Shared Educational Leadership

Why Collective Leader Efficacy Matters For years, much of the conversation about efficacy in schools has centered on teachers. Over the last few years, due to a growing body of research on the importance of instructional leadership, we believe the role of school and district leadership teams are capable of having a much deeper impact than they once did. An important question often goes unasked: What beliefs do our leaders hold about their own capacity to create change? That’s where Collective Leader Efficacy (CLE) comes in. CLE is the shared belief of a leadership team that, by working together, they can positively impact both student and adult learning. It shifts the focus from individual confidence to system-level coherence and competence. When leadership teams act with high efficacy, they align vision, actions, and evidence across schools and departments, ensuring improvement is not isolated but systemwide. Why CLE Matters The research: Hallinger & Heck (2002) found that school improvement is most likely when leaders collaborate with teachers to shape mission, improve teaching, and build shared responsibility. Leithwood & Jantzi (2008) demonstrated that collective leadership directly impacts student achievement by fostering conditions that strengthen teachers’ efficacy. Robinson (2008) showed that promoting and participating in teacher learning has the largest leadership effect on student outcomes. Christenson (2023) added that superintendent behaviors like vision-setting, collaboration, and open communication are strongly correlated with leadership cabinets’ collective efficacy. DeWitt & Nelson (2025) suggest that by develop a shared understanding, engaging in joint work, and evaluating impact, school and district leadership can have a positive impact on student and adult learning. Together, these studies show that CLE is more than a concept, it is a driver of systemwide improvement. When leadership teams believe in their shared ability to influence outcomes, they create the very conditions for teacher efficacy to flourish. And when both beliefs align, students benefit most. In our work with leadership teams, Michael Nelson and I describe CLE as a 3-legged stool: Shared Understanding – agreeing on the “why” behind the work. Joint Work – taking collective responsibility rather than working in silos? Evidence of Impact – asking, “How do we know this work is making a difference?” All three are needed to strengthen a team’s belief in their collective capacity and to ground that belief in evidence. The challenge for today’s leaders isn’t whether CLE matters, a growing body of research already suggests that it does. The challenge is this: What intentional steps will leadership teams take to cultivate collective efficacy, model it with and for teachers, and continue to evaluate their own impact instead of always expecting teachers to do that? Michael Nelson and Peter DeWitt

"Collective Leader Efficacy" by Peter DeWitt I recently finished reading Peter DeWitt's insightful book, Collective Leader Efficacy, and it’s a transformative read for anyone in educational leadership. DeWitt delves deep into the concept of collective efficacy among leaders and its profound impact on school culture and student outcomes. Key Takeaways: 1. Trust as the Foundation: DeWitt emphasizes that trust is the cornerstone of collective leadership. Without trust, collaboration falters. He provides concrete examples of how leaders can build and maintain trust within their teams, ensuring that every member feels valued and heard. Trust is not just a component—it is the bedrock that supports all other efforts in collective leadership. 2. Shared Ownership and Vision:The book highlights the critical importance of creating a shared vision and fostering a sense of collective ownership. DeWitt explains that when all team members buy into the vision and goals, they are more committed and motivated to achieve them. Shared ownership transforms a group of individuals into a united team working towards a common goal. 3. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs):DeWitt advocates for the establishment of PLCs to enhance collaboration among educators. These communities are vital for fostering a culture of continuous professional growth and shared responsibility. He outlines effective practices for setting up and maintaining PLCs that thrive on trust and mutual respect. 4. Leaders:Recognising the vital role teachers play, DeWitt discusses strategies for empowering teacher leaders. By leveraging their strengths and expertise, schools can create a more dynamic and effective leadership structure. Empowerment leads to a sense of shared ownership and accountability, crucial for sustained success. 5. Data-Informed Decision Making:The book underscores the importance of using data to inform decisions. DeWitt provides practical advice on how leaders can use data to identify areas for improvement and measure the impact of their initiatives, further reinforcing a culture of trust and transparency. 6. Sustaining Collective Efficacy: DeWitt doesn’t just stop at building collective efficacy; he also delves into sustaining it. He shares long-term strategies for maintaining momentum and ensuring that the collaborative culture endures despite challenges. Sustaining collective efficacy requires ongoing commitment to trust and shared goals. What stood out to me is DeWitt's ability to blend theory with practice. His real-world examples and actionable steps make it clear how leaders can build a cohesive team that shares a unified vision and a deep sense of trust. Collective Leader Efficacy was a fantastic read. It’s not just about leading—it’s about leading together with trust and shared ownership at the heart of every effort. Have you read it? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

🚨 Why School Leadership Is Failing Great Educators — And What Needs to Change The road to educational leadership isn’t linear—it’s jerky, filled with quiet compromises. And the cost? Passionate teachers are stepping down, burning out, or walking away. From Passion to Pressure In the past 25–30 years, many educators in India entered teaching due to circumstance—seeking work-life balance or escaping stressful jobs. Teaching became a sanctuary. But rising into leadership? Often a battlefield. The real challenge? A system still locked in 1960s-style hierarchy. Leadership That Suppresses, Not Supports Many school heads still operate in: • Top-down, command-driven modes • Masculine-dominant or gender-biased mindsets • Innovation-averse and emotionally tone-deaf models • The Transactional Leadership- task focused and compliance driven models These systems reward loyalty over creativity, compliance over collaboration. Visionary educators often face invisible ceilings—and erasure. The Burnout of Middle Leaders Middle leaders (HODs, VPs) are: • Responsible for outcomes • Powerless in decisions • Innovating, yet invisible • Burnt out between layers I’ve personally stepped into lower roles—not for lack of merit, but to escape toxic hierarchies. Toxic Styles, Real Costs Authoritarian, misogynistic, and emotionally void leadership creates compliance factories—not learning hubs. Passion fades. People flee. Hope in New Models Many schools are shifting to: • Transformational, servant, and shared leadership • Coaching-based ecosystems Here, educators rise as thinkers and changemakers. Normalize Non-Linear Journeys Leadership paths aren’t upward only. We move, pause, retreat—not in failure, but in courage. Let’s honour peace over position. Future-Ready Leadership Must Embrace: ✅ Shared power & psychological safety ✅ Emotionally intelligent decision-making ✅ Gender-equal, inclusive structures ✅ Growth over hierarchy ✅ Dialogue over dictatorship My Story. Our Story. I’ve seen both nurturing and oppressive leadership. Sometimes I rose. Sometimes I walked away. But I never stopped believing in education’s power to transform. 🚀 Let’s Rethink Leadership in Schools School leaders, ask yourself: • Am I enabling others to rise? • Do we reward innovation—bottom-up? • Are we future-ready? 💬 Share your story. 🔁 Tag someone shaping future schools. Let’s make leadership a journey of impact, not just survival.

Too often, MTSS's work is done in a central office or school leadership meetings and is not shared with all stakeholders until it is complete. I strongly advise against this practice. As you look to build an effective MTSS, ask: ▶️How can I leverage leadership practices to build shared responsibility, teacher collaboration, and family and community engagement? ▶️What can I do to ensure that the system is built with the people it serves at the forefront? Consider how you can collaborate with diverse stakeholders to build, share, and use your vision and mission statements to build motivation for change and improvement.