure is the result of bad decisions that are compounded by an unwillingness to evaluate and change direction.

Competence — Subordinates see leaders who lack business acumen as empty suits and are unwilling to follow them.

Vision — Good leaders explain to their teams the significance of their missions and how it fits into the larger scheme of things. By adopting a vision, people can transcend their selfish interests and develop impersonal ends for their actions.

Persistence — History’s most recent example of a great leader, Nelson Mandela, spent more than 27 years in prison and emerged on the other side more determined than ever.

Humility — The primary function of a leader is to persuade groups of inherently selfish humans to set aside their personal agendas and work toward a common goal. Followers expect to see that sacrifice reciprocated.

This article was written for business, but it made me wonder about how these characteristics translate to the field of education.  Do students look for similar characteristics in their teachers and does this influence the teacher's impact?  In my opinion the answer to these questions is yes, teachers are leaders of their students.  Common complaints I have heard from students about why they don't like a teacher include: teachers playing favorites, teachers not listening and teachers who are mean.  If we surveyed students, would the most successful teachers be the ones who show traits from this list?

I also believe this list is relevant when looking at relationships among teachers and administrators.  I would hypothesize that high respected teachers and administrators are the ones who best fit these six characteristics.  

It is easy to place information in categories, but I truly believe most information crosses these categories.  A lot of business information can be used in other fields and vise versa.  What are your thoughts on this list of characteristics and their possible influence on the field of education?

Thank you for reading.