"I am incredibly optimistic about where we are in this work." N.Y. State Commissioner John King

In Can You Listen Too Well? (Educational Leadership. 2013) Thomas Hoerr wrote,

"Listening is something all good leaders do. Sure, leaders have vision and they frame issues and they make hard decisions, but listening is what distinguishes leaders who care about the people with whom they work from leaders who are only concerned about getting the job done. Good leaders solicit input, they welcome feedback, and they take the time to hear what is being said."

Most of us who are school leaders have structures in place that help keep the lines of communication open. We may have a Principal's Advisory Council (PAC), faculty meetings, PTA and scheduled time to meet with our building level union leaders. We also schedule time with students and keep our doors open so they can come to us with a problem. If we stay focused in those conversations, and really listen, we can better meet our goals.

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