Leader Credibility: The Essential Traits of Those Who Engage, Inspire, and Transform

by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Cathy J. Lassiter, Dominique Smith

Overview

Now more than ever, schools need to be places where openness and can-do are baked into every hallway hello and every meeting. This vision-setting starts at the top, and with a combination of strategic thinking and inspiring relationship-building. With Leader Credibility, learn how to attain or amplify the qualities that all school leaders keep in motion each day. Discover efficient, persuasive ways to communicate and mentor growth by being:

• Trustworthy
• Competent
• Dynamic
• Immediate
• Forward thinking

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781071889107
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	08/01/2022
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is a credentialed English teacher and administrator in California. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, leadership, and curriculum design, as well as books such as The Teacher Clarity Playbook (2nd ed.), Your Introduction to PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Teacher Credibility, Instructional Strategies to Move Learning Forward: 50+ Tools That Support Gradual Release of Responsibility, and Welcome to Teaching!

Nancy Frey is a professor in educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California. She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. Her published titles include 50 Strategies for Activating Your PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning, Welcome to Teaching Multilingual Learners, Teaching Foundational Skills to Adolescent Readers, and RIGOR Unveiled: A Video-Enhanced Flipbook to Promote Teacher Expertise in Relationship Building, Instruction, Goals, Organization, and Relevance.

Cathy Lassiter, Ed.D., is a consultant and author with Corwin Learning with over forty years in public education. Prior to this role, she served as a middle and high school social studies teacher, award-winning middle school principal and respected central office leader in a large urban district in Virginia. Her published titles include Everyday Courage for School Leaders, How Leadership Works, Leader Credibility and How Teams Work, all published by Corwin. Cathy’s consulting expertise includes all aspects of school and central office leadership, school improvement, curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional development. She is a certified consultant in all facets of Visible Learning, Teacher Clarity, and a number of other Corwin service lines. Cathy served as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University, teaching graduate courses in educational leadership.

Dominique Smith, Ed D, is chief of educational services and teacher support at Health Sciences High and Middle College in San Diego, California. Smith is passionate about creating school environments that honor and empower students. His research and instruction focus
on restorative practices, classroom management, growth mindset, and the culture of achievement. Dominique also provides professional learning
to K-12 teachers in small and large groups that address classroom and school climate and organization. He holds a doctorate in educational leadership from San Diego State University with an emphasis on equity as well as a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California. Dominique also holds credentials from San Diego State University in administrative services, child welfare, PPS, and attendance.
Smith has been recognized with the National School Safety Award from the School Safety Advocacy Council. In 2018, he delivered a TED Talk
on building relationships between students and teachers.

Table of Contents

Foreword Michael Fullan xi

Acknowledgments xiii

Setting the stage: From Teacher Credibility to Leader Credibility 1

Components of Credibility 4

Not Just Teachers 14

Conclusion 20

1 Trustworthiness in Leadership 21

The Research on Trustworthiness 23

Trustworthiness and Credibility 25

What Humans Need: Autonomy 27

Leadership Practices That Convey and Derail Trust 31

Building Trust When You're the New Principal 34

Practices to Strengthen Trustworthiness 37

Conclusion 38

2 Competence: The Language and Skills of Leaders 41

The Research on Competence 43

Competence for Providing and Receiving Feedback 46

Competence in Conflict Management 48

Leadership Practices That Convey and Derail Competence 52

Competence and the Challenge of the Internal Appointment 53

Practices to Strengthen Competence 55

Conclusion 56

3 Dynamism: Passion, Excitement and Self-Confidence to Build Credibility 57

Dynamism and Self-Confidence 61

Dynamism and Source Credibility 66

Leadership Practices That Convey and Derail Dynamism 71

Practices to Strengthen Dynamism 72

Conclusion 74

4 Immediacy: Verbal and Nonverbal indicators of Relatedness 77

Verbal and Nonverbal Immediacy 80

Immediacy Through Active and Empathetic Listening 85

Immediacy Through Being There 90

The Fallacy of an Open-Door Policy 91

Immediacy Through Rounding 92

Leadership Practices That Convey and Derail Immediacy 93

Practices to Strengthen Immediacy 94

Conclusion 95

5 Forward Thinking to Be Future Ready 97

Forward-Thinking Leadership 100

Why Forward-Thinking Leadership Matters 103

Developing Your Skills as a Forward Thinker 104

How to Grow Your Future Focus 108

Why Optimism Matters to Forward Thinking 109

Forward-Thinking Leaders and the Role of Empathy 112

Leadership Practices That Convey and Derail Forward Thinking 114

Practices to Strengthen Forward Thinking 117

The Way Forward 120

Appendix: Leader Credibility Self-Assessment 121

References 129

Index 135

Editorial Reviews

The authors share relevant research, illustrations, and tools for self-reflection which can be used to impact the daily work of school leaders. By reading this book, leaders will be challenged to think more intentionally about how they build trust, competence, dynamism, immediacy, and how they become more forward-thinking.

Greenfield Exempted Village Schools - Alisa Barrett

This book offers tangible ways to build your leadership credibility and concrete methods for building strong relationships that will cultivate a culture of trust and community.

Klein ISD - Betty Zavala

I highly recommend this book. Teachers are yearning for great leadership. This book helps educational leaders analyze the skillset it takes to lead with credibility.

Okaloosa County School District - Dawn Massey

Leader Credibility is a must read for every educational leader. All too often school improvement plans and initiatives fail - not on their merits but on the credibility of the leader. Educational leaders need to be strategic about how they contribute to or derail the success of these initiatives. This book provides a frame for how to build leader credibility and provides many opportunities for structured self-reflection.

San Bernardino City Unified School District - Randy Clyde