Purpose
Charter Members
2006-08 Network Members
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Members' Views
Inside an Institute
A Framework for Leading
Resources

A Framework for Leading
Fourteen Leadership Capabilities serve as the framework for the Leadership Institutes. These apply to every organization and help leaders build the capacity of their own organizations.

Knowing and Communicating the Core Business of the Organization
A leader's first and foremost role is ensuring that everyone in the organization knows and understands the organization's core business and primary customers.

Marketing the Need for Change
Leaders understand their internal customers' needs and interests that will cause them to commit to rather than simply comply with change.

Reframing Problems
Leaders reframe problems in new ways that lead to creative and innovative solutions.

Creating a Sense of Urgency among those whose Support Is Essential
Leaders create a sense of urgency that moves the organization from complacency to commitment.

Forging a Compelling Set of Beliefs and Communicating Vision
Leaders gain commitment to the beliefs and vision from all whose support is needed.

Establishing New Rules, Roles, and Relationships Aligned with the Core Business
As organizations begin to make systemic changes everyone's role changes in significant and challenging ways.

Managing by Results
Leaders manage by results that are aligned with the organization's beliefs and vision and cause others to be results-oriented.

Ensuring Continuity
The leader puts in place systems to ensure there is continuity of purpose—not status quo—and continuity of leadership.

Investing in Leadership Development
Leaders create ongoing opportunities for staff throughout the organization to learn and develop while continuing their own development as leaders.

Allocating Resources Strategically
Leaders broaden the view of resources—dollars, people, time, space, information, and technology—to ensure resources are allocated in alignment with the organization's beliefs and vision.

Fostering Innovation and Continuous Improvement
Leaders create structures that support innovation at all levels within the organization and the conditions that enable staff to develop the capacity to think anew.

Employing Technologies as a Transformational Tool
Leaders view emerging technologies as changing the way in which the core business of the organization does its work and produces products and services to satisfy future needs of customers.

Fostering Internal Collaboration
Leaders foster a culture that enables staff to work across boundaries within the organization and that aligns with the beliefs and vision of the organization and its core business.

Building a Sense of Community
Leaders in education-focused organizations build a sense of community and help others come to understand the role education plays in our communities.

Note: The Summit Education Initiative (SEI) recognizes the work of the Philip Schlechty Center for Leadership in School Reform, along with the BellSouth Foundation, where the 14 Leadership Capabilities were tested with a Network of reform-minded superintendents from the Southeast. The Leadership Capabilities as proposed by Philip Schlechty are discussed in his book, Shaking up the Schoolhouse, published by Jossey-Bass in 2001.