Lots of you are taking the leap into leadership.  It can be a daunting task.  Whether you are trying to be a teacher leader, assistant principal, principal or any kind of leader in any organization, these 5 strategies will assist you in making this process your bitch (slang for doing a really good job so they have no choice but to hire you).

1. Showcase your leadership abilities NOT your teaching abilities.  Too often leadership candidates get stuck in the portfolio and interview process and fall back on what they know most, teaching.  But you are not trying to get a teaching position; you are going after a leadership position.  Everything that comes out of your mouth or out onto your paper should be how you run the show.  For example, if you participate in a professional learning community, say you led that professional learning community.  If you are involved in school-based committees, then say you led those committees into decision-making processes and outcomes.  No matter what, you are the leader not the teacher.  If you have to embellish a little, that’s ok.  It’s an interview; embellish away!

2. Use important buzzwords.  In many districts the term, data driven decision-making is a buzzword.  Some districts are using professional learning communities (PLCs).  Others are talking about Common Core, student outcomes, higher-level questioning, and all types of other language.  Find out what buzzwords your district cares about and make them part of your everyday vocabulary.  Use them repeatedly in your portfolio and in your interview.  However, don’t just throw them in your conversation out of nowhere.  Understand what these words mean and how they are applied to everyday operations.  If you simply pepper them throughout your interview, you will sound like an impostor.  Chances are if you have gotten this far, you are familiar with many of the important buzzwords attached to district initiatives.  Figure out a way to work them in to your experiences and use them while you are talking or writing.

3. It’s about you not everyone else. Many people make the mistake during an interview of saying, “my principal did this with me,” and “my assistant principal did that with me.”  Guess what, your principal and assistant principal already went through the portfolio and interview process and they aren’t trying to get the job.  You are going for the job!  So it is about you, not them.  Use phrases like, “I implemented…” and, “I led the team in…” You want to be a team player, but you must say “I” in the interview more than you say “we”.  Be sure to showcase you are a team person and a team motivator, but you must show the panel or whoever is looking over your portfolio, you are the one who makes decisions and gets the job done.  In this situation, it’s all about you.

4. Use a STAR method to answer questions: Situation, Task, Action, and Result.  Whether in the interview or writing your portfolio the STAR method will cover everything the panel is looking for.  For example, if you are asked a question like, “tell us a time when you used your skills and talents to resolve a conflict,” break it down with STAR.

Situation – After noticing a very low RSVP list for an upcoming event, I discovered our computer call system did not notify our parents.  The other problem, the event was supposed to start in only a couple of days.  I knew some parents were going to be angry.  There were over 65 parents who were supposed to be notified.

Task – I needed to get the information out to these parents and take responsibility for the mistake.  But calling 65 parents would take an enormous amount of time.

Action – I enlisted the help of my most friendly and happy staff members who could call parents, tell them about the glitch and encourage them to come to the event.  I also told the staff members to amp up their customer service skills and to make it right by apologizing and taking responsibility.  We divvied up the names and got to work.  I motivated my enlisted staff members by appreciating their unique talents in customer service and their attention to detail.  They were happy to help.

Result – Some parents were annoyed they were not contacted sooner.  However, when we took responsibility and told them how important their attendance was to us, the parents softened.  The event went off without a hitch.  Staff members were proud they could help fix a problem and parents were happy they were finally informed about the even.  Most importantly, I learned to ALWAYS double check any program I am using for parent contact because sometimes malfunctions occur due to human error.

5. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AS A LEADER – This is the most important tip.  If you don’t believe it, no one will.  Go into the portfolio process excited to show people your skills.  Go into the interview with your chest puffed up and your talents gushing from your entire being.  And be friendly and happy about it.  Be relaxed in knowing you got this and you are happy to share your talents with the world through your leadership abilities.

Now get in there and make that portfolio/interview your bitch!  You are a leader, damn it!

23 Responses

    • Kathleen Jasper

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