ABSTRACT
Expert school leadership on the high ground depends upon the application of significant amounts of knowledge relevant to the problem area, through the skillful use of procedures capable of reliably accomplishing their purposes. Expertise in most fields of endeavor is typically associated with increases in the repertoire of knowledge and techniques that make smooth, effortless responses to high ground problems possible. As Bloom (1985) and others have pointed out, mastery of such responses in complex areas of human functioning (e.g., music, sport, medicine, law) typically require at least a decade of devoted effort. We assume that comparable effort is required before ‘virtuoso’ school-leadership performance on the high ground is likely. Of course, some of this preparation usually does, and should take place before entry into a formal school-leadership position.
