Stephen R. Covey defines leadership as “communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves.” This communication, this empowerment of others unleashes their creativity, drive, and enthusiasm–all the ingredients that nurture success and job satisfaction.
I have encountered a few educational leaders who embody such attributes. Regrettably, some other administrators embody more autrocratic, cruel traits (I call them Darth Principals). They operate out of a noncommunicative control freak zone. In such a situation, the Darth Principal makes all the decisions and the assistant principal remains unempowered and only there to to the tasks the principal does not want to do. If there are committees, they are just for show, and to make the principal a faux consensus builder. Teachers become filled with fear and resentful.