Soft Leadership for Hard Times

by George A. Goens

Overview

As public schools face hard times, disenchantment and the continual barrage of criticism call for more successful schools. The "soft" sides of leadership-trust, imagination, creativity, respect, and dignity-are the critical intangibles that connects people in deep and rewarding relationships to improve the climate for children and their ability to learn. Leaders who connect with people and build exciting relationships are needed, as teachers and other educators feel the loss of public support and esteem. Soft leadership begins with an introspective inquiry into leadership and the obligation leaders have to people, purpose, and relationships. Through the use of poetry and philosophical principles, Soft Leadership for Hard Times provides practitioners with a clear understanding of relationships that touch people and connect them to their calling and purpose. It addresses the need for leadership that does not take a re-engineering and a metrical approach to creating exciting places for teachers and students. This book will be of interest to superintendents, principals, and students of leadership.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781578862528
Publisher:	R&L Education
Publication date:	06/15/2005
Pages:	182
Product dimensions:	6.15(w) x 9.01(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

George A. Goens is senior partner with GOENS/ESPARO, LLC, which works with public and private sector organizations in leadership searches, leadership development, and accountability. He also serves as an associate with the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents. In addition, he has designed two charter schools for urban youth in Milwaukee. Goens has served at all levels of public education. He taught social studies, served as assistant principal and principal at the middle school level, gained central office administrative experience as director of personnel, and served as superintendent of two Wisconsin districts for the over 13 years. He also served as an associate professor in the doctoral program in educational leadership.

Editorial Reviews

George Goens takes a new approach in defining leadership through the extensive use of poetry and metaphors and includes citations from the likes of Carl Jung and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi to reinforce his unique perspective.

School Administrator

Eschewing school leadership that consists of barking out orders and filling out forms, consultant Goens argues that approaches that do not carefully consider relationships are, in essence, doomed. He advocates an intuitive approach, built on introspective inquiry and reflection.

Reference and Research Book News