Jennie A. Barber Ed.d.

Working Together: Relationships and Successful School Leadership Jennie A. Barber Ed.d.

School improvement can be achieved through effective leadership. However, the leader cannot accomplish anything alone. Goals are only achieved in the day-to-day combined efforts of all of the adults who share in the operations of a school. This is not simply the sum of the work and efforts, but the complex mathematics of everyone working together. Real school improvement can only be accomplished when the students are able to learn in a safe and nurturing environment. Their safety depends on the climate created by those who dominate that setting, and the confidence, enthusiasm and focus they bring to school. While principals know that relationships are important, they rarely recognize the importance of their role in developing them. They may feel ill equipped to act to ensure that the adults in the school formulate and enjoy the benefits of healthy and productive relationships. Many of the principal's administrative duties, such as evaluation, delegation, and problem solving are full of potential for conflict. A natural adversarial climate often exists between teachers and principals or between support staff and principals. Left to it's natural evolution, schools can become crippled by jealousies, anger, hostility, subversion and malaise. Much time and many talents are wasted. The resulting climate for students is not safe or healthy. Any principal can benefit from a review of staff relations and how the conditions in the school contribute to the effectiveness of the instructional program. A new principal can have the advantage of an early awareness of the potential power of relationships. He or she can then begin the new assignment focused on formulating healthy and productive relationships which will be the most essential element for real school improvement.