Change and Democratic Leadership

    Michael Fullan listed deomcratic as a leadership style that intrigued me. I think a lot about democratic leadership and democratic classrooms. This idea resonates with my alignment with Paulo Frerie as well as trauma-informed practices. Democracy is a tenet it TIP (according to SAMHSA), and I aim to empower the people I work with and supervise to have a voice and choice in their work. In the Fullan video "6 Secrets," to leadership, Fullan shares that "transparency rules" - this is true to the aims of democratic leadership. In my current office, the supervision style of our director very much matches this idea of democracy. She is fully transparent with the information she receives from upper administration and values our opinion. Not only does she value our opinion, she also attaches weight to it; she effecively echoes and shares our concerns and voice when we are not in the room. When it comes to larger decision making, she ensures that everyone has a voice or say in the decision. Watching her leadership style has been extremely helpful in identifying the qualities I find helpful or that I admire in a successful leader.

Picture Credits: https://pixabay.com/images/id-2137449/