ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the informal teacher-leader. The informal leaders are those staff members who have great impact when they speak at staff meetings or make "announcements" in the teachers' lounge. The town crier publicly argues against any possible positive change. They are the "schoolhouse lawyers" at faculty meetings and committees. The safest and most effective way to reduce the influence of negative leaders is to reduce the number of their followers and saboteurs. Developing as many opportunities and scenarios for the negative followers to become connected to more positive staff members can dramatically limit the impact and influence of negative leaders. Phillip Schlechty recognizes five roles people play in school reform: trail-blazers, pioneers, settlers, stay-at-homes, and saboteurs. When they feel discomfort due to an impending change, they may align themselves with the most vocal resistants, the saboteurs, even if they do not agree with reasons for resistance or respect the saboteurs at all.
