ABSTRACT
In this chapter the authors argue that the status quo in any school or school system becomes dated over time. This is not unlike statements of shelf-life on consumable products, and every change in schools morph over time, as they have a similarly unwritten “Best by this date” or “Use by this date”. We argue that the “comfortable present” is a time for school leaders to start looking at what the future will bring.
Seeking better futures for school communities are motivators for top school leaders, and Silcox’s (2003) doctoral research noted that the high-performing principals often had what he called “… the wild dispositions of non-conformity and risk-taking, driven by a moral imperative of getting the best educational outcome for students (often in spite of systemic restrictions), are the key to creative, future leadership”. This “wild disposition” needs to be handled very carefully, and there needs to be solid agreement from all stakeholders over the directions that the school needs to take.
In reality, this chapter examines principal performance in the sensitive area of team building. This school-based team is important because it includes staff, students, parents and the community and it tests the school leader’s pastoral, educational and political skills.
