Developing Successful Leadership

Citation

Roberts, B.E. (2011), "Developing Successful Leadership", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 294-294. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513541111120123

Professor Brent Davies (University of Hull) and Professor Mark Brundrett (Liverpool John Moores University) bring together internationally known leadership writers to provide powerful insights into developing successful leadership in schools. The process of becoming a successful leader is a theme which Professor Davies has begun in other books, some of which I have reviewed, and some of which use some of the same writers that are in this volume. As learning and development are never static new insights are evident in the papers which are around central themes such as:

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  the strategic and moral dimensions of leading organisations;

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  developing new skill sets in leadership;

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  effective leadership for instructional and pedagogical success;

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  developing leadership.

The need for the editors to demonstrate an integrated approach has led them to look at leadership in a broader way drawing on literature in both business and management. The book is in four parts where part one deals with the development of a strategic perspective and ethical leadership. In the second part, the papers concentrate on leadership for learning, instructional leadership and the development of leadership to improve student outcomes. The third looks at developing the leadership team, entrepreneurial leadership and developing as a systems leader. Finally in part four the papers deal with leadership capital, development and inner leadership.

The headings given above are then the subject of practically based and readable papers, any one of which would be strong candidates for publication within IJEM, which has a similar pedigree for publishing papers which have a link between theory and practice. I do not intend to summarise each paper as the editors have done this very competently in the early pages. There are well known collaborators with Professor Davies, many of whom have also made significant contributions to his previous books – these include Dr Brian Caldwell, Dr Barbara Davies, Dr Dean Fisk, Dr David Hopkins, Dr Ken Leithwood and Dr Geoff Southworth.

The book is eminently readable and takes a step forward in the understanding of leadership issues and how they impact upon learning, making it suitable for the serious educator or researcher or those just wanting to unearth the mystery of good leadership in a learning environment. I can recommend it.