With interest, I read a report by someone I consider a dangerous leader. This leader has time and again projected her opinions and outlook on education without any first hand knowledge of what it takes to teach well. In so many ways, this leader seems like the kind of person who wants to rule schools without any respect or understanding of what it takes to teach a large diversity of children well. Her narrow minded, seemingly self-interest with regard to her role in the community appears to have a dangerous effect on what was a strong and successful education community.
What I know?
The individual came to the job with a strong vision for what she believed to be right and true for the school community. The individual appears to relish in her power, a power, at times, misused. The person also appears to enjoy the publicity related to her position.
Am I wrong?
Perhaps, I am. I am not listing names because I'm looking in from the outside and using this situation as a situation to think about leadership in general. In general, when ambition trumps mission, there's a problem, and in this case, the individual's ambition seems to trump the mission. She's an individual coming in from the outside with a pet peeve about education whose proving to strike out against long term, dedicated educators and an educational system. The individual appears to have a personal investment in making change in her bombastic ways.
When leaders are quick to blame one group rather than another with narrow mindedness, problems arise. Rather than look for win-win solutions, this individual appears to want to be a change agent hero, yet she doesn't have the knowledge needed or experience to make that kind of change.
I'll continue to watch this sad situation evolve--a situation where too many egos, too little knowledge, and less investment is creating a series of errors that will forever impact what was a good and positive organization. This has not been an overnight change, but a change based on a long line of poor decisions by many short-term leaders who put ambition ahead of mission. I am sad to see this happen.