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CHAPTER 8 - AUTHENTIC LEADERS USE THE POWER OF PRESENCE, AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS, AND INFLUENCE FIELDS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

Patrick Duignan
Affiliation:
Australian Catholic University, North Sydney
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Summary

If ever you become discouraged and doubt that you are positively influencing others, then know that part of you will be flying with every pilot, building with every architect, diagnosing with every doctor, creating with every artist, fashioning with every craftsman, and teaching with every teacher. More than that, part of you will be woven into the fabric of every sound marriage and every good home. You are making your way into the hearts and minds of the children and youth you teach and lead. You are leaving a very valuable legacy for future generations (Cardinal Williams, New Zealand, 2000).

I have used this inspirational quote time and again with principals and teachers to remind them of their vocation to inspire and transform the lives of students within their fields of influence. These are very evocative and motivational words that capture the potential that teachers and all educational leaders have for positively influencing all those with whom they relate and engage.

In this chapter I discuss the importance of leaders influencing others through their authentic presence in relationships and connect these, especially, to three macro challenges discussed in chapters 2 and 3 ; namely, leading in complex and dynamic organisations, leading a paradigm shift in education, and leading change. Leadership, it is argued, is essentially an influence relationship and authentic leaders generate powerful fields of influence through the quality of their presence in morally purposeful and uplifting relationships.

Type
Chapter
Information
Educational Leadership
Together Creating Ethical Learning Environments
, pp. 139 - 163
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2012

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