Jana Scott

April 6, 2016
EDAD 620
Leadership Platform Paper
Introduction
As I reflect back over the two years of my Educational Administration journey, I am
grateful for the experiences, knowledge, challenges, and friends I have encountered. I could
never have known how incredibly inspiring and motivating this program would be for me.
Through class experiences, individual and group projects, observations, school visits, and
insightful readings, I have learned far more than can be reduced to a few paragraphs. As I sift
through months of learning, three leadership principles reside with me. The three precepts I will
cherish from this experience are: leadership skills that encourage and motivate, understanding
the true impact and responsibility we have as educators, and the value of trust in relationships.
The Multiplier Concept
While most leaders want to do a great job, often their leadership style diminishes the
creativity, growth, and motivation of their staff members, according to Wiseman, Allen, and
Foster (2013). I believe each person has something to contribute, so reading a book that
exemplified this was in plenary alignment with my core values. As a leader in any capacity, I
will align my style with the Multiplier Mindset (Wiseman et al., p. 9). I will enhance and
cultivate the talent in each member at my site. I truly believe that everyone has valuable gifts
and ideas to share. I will encourage my team or staff to find their passion and find ways to grow
and share it. Passion cant be given or taught, but it can be squelched. This is why an inspiring

Talent Finder (Wiseman et al., p. 21) style of leadership is so powerful. My vision is a school
culture that will challenge the staff to celebrate each other, brainstorm solutions together, and
understand all contributions are valued and necessary. According to The Multiplier Effect
(2013), you dont get the most out of people if you just tell them what to do. You get full
effort if you help people discover opportunity and then challenge themselves (p. 77). I will
facilitate an atmosphere that inspires everyone to know their irreplaceable value on our team.
Our Impact
Having been in the educational field since 1993, I have never taken my responsibility
lightly. I understand the value of the position I have held and have been honored to be among
those who share my passion. I have always believed I can make somewhat of a difference, no
matter how small. At times when a childs home life / history was so staggeringly sad, I would
commit to helping and guiding in any way I could, but believed my influence would be
overshadowed by irreversible obstacles. Imagine my delight when I read research to show I was
wrong in this area! Research shows that of the top fifty factors that influence student
achievement, forty-six of them are within a schools control (Marzano, 2014). That is 92%! This
information reignited something in me that will stay with me forever. We cant give up on any
child. We have the responsibility and influence to impact each young life. Our students are
depending on us. We can no longer blame their home, history, parents, lack of parents, etc. We
are charged with an important calling. While historians argue whom to credit this quote, the
message is clear: With great influence comes great responsibility. This could not be more true
than in our career.

Trust in Relationships
Throughout this program, I have witnessed the value of cultivating relationships. Our
group projects offered many opportunities to share ideas with people, people who were once
strangers and who now are my friends. I am grateful for the emphasis this experience has placed
on relationships and trust. While the experiences in this program support this concept, we also
had an abundance of readings that reinforce this critical topic. When I invest in relationships and
build trust with my colleagues and staff, they will view me as credible. Kouzes and Posner
(2012) state:
When people perceive their immediate manager to have high credibility,
theyre significantly more likely to feel proud about their organization,
feel a high degree of team spirit, feel a strong sense of ownership and
commitment to the organization, and be motivated by shared values and
intrinsic factors. ( p.38)
Relationships and trust must be the foundation of everything I do as a leader. This
creates an atmosphere where people want to show up and do their best work. My relationship
and how I view myself is also vital. When my core values align with my actions, the authenticity
of my work will build credibility and trust with my staff. Because I believe in what Im doing, I
will be more trustworthy and credible to my staff.
Conclusion
My experience in the Educational Administration program over the last two years has far
surpassed any preconceived notion I had when I began. While I know I still have so much to
learn and will continue to read and challenge myself to grow, I will hold tightly to three
leadership concepts that resonate soundly with me. My leadership style will be intentional to

cultivate and enhance the talents of all my staff members, I will never forget the profound impact
I have as an educator, and I will commit to nurturing relationships, in any leadership capacity I
am given. I am grateful for the people and experiences that have changed my world in valuable
ways.
References
Kouzes, J. & Posner, B. (2012). The leadership challenge: How to make extraordinary things
happen in organizations. San Francisco, CA: Wiley Press.
Marzano, R.J., Warrick, P., & Simms, J.A. (2014). A handbook for high reliability schools: The
next step in school reformation. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Press.
Wiseman, L., Allen, L., & Foster, E. (2013). The multiplier effect. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin
Press.