Focused

Understanding, Negotiating, and Maximizing Your Influence as a School Leader
Jim Watterston
Yong Zhao - University of Kansas
Focused
February 2024 | 160 pages | Corwin
Create Flyer

Purchase

eBook
ISBN: 9781071857151
Available from January 0001
Paperback
ISBN: 9781071857137
Available from January 0001

Description

Transform educational systems by zeroing in on what matters.

As schools grapple with an array of social, economic, and political challenges, education leaders must hone their focus on important tasks and learn how to navigate bureaucratic constraints, policies, and parental concerns while fostering change. This essential guide proposes that school leaders become "brave and focused," not by abandoning structures or making changes recklessly, but by understanding their influence and maximizing positive change with evidence-based decisions.

Divided into three stages, Focused addresses building a leadership paradigm for outstanding schools, discusses the most influential elements for collective success, and offers solutions to the pitfalls that frequently hinder success. Other features include:

  • Illustrative vignettes, practical examples, and stories
  • Research-based action steps to become a more focused leader
  • Focus points at the close of each chapter to support implementing a new leadership approach

Focused provides a practical guide for school leaders to successfully navigate today's complex educational systems and develop the change-makers, artisans, innovators, inventors, and civic leaders of tomorrow.

Contents

Introduction

Introduction

STAGE 1: How to Build a Leadership Paradigm for Outstanding Schools

  • Chapter 1: School Leadership: Finding the Space to do the Job Effectively
  • Chapter 2: Negotiating the Inverted Triangle of Influence
  • Chapter 3: Leading to Create a Game Plan for Success
  • Chapter 4: Leading a Renewed Purpose of Education

STAGE 2: What Are the Most Influential Elements for Collective Success?

  • Chapter 5: Leading Students
  • Chapter 6: Leading Teachers and Other Players in Schools

STAGE 3: How to Avoid the Pitfalls That Prevent Success

  • Chapter 7: Leading through Formative Accountability: Shifting the Locus of Control
  • Chapter 8: Leading for Sustainability: Embracing Disruption and Crisis

Description

Transform educational systems by zeroing in on what matters.

As schools grapple with an array of social, economic, and political challenges, education leaders must hone their focus on important tasks and learn how to navigate bureaucratic constraints, policies, and parental concerns while fostering change. This essential guide proposes that school leaders become "brave and focused," not by abandoning structures or making changes recklessly, but by understanding their influence and maximizing positive change with evidence-based decisions.

Divided into three stages, Focused addresses building a leadership paradigm for outstanding schools, discusses the most influential elements for collective success, and offers solutions to the pitfalls that frequently hinder success. Other features include:

  • Illustrative vignettes, practical examples, and stories
  • Research-based action steps to become a more focused leader
  • Focus points at the close of each chapter to support implementing a new leadership approach

Focused provides a practical guide for school leaders to successfully navigate today's complex educational systems and develop the change-makers, artisans, innovators, inventors, and civic leaders of tomorrow.

Contents

Introduction

Introduction

STAGE 1: How to Build a Leadership Paradigm for Outstanding Schools

  • Chapter 1: School Leadership: Finding the Space to do the Job Effectively
  • Chapter 2: Negotiating the Inverted Triangle of Influence
  • Chapter 3: Leading to Create a Game Plan for Success
  • Chapter 4: Leading a Renewed Purpose of Education

STAGE 2: What Are the Most Influential Elements for Collective Success?

  • Chapter 5: Leading Students
  • Chapter 6: Leading Teachers and Other Players in Schools

STAGE 3: How to Avoid the Pitfalls That Prevent Success

  • Chapter 7: Leading through Formative Accountability: Shifting the Locus of Control
  • Chapter 8: Leading for Sustainability: Embracing Disruption and Crisis
SAGE Publishing Logo

Focused

Understanding, Negotiating, and Maximizing Your Influence as a School Leader

Jim Watterston , Yong Zhao
Cancel Print

February 2024 | 160 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 01/02/2026 9781071857137 $37.95
Lifetime 01/02/2026 9781071857151 $35.00

Transform educational systems by zeroing in on what matters.

As schools grapple with an array of social, economic, and political challenges, education leaders must hone their focus on important tasks and learn how to navigate bureaucratic constraints, policies, and parental concerns while fostering change. This essential guide proposes that school leaders become "brave and focused," not by abandoning structures or making changes recklessly, but by understanding their influence and maximizing positive change with evidence-based decisions.

Divided into three stages, Focused addresses building a leadership paradigm for outstanding schools, discusses the most influential elements for collective success, and offers solutions to the pitfalls that frequently hinder success. Other features include:

  • Illustrative vignettes, practical examples, and stories
  • Research-based action steps to become a more focused leader
  • Focus points at the close of each chapter to support implementing a new leadership approach

Focused provides a practical guide for school leaders to successfully navigate today's complex educational systems and develop the change-makers, artisans, innovators, inventors, and civic leaders of tomorrow.


Table Of Contents:

  • Introduction
  • STAGE 1: How to Build a Leadership Paradigm for Outstanding Schools
  • Chapter 1: School Leadership: Finding the Space to do the Job Effectively
  • Chapter 2: Negotiating the Inverted Triangle of Influence
  • Chapter 3: Leading to Create a Game Plan for Success
  • Chapter 4: Leading a Renewed Purpose of Education
  • STAGE 2: What Are the Most Influential Elements for Collective Success?
  • Chapter 5: Leading Students
  • Chapter 6: Leading Teachers and Other Players in Schools
  • STAGE 3: How to Avoid the Pitfalls That Prevent Success
  • Chapter 7: Leading through Formative Accountability: Shifting the Locus of Control
  • Chapter 8: Leading for Sustainability: Embracing Disruption and Crisis

Recent Product Reviews:

"This book challenges and inspires leaders to maximize their impact. Its pages will be well-worn as school leaders worldwide eagerly grasp its profound insights. The book reflects the authors’ deep understanding of students' needs and offers a roadmap for leaders to meet those needs with unwavering dedication."
Emily McCarran, Head of Keystone Academy, Beijing, China
"Focused: Understanding, Negotiating, and Maximizing Your Influence as a School Leader is an enlightening, informative, and inspirational roadmap for any aspiring or experienced school leader; it tackles the seemingly overwhelming challenges facing education leaders, providing guidance and, even more importantly, well-grounded reasons for hope in our profession."
Gabriel Rshaid, Co-founder and Director, The Global School, Founder and Director, The Learnerspace
"Watterston and Zhao have given hope to school leaders looking to transform their schools. This book gives concrete suggestions on how leaders can work with students, staff, and the larger community to bring about changes now. School leaders will be energized by these ideas to improve students’ experiences and their schools."
Chris Kennedy, Superintendent of Schools, West Vancouver, Canada
"Focused shares a clear vision of where education needs to head and how leadership roles will need to change to meet that vision. It successfully integrates research, stories from the field, and a blend of current reality with future focus."
Ellen Perconti, Superintendent, Goldendale School District, Goldendale, Washington
"Watterston and Zhao articulate ways to rethink leadership—for principals and teacher leaders. The impact on students will be significant."
Dr. Peter Dillon, Berkshire Hills Regional School District, Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Recommendations