Where professional development is limited, schools largely rely on ‘ born leaders’. A lot depends on the agility and prowess of a rare gem of a leader. Gifted leaders tend to do things differently. They are so confident and assured. Rather than endeavouring to build a pipeline of leaders to co-manage school affairs, special and highly talented leaders hardly resist the temptation to rely solely on their own individual abilities. They literally become the alpha and omega of the institutions they are privileged to lead. To them, exceptional abilities and charisma are adequate to help them navigate, with little support, the affairs of schools. Talented leaders can sometimes have trust issues, not seeming to have faith in their charges’ abilities. This can lead to a situation in which they keep their troops on the fringes of power, especially in critical decision-making.
They are confident that they have the ability to provide appropriate leadership and apply their minds properly in the best interests of their institutions. To them, charisma matters the most. Of course, they lead as expected. However, leading does not mean standing alone like an ivory tower. But they sometimes become intransigent, reluctant to consider others’ views. This is because of the belief in the supremacy of their ideas. Strong and highly gifted leaders do not mince words when it comes to advancing students’ cause. They are task masters par excellence. Their relentless focus on classroom instruction usually pays dividends. They are capable of performing ‘miracles’ by turning around the worst-performing schools into the best-achieving schools. Here lies their strength. Nonetheless, they can push so hard that they disregard the human element. This is a limitation that can lead to resentment.
