President’s Letter: What Makes a Leader?

Have you ever had a principal, building supervisor or a boss who was a fantastic leader? I have been in education for many years – sometimes too many to count! And during those years, I have worked for a countless number of principals. Some good, some not so good, and some great. One in particular was an outstanding leader. Her leadership style was to lead quietly but all the while encouraging and inspiring us on her staff to do great things. Good leaders advise, educate and motivate. At the core, these are the characteristics of what makes us school counselors.

On the website We Are Teachers, Sara Lindberg states in her article, “11 Ways Your School Counselors Serve as Leaders,” that School Counselors….

• Recognize and showcase diversity
• Develop community partnerships
• Help during difficult situations
• Maintain strong home–school relations
• Maximize educational success
• Lead staff trainings
• Protect and advocate for disadvantaged students
• Use expertise to bring data to life
• Mediate difficult situations between parents/students and staff
• Organize and lead crisis response
• Empower and inspire

Think of everything you do during a normal day – all those little things and big things. We advocate for all of our students, encouraging them to do their best. We understand our students and what it takes to help them succeed. We problem solve and collaborate with others. I could go on and on. We are all leaders in our building whether we know it or not.

ASCA provides the opportunity for school counselors to grow their leadership skills through the ASCA U School Counseling Leadership Specialist program. If you are interested in furthering your knowledge of becoming a school counseling leader, I encourage you to take this course. I learned a lot about myself as a leader and what I can do to be a more effective leader. See our article on this program

So, let’s all go out there and lead! In the famous words of actress and singer Dolly Parton, “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader.”

Contact Leigh Eubanks, PSSCA president, leubanks@lexington1.net.