The Spiritual Dimension of Leadership

'In this book, Paul Houston and Steve Sokolow sow seeds of wisdom that offer hope and sound guiding principles for America's educational leaders' - Richard W. Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education and former Governor of South Carolina'This book fills a troubling void in the leadership literature by highlighting the vital spiritual side of a leader's role' - Terrence E. Deal, Author Leading With Soul and Reframing the Path to School Leadership'Houston and Sokolow focus on how leaders can remain true to their core beliefs and still lead successful organizations. This should be required reading for all leaders and prospective leaders' - Vincent L. Ferrandino, Executive Director, National Association of Elementary School Principals'I can't imagine a more timely and important book for educators' - Margaret J. Wheatley, Author, Leadership and the New Science 'Houston and Sokolow have done an extraordinary job of looking beyond the traditional view of leadership to incorporate a spiritual dimension' - Dr. Gerald N. Tirozzi, Executive Director, National Association of Secondary School Principals'The Spiritual Dimension of Leadership reminds us that the job of leadership is complex, but the actions we take can be very simple and yet have a big impact' - Anne L. Bryant, Executive Director, National School Boards AssociationBusy school leaders rarely have the time to reflect on what motivates them to do the difficult work they do. The authors argue that many of the values, beliefs, and principles that guide and sustain school leaders have underlying spiritual roots. The more in touch school leaders can be with those spiritual roots, the more enlightened their leadership becomes, and the more effective they become in leading others to a better future. This book offers eight principles of enlightened leadership that, the authors suggest, are accessible to everyone. Each principle is clearly outlined, defined by several examples, and then applied to the practice of school leadership, offering ways for readers to become more mindful of enlightened leadership principles in their own work and lives.