School Leadership

"Leadership is about being able to afflict the comfortable, and to comfort the afflicted."

Afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted is the essence of the roles and responsibilities for a leader in any organization, especially if leadership is about moving an organization, cause or movement forward.

A leader must be able to challenge things as they are and those who are comfortable with the status quo, and at the same time assure those who are afraid of the unknown that they have the ability to move through uncertain times and that the future will ultimately be better.

A leader of a charter school needs to be able to do these things within the context of three very distinct roles: as a social entrepreneur and innovator; the chief academic officer; and the chief executive of a nonprofit organization which is operating a public enterprise - all within an environment that is limited in terms of administrative staffing.