Step In, Step Up: Empowering Women for the School Leadership Journey (A 12-Week Educational Leadership Development Guide for Women)

by Jane A. G. Kise, Barbara K. Watterston

Overview

Women have incredible potential to drive change in education if they step up to lead at all levels. In Step In, Step Up, authors Jane A. G. Kise and Barbara K. Watterston guide current and aspiring women leaders through a twelve-week leadership journey. An assortment of activities, reflection prompts, and stories empower readers to overcome gender barriers to female leadership and engage in opportunities to learn, grow, and lead within their school communities.

This book will inspire you to step into educational leadership with confidence.

• Examine the need for women in leadership positions at schools and districts.
• Consider your own leadership identity and learn where to make adjustments.
• Feel empowered to overcome gender barriers, female stereotypes, and the double bind experienced by women in leadership roles.
• Gain tools and strategies for creating an action plan for effective instructional leadership in schools.
• Learn about hard and soft leadership skills and their value in educational leadership.
• Complete reflection activities to reinforce learning and professional leadership development.

Contents:
About the Authors
Introduction: The Why and How of Women's Leadership Journey
Chapter 1: Engaging Women in School Leadership
Chapter 2: Navigating Gender Barriers
Chapter 3: Finding Time for the Leadership Journey
Chapter 4: Readying Yourself for Stepping Up
Chapter 5: Taking the Path to Maturity
Chapter 6: Knowing Your Hardwired Strengths
Chapter 7: Challenging Your High-Flying and Limiting Beliefs
Chapter 8: Exploring Emotional Intelligence
Chapter 9: Making Yourself Heard
Chapter 10: Finding the Courage for Tough Conversations
Chapter 11: Encouraging More Women to Lead
Chapter 12: Crafting Your Identity as a Female Leader
A Final Note
References and Resources
Index

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781943874309
Publisher:	Solution Tree Press
Publication date:	03/22/2019
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	346,276
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

About the Authors ix

Introduction: The Why and How of Women's Leadership Journey 1

Leadership and Power 2

The Why of This Book 3

The How of This Book 5

Chapter Overview 5

How to get the Most From These Pages 7

Chapter 1 Engaging Women in School Leadership 9

Gender Archetypes, Stereotypes, and Women in Leadership 10

The Gender Gap in Educational Leadership 12

Trends in Gender and Leadership 15

Practical and Prophetic Reasons to Have More Women Leaders 18

Next Steps in the Journey 31

Step in for Further Reflection 31

Chapter 2 Navigating Gender Barriers 33

What Women Want 35

What Gets in the Way 38

What Women Can Do 44

Next Steps in the Journey 48

Step in for Further Reflection 48

Chapter 3 Finding Time for the Leadership Journey 51

So Much to Do, So Little Time 52

Brain Energy and Bandwidth 55

Fueling Your Brain 56

Balancing Your Priorities 59

Focusing Your Attention 60

Next Steps in the Journey 65

Step in for Further Reflection 65

Chapter 4 Readying Yourself for Stepping Up 67

"Why Me? I'm Not Ready!" 68

The Benefits of Becoming a Leader 69

The Pedagogical Gifts of a Good Leader 71

Collaboration and Shared Leadership 73

Leadership and Views of Power 75

Personal Leadership Resources 76

Next Steps in the Journey 80

Step in for Further Reflection 80

Chapter 5 Taking the Path to Maturity 83

Stages of Adult Development 86

Reflection on People's Capacity 92

Next Steps in the Journey 93

Step in for Further Reflection 93

Individual Contribution and Collaboration Polarity 97

Chapter 6 Knowing Your Hardwired Strengths 99

How Thinking and Feeling Preferences Impact Leadership 102

How Decision-Making Preferences Impact Leadership 105

Your Decision-Making Style and Leadership 106

Next Steps in the Journey 111

Step in for Further Reflection 111

Chapter 7 Challenging Your High-Flying and Limiting Beliefs 115

Deselect Your Default 117

Embrace Your Confidence 119

Shift Your View on Vulnerability 121

Don't Get Derailed by the Impostor Syndrome 122

Stand Tall in Your Self-Worth 124

Reach Your Potential Through Growth 126

Next Steps in the Journey 128

Step in for Further Reflection 128

Chapter 8 Exploring Emotional Intelligence 131

A Definition of Emotional Intelligence 132

Emotional Self-Awareness 135

Self-Management of Emotions 138

Social Awareness of Emotions 141

Relationship Management 144

Next Steps in the Journey 148

Step in for Further Reflection 148

EQ Components for Development 150

Chapter 9 Making Yourself Heard 153

To Be or Not to Be Assertive 154

Why Men and Women Communicate Differently in the Workplace 155

Adding the Feminine Viewpoint to Education 158

Avoiding Gendered Communication Traps 160

Next Steps in the Journey 163

Step in for Further Reflection 164

Polarity Thinking® Map for Communication Effectiveness 168

Chapter 10 Finding the Courage for Tough Conversations 169

Your Capacity for Difficult Conversations 172

When to Speak Up 173

How to Speak Up 178

Next Steps in the Journey 182

Step in for Further Reflection 183

Chapter 11 Encouraging More Women to Lead 185

A More Systematic Leadership Talent Search 188

Networks and Learning Opportunities 190

Women in School Leadership Programs 193

Mentors and Coaches 194

Readiness for the Leadership Job Search 197

Next Steps in the Journey 199

Step in for Further Reflection 199

Chapter 12 Crafting Your Identity as a Female Leader 203

Realizing That it Isn't, and It Is, All About You 203

Dealing With Leadership's Inevitable Stress 205

Determining Your Leadership Impact 206

Limiting Your Leadership Goals 207

Balancing Work and Life 210

Next Steps in the Journey 211

Step in for Further Reflection 211

A Final Note 215

References and Resources 217

Index 235

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Step In, Step Up is a must-read book for all women in education, at every level. It will help women reframe how they see themselves as leaders and break through the barriers, both internal and external, to amplifying their impact as educators. As in every sphere, we need more women challenging norms and leading change. If you've ever doubted your ability to be a powerful change agent, this book is for you."

—Margie Warrell, women's leadership advocate; author, Stop Playing Safe and Make Your Mark

"This much-needed book, Step In, Step Up, is a guide for current and aspiring women leaders to use their sense of empowerment to discover their leadership identity and overcome the gender barriers to educational leadership. Authors Kise and Watterston dynamically engage the reader in identifying with their thorough research, explicit theory, and thought-provoking ideas that have worked in practice. As the authors note, 'When women work with other women, great things can happen.' This book needs to be on every woman's bookshelf."

—Dr. Lyn Sharratt, international consultant and author

"Step In, Step Up is a practical, informative, and accessible book that provides insightful advice for women either in or contemplating a career in school leadership. Interspersed throughout the book are provocative questions to help women reflect on their values, strengths, and skills, as well as useful strategies for dealing with barriers and challenges they are likely to face as they navigate the leadership journey."

—Lisa C. Ehrich, consultant; adjunct associate professor, faculty of education, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

"Step In, Step Up is a truly inspiring book on so many levels. It is rich with research about what has historically stopped women from stepping up and what stops women now; but it certainly doesn't leave readers defeated. Instead, this helpful resource pushes readers forward with strategies for how to get into leadership, builds self-awareness, challenges limiting beliefs, and provides tools and structures readers can put in place to step up! I'm grateful to have this on my bookshelf to refer to and to share with others who are stepping into leadership."

—Jennifer Abrams, communications consultant; author, Having Hard Conversations and Swimming in the Deep End: Four Foundational Skills for Leading Successful School Initiatives

"The call to look at new ways of leadership that appropriately recognize the capabilities of females is profound and timely. In Step In, Step Up, authors Kise and Watterston cite both qualitative and quantitative evidence for their findings and recommendations. They explore notions of power in relation to society and gender, and they evidence cited acts as a call to action for better ways of doing things that free us of bias and past poor practices. We owe it to our children and the staff in our schools, as well as the countless younger women for whom this book may indeed be the difference in deciding to pursue leadership. This book helps start the discussions that are rarely encountered in schools or at system or sector leadership, involving both women and men and current and future leaders."

—Annette Rome, principal, St. Margaret's and Berwick Grammar School, Australia

"In Step In, Step Up, authors Kise and Watterston provide inspiration, information, and support to female educators who aspire to leadership roles. They present a gentle and consistent narrative, grounded in contemporary research and illustrated by real women's experiences both in the United States and Australia. This resource describes how feminine values can inspire and guide others to be bold and take risks, and provides meaningful exercises and reflection activities that take readers through a metaphorical journey to identify and celebrate who they are and what they can bring to school leadership. For me, this book is truthful and encapsulates common experiences; it validates my own experiences and leadership journey, and I believe other women will have the same reaction."

—Stacie Hansel, executive director, State Schools Performance, Queensland Department of Education, Australia

"In a changing educational landscape, with its heightened focus on differentiation, collaboration, and personal growth for learners, it is so refreshing to see that same emphasis being applied to leadership learning for women. Step In, Step Up is a true gift for aspiring women leaders in education, and I can see that it will support many women in their pathway to leadership. The richness of resources, alongside a balance of reflection and practice, will empower women to truly find their why and confidently develop an informed and personal vision of school leadership. I cannot thank the authors enough for providing a guided leadership journey for women, one we can use collaboratively, helping each other to succeed. It is truly empowering and exciting, and I can't wait to get started."

—Linda Douglas, principal, Ruyton Girls' School, Australia