My favorite TV leader is Michael Scott, the wacky, lovable Regional Manager of a mid-size paper company on the American version of “The Office.”
What interests me about Michael is that he represents all the qualities of a transformative leader…and all the qualities of a terrible leader all at once.
He is generous. He cares deeply about his employees and the success of his company. He seeks to inspire those around him. He trusts the talents of his team and appreciates them for their work.
He is also egotistical, lazy and stupid. He offends others. He wastes his employees’ time.
We are all probably “Michael Scott” leaders in some ways. We all have part of the equation right — and part of the equation wrong. And it’s not our fault! It’s human nature. Our instincts tell us to be loving and open, and they also tell us to take control and protect our egos. How can we make sure we are harnessing our own natural talents and curbing our less-than-effective habits at the same time?
Yesterday we gave you some food for thought about dealing with assessments, a big stressor for many leaders in education today. Consider your thoughts and actions as they relate to testing, and use this chart to see if you’ve been able to maintain a generative, cage-busting, systems-thinking approach to assessment in your school. Are you a transformative leader when it comes to testing in the 21st century?
If only Michael Scott had our handy chart. He may have lived up to the motto on his mug!
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