Steps to Success

Dr. Angus S. Mungal is an assistant professor at The University of Texas at El Paso. He teaches graduate courses in Diversity, Advocacy, Qualitative Methodology, and Policy Analysis.Dr. Richard D. Sorenson is professor emeritus at The University of Texas at El Paso where he served as department chairperson and director of the principal preparation program. Currently he teaches School-Based Budgeting, School Personnel, and Administrative Leadership.

Mungal and Sorenson have explored 8 Daily Steps that successful school administrators must consider to grow as instructional leaders. Steps to Success: What Successful Principals Do Every Day is a must read for any current and aspiring school administrator. The authors have navigated the murky waters of how successful school principals maneuver the challenges faced every day.

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgments List of TablesIntroductionChapter 1. Daily Step #1 – Embrace the Day – Embrace the Leadership RoleWhere Have You Been; Where Are You Going?Yes, It’s a Journey!Who Are You? Who Do You Want to Be? Where Do You Want to Go?Take Time to Think and ReflectMastering a Set of Essential Leadership Skills to Embrace Daily ChallengesEmbrace Involved ServiceInvolved Service DefinedInitiating Successful Involved ServiceEssential Elements of Involved ServiceFactors Resulting from Involved ServiceFinal ThoughtsDiscussion QuestionsCase Study Application – Chasing Lions: Embracing Involved ServiceApplication QuestionsChapter 2. Daily Step #2 – Be Organized and PreparedGetting Organized and Staying Organized – A Daily ProcessWhy Being Organized Matters: Examining the Daily BenefitsThe Top-10 Daily Habits and Routines Essential to Becoming an Organized PrincipalA Dozen Daily Principal Leadership PracticesAreas of Relevant Leadership PreparednessSuccessful Principal Preparedness AttributesBehaviors of the Organized and Prepared Principal: A Leadership AssessmentFinal ThoughtsDiscussion QuestionsCase Study Application – Prepared and Organized: One Principal’s JourneyApplication QuestionsChapter 3. Daily Step #3 – Lead, Delegate, but Never Dump! What Kind of Leader Do You Want to Be?The Situational PrincipalShared LeadershipSupporting Novice FacultyInvesting in New and Experienced FacultyIn with the New, Out with the Old: A Principal Conundrum?Delegating: A Mentoring Act, Not a Dumping ActConnecting to StudentsFrom New Principals to Successful PrincipalsEncouragement, Inspiration, and MotivationTrust but VerifyFinal ThoughtsDiscussion QuestionsCase Study Application – “And I Wanted to Be a School Principal!”Application QuestionsChapter 4. Daily Step #4 – Anticipate, Adjust, and LearnAnticipating the Work Day and Work WeekChecking the PulseMindfulnessCulture, Goals, and Honesty: Principal Guides to Better Anticipating, Adjusting, and LearningAdjusting for Everyday EventsHandling CrisesMindful of “Top-Down” Dictates and Demands: Principals on the “Frontline”Understanding Similar Events May Have Different OutcomesFinal ThoughtsDiscussion QuestionsCase Study Application – Strangers, A True Story of Principal Leadership: Anticipating, Adapting, and Learning!Principled Leadership ActionsApplication QuestionsAfterthoughtChapter 5. Daily Step #5 – Recognize, Understand, and Embrace DiversityWhat Do You Bring to the Table?Unconscious or Implicit BiasSuccessful Principals and Implicit BiasAddressing BiasThe Principalship and Marginalized GroupsCommunication: A Key to a Successful PrincipalshipJuan’s Story: “Yo Hablo Español?”Take Time to Think and ReflectSuccessful Principals Encourage Alternative Views and Embrace Opposing ViewsNever “No” but “Let’s Arrange to Meet”Successful Principals Embrace Diverse Personalities and PerspectivesHow to Work with Difficult TeachersFinal ThoughtsDiscussion QuestionsCase Study Application – What Are You Doing or What Should You Be Doing?Application QuestionsChapter 6. Daily Step #6 – Meet, Greet, and Engage in Good HumorDo This First, Every Day – Smile!Do This Next, Every Day – Meet and Greet!The People-Centered PrincipalPeople Skills: An Essential Leadership Element – What Principals Must Do Daily to Lead and SucceedThe Good Humor Man (Woman) Sells More Than Ice Cream!Final ThoughtsDiscussion QuestionsCase Study Application – Test Your People SkillsScoring InterpretationsChapter 7. Daily Step #7 – Build CapacityBuilding Capacity in EducationCapacity DefinedCar Analogy #1Successful Principals Build Capacity for Everyone’s Achievement, EverydayThe How, and By What Means?Car Analogy #2The Top 10 – 11 Capacity Building ToolsCapacity-Building and SustainabilityFinal ThoughtsDiscussion QuestionsCase Study Application – Canadian Geese: An Educational Leadership AllegoryApplication QuestionsChapter 8. Daily Step #8 – Self-Reflect, Understand the Power and Problems with Social Networking, Protect Against Cyber-Bullying, and Establish Professional NetworkingBeing ThereConfidence vs. EgoSelf-ReflectionTomorrow is Another DayEquality and EquityIn the Era of Social Media and Social NetworkingSocial Networking and Cyber-BullyingBullying and Cyber-Bullying PreventionInformal and Formal NetworksSocial Movements and Critical ThinkingAlternative Teachers with Alternative TrainingLeadership in a Changing WorldFinal ThoughtsDiscussion QuestionsCase Study Application – Cyber-StalkedThe Rub: Therein Lies the Trip!Application QuestionsReferencesIndexAbout the Authors