ABSTRACT
Creating a Leadership Development System is challenging, but incredibly rewarding when done correctly. The impact of leaders is tremendous and therefore creating and implementing an effective professional Leadership Development System that includes all leaders and aspiring leaders is critical and should not be approached lightly. Consider the implementation of communities of practice, known often as Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) within districts and schools. A cohesive Leadership Development System adopts an adaptive orientation and approach to addressing the preparation needs for current, emerging, and aspiring school leaders. Through the use of an Ecological Framework to leadership development, educational organizations can address the complexity of skills and knowledge needed for today's school leaders and craft a system that effectively cultivates exemplary educational leaders. The framework employs an ecosystem-like mindset that includes the acknowledgment of and understanding of: interconnected initiatives, open systems, cycling of resources, adaptive approaches, learning orientations, and feedback loops.
