The Intelligent, Responsive Leader

Steven Katz - Director, Aporia Consulting Ltd. and Faculty Member, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto
Lisa Ain Dack - Senior Associate, Aporia Consulting Ltd. and Instructor, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto
John Malloy - Director of Education, Toronto District School Board
The Intelligent, Responsive Leader
June 2017 | 192 pages | Corwin
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eBook
ISBN: 9781506386843
Available from January 0001
Paperback
ISBN: 9781506333151
Available from January 0001

Description

Jump start your roles as “learning leader” and “lead learner!”

 

Designed for leaders to learn and lead within the “middle space” between the seemingly opposing dynamics of district expectations and practitioner experience, this book advances the concept of the school as a learning organization. This innovative perspective guides leaders through an intentional, deliberate learning process to develop intelligent, responsive leadership practice. Using stories, strategies, and tools, the authors

  • Explain the power of “purposeful practice” as a methodology for getting better
  • Show how to build the requisite capacities to lead effectively via “influence”
  • Describe how to turn adaptive challenges into leadership inquiries for growth

"This important work demonstrates and reinforces the idea that continuous improvement can only come from deep, intentional, focused, and hard work on the part of everyone within an organization. While the examples are rooted within schools and school districts, this work is applicable to any organization that seeks meaningful and specific improvement in their results. This is a must-read for leaders!"

—Lynn Macan

University at Albany - SUNY, Albany, NY

Contents

Preface

  • The Rationale
  • The Focus
  • Organization
  • Reading and Using This Book

Acknowledgments

  • Publisher’s Acknowledgments

About the Authors

  • Chapter 1: The Challenge of Leading in the Middle Space
  • Beyond Intentional Interruption
  • The Centrality of Professional Learning
  • Leading in the Middle Space
  • Implementation Challenges at the Nexus of Pressures and Supports
  • Initiativitis and Literal Leadership
  • Polemics in the Middle Space
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 2: The Intelligent, Responsive School
  • The Power of And
  • Prescription and Professional Judgment
  • Intelligent Expectations
  • Responsive Conditions
  • The Relationship Between Intelligent and Responsive
  • Beyond Polemics
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 3: Intelligent, Responsive Leadership Practice
  • Leadership, Professional Learning, and Classroom Practice
  • Intelligent Leadership Practices
  • Leading an Intelligent, Responsive School
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 4: The Psychological Foundations of “Getting Better”
  • The Psychological Foundations of Leadership Learning Inquiries
  • The Psychological Foundations of Collaborative Leader Learning
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 5: Getting Better at “Influence” Through Leader Learning Inquiries
  • What Are Leader Learning Teams?
  • Leadership Learning Inquiries
  • Developing a Leadership Inquiry Question Using Our Leadership Inquiry Template
  • The “How” of a Leadership Inquiry
  • Why Sticking With the Template Matters
  • Knowing When a Leadership Inquiry Is “Done”
  • Moving Forward
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 6: Ensuring That Together Is Better
  • The Mechanics of the Leader Learning Team
  • The Ongoing Spirit of Critical Friendship
  • Our Learning Conversations Protocol: An Intentional Interruption Strategy for Enhanced Collaborative Learning
  • Toward a Preferred Future of the Intelligent, Responsive School
  • Time for Reflection

References

References

Index

Index

Additional materials

Description

Jump start your roles as “learning leader” and “lead learner!”

 

Designed for leaders to learn and lead within the “middle space” between the seemingly opposing dynamics of district expectations and practitioner experience, this book advances the concept of the school as a learning organization. This innovative perspective guides leaders through an intentional, deliberate learning process to develop intelligent, responsive leadership practice. Using stories, strategies, and tools, the authors

  • Explain the power of “purposeful practice” as a methodology for getting better
  • Show how to build the requisite capacities to lead effectively via “influence”
  • Describe how to turn adaptive challenges into leadership inquiries for growth

"This important work demonstrates and reinforces the idea that continuous improvement can only come from deep, intentional, focused, and hard work on the part of everyone within an organization. While the examples are rooted within schools and school districts, this work is applicable to any organization that seeks meaningful and specific improvement in their results. This is a must-read for leaders!"

—Lynn Macan

University at Albany - SUNY, Albany, NY

Contents

Preface

  • The Rationale
  • The Focus
  • Organization
  • Reading and Using This Book

Acknowledgments

  • Publisher’s Acknowledgments

About the Authors

  • Chapter 1: The Challenge of Leading in the Middle Space
  • Beyond Intentional Interruption
  • The Centrality of Professional Learning
  • Leading in the Middle Space
  • Implementation Challenges at the Nexus of Pressures and Supports
  • Initiativitis and Literal Leadership
  • Polemics in the Middle Space
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 2: The Intelligent, Responsive School
  • The Power of And
  • Prescription and Professional Judgment
  • Intelligent Expectations
  • Responsive Conditions
  • The Relationship Between Intelligent and Responsive
  • Beyond Polemics
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 3: Intelligent, Responsive Leadership Practice
  • Leadership, Professional Learning, and Classroom Practice
  • Intelligent Leadership Practices
  • Leading an Intelligent, Responsive School
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 4: The Psychological Foundations of “Getting Better”
  • The Psychological Foundations of Leadership Learning Inquiries
  • The Psychological Foundations of Collaborative Leader Learning
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 5: Getting Better at “Influence” Through Leader Learning Inquiries
  • What Are Leader Learning Teams?
  • Leadership Learning Inquiries
  • Developing a Leadership Inquiry Question Using Our Leadership Inquiry Template
  • The “How” of a Leadership Inquiry
  • Why Sticking With the Template Matters
  • Knowing When a Leadership Inquiry Is “Done”
  • Moving Forward
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 6: Ensuring That Together Is Better
  • The Mechanics of the Leader Learning Team
  • The Ongoing Spirit of Critical Friendship
  • Our Learning Conversations Protocol: An Intentional Interruption Strategy for Enhanced Collaborative Learning
  • Toward a Preferred Future of the Intelligent, Responsive School
  • Time for Reflection

References

References

Index

Index

Additional materials

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The Intelligent, Responsive Leader

Steven Katz , Lisa Ain Dack , John Malloy
Cancel Print

June 2017 | 192 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 01/02/2026 9781506333151 $37.95
Lifetime 01/02/2026 9781506386843 $35.00

Jump start your roles as “learning leader” and “lead learner!”

 

Designed for leaders to learn and lead within the “middle space” between the seemingly opposing dynamics of district expectations and practitioner experience, this book advances the concept of the school as a learning organization. This innovative perspective guides leaders through an intentional, deliberate learning process to develop intelligent, responsive leadership practice. Using stories, strategies, and tools, the authors

  • Explain the power of “purposeful practice” as a methodology for getting better
  • Show how to build the requisite capacities to lead effectively via “influence”
  • Describe how to turn adaptive challenges into leadership inquiries for growth

"This important work demonstrates and reinforces the idea that continuous improvement can only come from deep, intentional, focused, and hard work on the part of everyone within an organization. While the examples are rooted within schools and school districts, this work is applicable to any organization that seeks meaningful and specific improvement in their results. This is a must-read for leaders!"

—Lynn Macan

University at Albany - SUNY, Albany, NY


Table Of Contents:

  • Preface
  • The Rationale
  • The Focus
  • Organization
  • Reading and Using This Book
  • Acknowledgments
  • Publisher’s Acknowledgments
  • About the Authors
  • Chapter 1: The Challenge of Leading in the Middle Space
  • Beyond Intentional Interruption
  • The Centrality of Professional Learning
  • Leading in the Middle Space
  • Implementation Challenges at the Nexus of Pressures and Supports
  • Initiativitis and Literal Leadership
  • Polemics in the Middle Space
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 2: The Intelligent, Responsive School
  • The Power of And
  • Prescription and Professional Judgment
  • Intelligent Expectations
  • Responsive Conditions
  • The Relationship Between Intelligent and Responsive
  • Beyond Polemics
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 3: Intelligent, Responsive Leadership Practice
  • Leadership, Professional Learning, and Classroom Practice
  • Intelligent Leadership Practices
  • Leading an Intelligent, Responsive School
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 4: The Psychological Foundations of “Getting Better”
  • The Psychological Foundations of Leadership Learning Inquiries
  • The Psychological Foundations of Collaborative Leader Learning
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 5: Getting Better at “Influence” Through Leader Learning Inquiries
  • What Are Leader Learning Teams?
  • Leadership Learning Inquiries
  • Developing a Leadership Inquiry Question Using Our Leadership Inquiry Template
  • The “How” of a Leadership Inquiry
  • Why Sticking With the Template Matters
  • Knowing When a Leadership Inquiry Is “Done”
  • Moving Forward
  • Time for Reflection
  • Chapter 6: Ensuring That Together Is Better
  • The Mechanics of the Leader Learning Team
  • The Ongoing Spirit of Critical Friendship
  • Our Learning Conversations Protocol: An Intentional Interruption Strategy for Enhanced Collaborative Learning
  • Toward a Preferred Future of the Intelligent, Responsive School
  • Time for Reflection
  • References
  • Index

Recent Product Reviews:

"What I like about The Intelligent, Responsive Leader is that it gives a structure for personal and vicarious learning about the real matter of school leadership, so that these accumulated experiences and wisdom are not lost at either the personal or collegial levels."
Dr Neil MacNeill, Head Master, Ellenbrook Independent Primary School, Ellenbrook, Australia
"The information in Leading Intelligent, Responsive Schools ought to be shared with more people! Some of us have had the opportunity to work with a leadership coach, but many have not and this book levels that playing field."
Brigitte Tennis, Founder, Headmistress and 8th – 10th Grade Teacher, Stella Schola Middle School. Redmond, WA
"This important work demonstrates and reinforces the idea that continuous improvement can only come from deep, intentional, focused, and hard work on the part of everyone within an organization. While the examples are rooted within schools and school districts, this work is applicable to any organization that seeks meaningful and specific improvement in their results. This is a must-read for leaders!"
Lynn Macan, University at Albany - SUNY, Albany, NY

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