1. The
Reluctant
Leader
1
ISABEL MORALES
U NIVERSITY OF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
November 29, 2010
“Leadership” is a concept we often resist. It seems
E DUCATION 5 2 4 :
immodest, even self- aggrandizing, to think of
LEADERSHIP
ourselves as leaders. But if it is true that we are made
for community, then leadership is everyone’s
vocation…” DR. CASTRUITA
(Palmer, 1992)

2. Why am I here?
2
“Where did you come from and
where are you going?
What makes life worth living and
work worth doing?
If you have a faith or a personal
philosophy that answers these
questions, cherish it and nourish it.”
(Bolman& Deal, 2002)

3. Where I come from
3
Boyle Heights
52.4% of residents are foreign-
born
5% of residents 25 and older have
a four-year college degree
Median household income:
$33,325
http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/boyle-heights/

4. A Change is Needed
4
 “Leadership is needed when we
discover the system is no longer
right and must figure out how to
change it.” (John Kotter, quoted
in Bolman& Deal, 1994)
 “We…are not victims of
society, we are its co-creators.”
(Palmer, 1992)

5. “Through the act of appearing fearless,
inspire others.” (Stengel, 2008)
5
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the
scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Invictus – William Ernest Henley

6. Emergent Leadership
6
 “Some people are leaders because of their formal
position in an organization, whereas others are
leaders because of the way other group members
respond to them.” (Northouse, 2007)
• Loyal and honest
• Avoid group-think and respectfully
speak my mind, even if it is the lone
dissenting voice.
• Seek others’ opinions
• I respect and value my colleagues
• Morale-booster
• Initiate new ideas

7. Servant Leadership
7
 “A servant leader is
aware that he or she is an
instrument for good, a
person who has been
given certain abilities or
gifts that are meant to be
used in helping others.”
(Keith, 1995)

8. Leadership Development
8
 Everyone can become a leader
 Belasco &Stayer’s flock of
geese analogy (1993)
 An organization should still be
able to function in my
absence.
 Ex: Yearbook

9. Ethics
9
 “Don’t rationalize your
inconsistencies” (MEChA
days)
 High Expectations &
Consistency
 Honor the leadership role you
have been given; honor the
students, & the community to
which you belong.
 No tolerance for under-
delivering, abusing
power, lying, stealing, or
cheating

10. Internal Accountability & Agency
10
Accountable leadership
 stresses the importance of agency.
 is distributed leadership.
 (Elmore, 2005)

11. My Strengths as a Leader
11
Leader-Manager Profile
 Communicating organization
direction
 Developing key relationships
 Developing the Organization
 Leadership over Management

12. Strengths:
Cognitive Frames
12
 Symbolic Frame:
culture, ritual, ceremon
y
 Human Resources:
family, relationships, h
uman needs, skills
 Structural Frame:
roles, goals, policies, en
vironment
 (Bolman& Deal, 2008)

13. Self-Actualization Strengths
13
 Freshness of Appreciation (Capacity for wonder
and awe, lack of boredom, positive outlook)
 Efficient Reality Perception (Appreciation of
unknown as source for new learning, perceiving real
world accurately, dealing with facts rather than
opinions.)
 (Bennis& Goldsmith, 1997)

14. Conflict Style
14
 My style is compromising and accommodating.
 I listen to others, can see a variety of perspectives.
 (Thomas-Killman Conflict Self-Assesment)

15. My Background: Working-
class/Mexican immigrant family
15
 “We…can offer something to
you: our experience and the
knowledge that has come
from it.” (Vaclav
Havel, quoted in
Palmer, 1992)
 Diversity & the need for
professional mentorship
 “Minorities often experienced
difficulty finding suitable
mentors.” (HBS, 1995)

16. Areas of Improvement
16
 Management (Direct
operations and
reinforcing
performance.)
 Autonomy and
Independence of
Culture and
Environment (Being
independent of others’
opinions, maintaining
stability in the face of
frustrations;
maintaining inner
serenity)

17. Areas of Improvement
17
 Political Frame: Improve at
networking and coalition-
building. Come out of my shell.
 Conflict: I need to become more
comfortable with conflict. I can
be too accommodating and
compromising when I do not
know people well enough. I need
to “stick to my guns” around
casual acquaintances.
 Implications: Surround myself
with colleagues who are strong in
the areas that I am not, so that
together, we are stronger.

18. Where to next?
18
 I love teaching and
am effective at it.
 Teaching 12th grade
civics/econ allows to
incorporate civic
engagement and
empowerment
without the pressures
of standardized
testing.
 Is it how I can best
serve my
community?

19. Goals to fulfill…
19
Isabel Morales
 Complete Ed.D.
 National Board Certification
 Admin Credential

20. What I will be doing in 5-10 years:
20
My heart belongs to youth and the teaching profession:
•Develop as a teacher-leader.
• Continue teaching high school while also teaching at the college level.
• Develop a partnership between my college students and my high school
students.
• Mentoring of students AND professionals.
• Advocacy work. (Teachers alone can’t solve social ills)

21. References
21
 Belasco, J., and Stayer, R. (1993). Flight of the Buffalo: Soaring to Excellence, Learning to Let
Employees Lead. New York : Warner Books. pp 16-23.
 Bennis, Warren and Goldsmith, Joan. (1997) Learning to Lead – Workbook on Becoming a
Leader, pp30- 36, 167-169. (material found in Reader – Unit 1)
 Bolman, L. & Deal, T. (2008). Fourth Edition. Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and
Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Bolman, L., and Deal, T.. (2002). Leading With Soul and Spirit. The School Administrator
(AASA) web edition, pp. 1-10Eicher, J. (2005) Second Edition. Leader-Manager Profile: Self
Assessment. Pennsylvania, HRDQ.
 Elmore, Richard. (2005) Accountable Leadership
 Henley, W.E. Invictus
 Keith, K.M. (1995). Call to Servant Leadership. Facilities Manager
 Monitor Company – Personal Leadership and Diversity, (1995) Harvard Business School
 Murphy, J. (1988). The Unheroic Side of Leadership: Notes from the Swamp. Phi Delta
KAPPAN, 69(9), 654-659.
 Northouse, Peter G. (2003) Fourth Edition. Leadership – Theory and Practice. Thousand
Oaks: Sage PublicatiLeading from Within: Let your life speakons.
 Palmer, P. (1992).. San Francisco: Jossey Bass. pp 73-94.
 Senge, P. (1990). The Leader’s New Work: Building Learning Organizations. Sloan
Management Review, Fall 1990, Pp. 7-23.
 Stengel, Richard. Mandela: His 8 Lessons of Leadership
 Thomas-Killman Conflict Mode Instrument
 http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/boyle-heights/