Pillars of Digital Leadership Series – Communication

This post is the first in a series that will outline the foundational elements of my new book, Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times.  It is set to be published by Corwin Press on January 14, 2014.  Currently there is a pre-publication discount of 15% for any orders before this date.  Over the next couple of weeks I will introduce what I have come to identify as the Pillars of Digital Leadership, a conceptual framework for leaders to begin thinking about changes to professional practice.  My book will focus on each of these elements as part of a change process. It will illustrate them in action through the work of practitioners and provide implementation strategies. 

Pillar #1 - Communication

If you were to look at the many characteristics that great leaders share, effective communication would be at the top of the list.  Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Dr. Marin Luther King Jr. were great leaders who could transfer a message like no other.  Each was able to achieve success in part due to his ability to effectively communicate.  You would be hard pressed to identify an effective leader who was a poor communicator.  Communication serves to provide information, convey our vision, lay out the elements of a strategic plan, promote values, motivate stakeholders, and quell perceptions that are not accurate.  It is an art that combines inter and intra-personal skills with mediums to amplify an intended message. The art of communication has not changed, but the tools that we have at our disposal to deliver our message has.

Image credit: http://juntaedelane.com/category/articles/articles-articles/marketing-research/

As society has evolved, the way in which the world communicates and interacts has as well.  Digital leaders understand that technology provides a variety of pathways to initiate two-way communication with stakeholders.  Traditional means, such as newsletters and email, no longer suffice as cornerstones to a communications strategy.  Digital leaders seize upon the opportunity presented by digital tools (i.e. social media, mobile apps, video conferencing) to meet stakeholders where they are in order to convey a message and elicit feedback on initiatives.  In a world where access to and consummation of real-time information is the norm, digital leaders adapt their strategy to become more effective communicators.  

This is not to say that traditional means are no longer important elements of an effective communications plan.  They are, but digital leaders understand that the rise of mobile devices in particular has dramatically changed the way that stakeholders receive and access information.  The most effective communicators in society today are those that continue to develop and refine traditional means while leveraging digital tools to have a more profound impact. Whether you are a principal, superintendent, or teacher improving how you communicate plays a role in your success as an educator.  

Chapter 5 in my book takes a critical look at how digital leaders communicate. It places an emphasis on the work of Joe Mazza and how he has increased community engagement through a variety of communication strategies involving technology. After reading this chapter any educator regardless of his/her role will have a collection of tools, strategies, and ideas to take his/her communications to the next level.  Digital leaders use technology to engage stakeholders in conversations.  These conversations become the building blocks to create and support meaningful relationships based on the positive messages embedded in our communications.  To put it simply, without effective communication, there’s not effective leadership.

How have you changed your communications strategy in the digital age?

Relevant Leadership for Today's Schools

Over the past three years I have, in my opinion, dramatically grown as a school leader.  The catalyst for a significant portion of this growth was my embracement of social media as a powerful leadership tool.  For me social media opened the door to a variety of pathways to enhance my ability to lead a comprehensive high school is a way that was more relevant, meaningful, and impactful.  This is what I and others now refer to as Leadership 2.0.  It is because of this evolved style of leadership that we have seen the significant change and transformation at my school on a variety of levels.  

Image credit: http://nusum.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/letting-go-for-high-performance-leadership/

I am excited to announce two specific resources available to any school leader to learn more about Leadership 2.0 for free.  The first is the Leadership 2.0 community at edWeb.net hosted by Joe Mazza and myself.  Leadership 2.0 is a professional learning community that will help school principals use Web 2.0 tools be an innovative leader, help teachers grow professionally, improve student learning, and improve communications with all stakeholders.  In a series of free webinars, live chats, and online discussions, you'll learn how free social media tools can help you:

• Expand your personal network with your principal peers.
• Help teachers engage in free online professional development.
• Motivate students by integrating technology into learning.
• Connect with parents and the community.
• Get practical how-to advice on how to get started and which tools to use.
• Learn how to support the responsible use of social media in school.

As a member of the community, you'll be invited to a free webinar and live chat each month. You'll have access to all of the recorded webinars, presentations, and resources, providing you with an online learning center you can return to at any time. The Leadership 2.0 community at edWeb.net is a place where you can post questions, start discussions, and get feedback from other principals on the issues and challenges you face in adopting these 21st century technology tools.  Our first webinar on the Fundamentals of Leadership 2.0 will take place on Tuesday October 9 at 5:00 PM EST.  You can register for this free webinar HERE.

Another opportunity for school leaders and other educators to learn more about Leadership 2.0 is through a free course created by George Couros.  Here is how George describes this course:

As administrators, learning is continuously evolving and we must be learning leaders within our organization.  But what does leadership look like in schools today?  If we are leading schools the same way that we were 20, 15, or even 10 years ago, will administrators still be relevant.

Using the Alberta Education framework for Principals, we are looking at developing leadership in schools that builds upon the fundamentals of good administration but in a continuously changing environment.  Although we will be using the Alberta Education framework, these qualities are beneficial to leaders no matter what area of the world they are in. Because of this, we have asked school administrators from all over North America to share their insights on each strand and how they effectively meet this in the context of today’s learner.

Don't miss out on these wonderful opportunities to delve more deeply into the concept of Leadership 2.0. Be sure to also follow the Leadership 2.0 hash tag on Twitter (#lead20).