Sustainable leadership spreads. It sustains as well as depends on the leadership of others.

Key Question:
Andy Hargreaves compared the degrees of distributed leadership to a thermometer, shown here.

The most desirable degree of distributed leadership is assertive distribution where people are:

• Steadfast and passionate about their shared purpose and values
• Stimulated by debate about important proposals
• Inclusive of resisters and involve them early
• Using processes that surface thoughtful divergence and disagreement
• Never revoking responsibilities
• Always reaffirming their goals

How can schools create structures to support assertive distribution of leadership?

Participant responses
Teacher leaders for resiliency.
School leadership teams focusing on instruction. Treating everyone as a competent leader.
Collaborative discussions built into the structure.
Create ownership of ?sustained? leadership.
PLC – learning teams
Give all participants time and opportunity to evolve and develop leadership skills.
Purposefully created teams
Get clear about where you are today – teach this thermometer.
Value other’s strengths.
Open the door to forums, debate, discussion.
Use the thermometer as a way for a group to “take its temperature”.
Time for collaboration – time for reflection.
Opportunities to learn from each other.
Training, time and understanding of structures.
Create PLC opportunities and let teacher expertise be acknowledged and fostered.
Trust, faith, allow for “not doing it my way”…it won’t be perfect.
Supportive principal/leadership.
Training.
Time with a clear focus.
Work towards win-win situations instead of win-lose. There doesn’t always have to be right-wrong, win-lose situations.