Focused: Understanding, Negotiating, and Maximizing Your Influence as a School Leader

By: Jim Watterston and Yong Zhao

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Synopsis: Transform educational systems by zeroing in on what matters. As schools grapple with an array of social, economic, and political challenges, education leaders must hone their focus on important tasks and learn how to navigate bureaucratic constraints, policies, and parental concerns while fostering change. This essential guide proposes that school leaders become "brave and focused," not by abandoning structures or making changes recklessly, but by understanding their influence and maximizing positive change with evidence-based decisions. Divided into three stages, Focused addresses building a leadership paradigm for outstanding schools, discusses the most influential elements for collective success, and offers solutions to the pitfalls that frequently hinder success. Other features include: Illustrative vignettes, practical examples, and stories Research-based action steps to become a more focused leader Focus points at the close of each chapter to support implementing a new leadership approach Focused provides a practical guide for school leaders to successfully navigate today′s complex educational systems and develop the change-makers, artisans, innovators, inventors, and civic leaders of tomorrow.