The Triad of Leadership: Trustworthiness, Attractiveness and Expertness

John W. Gardner, author of the book “On Leadership,” defines leadership as "a process of persuasion and example by which others are motivated to take action." As school counselors, we are challenged with creating proactive, comprehensive counseling programs that advocate for and are equitable to all students while simultaneously offering mental health interventions to those students and their families. Most often, we are a single person in a school who is specially trained in mental health counseling interventions and techniques. We also continually face the challenge of advocating for our roles within a school and for the profession as a whole. To do our jobs effectively, we work to build and nurture relationships with our students, their families, fellow staff members and stakeholders beyond the confines of the school building.

The Power-Strategies Model (also called Source Credibility Theory) is a research- and evidence-based approach used by advertising companies in selling products to consumers; specifically, those with celebrity endorsements. We, too, can use this model in advocating for our comprehensive programs and our professional roles. The Power-Strategies Model posits that to influence and motivate others, effective leaders capitalize on the three following characteristics: trustworthiness, attractiveness and expertness.

As school counselors, trustworthiness means that we honor and protect the fiduciary relationships we have with our students, while also respecting the legal and ethical mandates by which we are bound. Our stakeholders need to believe that we are committed to their well-being and will honor their rights (within the limits of confidentiality). Parents and guardians need to feel that their children are cared for in loco parentis. We also work to cultivate a sense of trust with our colleagues by honoring reasonable commitments we make to them.

Attractiveness is not solely based on physical characteristics, but also includes relatability and comfort level. This is also referred to as referent power, meaning there is a high level of identification with, admiration of or respect for a person. Having a unique and highly regarded ability or skill is a fast-track to building attractiveness and referent power with others. What is the most natural way to know if your stakeholders find you "attractive"? They want to come and talk with you!

Finally, expertness is instilling confidence that we are effective at what we do, and proving competence over time. Having the appropriate certifications and credentials is the first step in being an expert school counselor. Following through on commitments is important, but doing them well is essential. When we prove to people that we can handle issues, either on our own or through consultation and collaboration, stakeholders’ perceptions of our level of expertness becomes stronger.

Unfortunately, not all stakeholders will respond to the Power-Strategies Model. One thing I have learned as a school counselor is that multitiered systems of support can apply to almost anything. Just as we use tiered interventions for our students (universal, targeted, and intensive), so too can we tier other stakeholders. Educational leadership expert Todd Whitaker classifies classroom teachers into three tiers: Superstars, Backbones, and Difficult Teachers. Although written for school administrators, this article by Whitaker offers more information on working with difficult teachers. When working with difficult parents, check out Rosalind Wiseman's “Queen Bee Moms and King Pin Dads” or visit Dr. John-Sommers-Flanagan's website for tips on How to Talk so Parents Will Listen: Strategies for Influencing Parents.

The title "school counselor" itself wields a certain level of positional power. Most people associate us with mental health but are unaware of everything a comprehensive program fully entails. Unfortunately, parents and community members may have a negative view of school counselors due to their personal experiences. As we train future school counselors to use the ASCA National Model and standardized comprehensive programs, we can advocate by defining our roles and promoting positive change for our stakeholders. The Power-Strategies Model is one evidence-based approach to help school counselors become better leaders by developing trustworthiness, attractiveness, and expertness.

Contact Matthew Tolliver, WVSCA president, at mtolliver@k12.wv.us. Complete references for this article are available on request from the author.