Running head: STANDARD FIVE INTERVIEW

Administrator Standard Five Interview

Pamela Harshbarger
Drake University

Note: All of the names of those interviewed have been changed to provide anonymity.

STANDARD FIVE INTERVIEW

Administrator Standard Five Interview

Iowas School Leadership fifth standard states: An educational leader promotes the
success of all students by acting with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner. In order to
articulate how this standard looks in action in a school building, I interviewed three leaders to
develop a vision of what qualities all types of leaders have. I asked the same six questions to
each leader. The number of similarities among the group was impressive, and I enjoyed
discovering the different ideas they had about leadership and ethics. I was surprised by some of
the responses and learned many things about being a leader throughout the course of our
conversations.
Similarities
There are similarities among leaders from varied organizations. During the interviews,
the word communication surfaced multiple times and in many contexts. All of the leaders
agreed that good communication is the key to managing a successful organization. Dave, a
politician who manages a team of twenty-four people, stated, Communicating clear
expectations to your team is a critical component of success. By communicating clear
expectations, a leader is able to inspire her team to reach high expectations and success. I
believe it is important for a principal to have high expectations of her staff and clearly articulate
those expectations. Gary, a principal of twenty-five years, believes that an open-door policy is
crucial for promoting healthy communication among staff members. He encourages his
employees to ask questions and share ideas. He also stated that for good communication to take
place, it is important to be available. Dave extended the open-door policy idea by saying in
addition to being there it is important to use current communication tools like e-mail, text
messages, twitter, etc. In his world of politics, changes take place rapidly and as a leader, he

STANDARD FIVE INTERVIEW

desires his staff to hear the news from him first, so he uses whatever mode of communication is
the most efficient. The pastor I interviewed, Jake, agreed that communication is important,
especially regarding the vision of the organization. Jakes church includes the vision on every
item that is printed, and his secretary states the vision of the church when she answers the phone.
He wants to ensure people are aware of the goals of the church. I believe an educational leader
must have great communication skills to share and promote her vision, too.
Most of the discussion about communication centered on their communication with staff
members, and I challenged them to share how communication can extend to the students, the
constituents, and the congregation. They agreed that communicating a positive message about
the organization is important, and this aspect of communication should include showing
appreciation for all stakeholders. I agree that everyone involved in a school systemteachers,
students, parents, community membersdeserve to understand what the vision and goals are for
the school. Keeping people informed of successes is a great way to build support for the school.
Another similarity among the leaders was their connection to the concept of fairness
when addressing the behaviors of staff members. They agreed if someone on staff does
something inappropriate or unethical, the behavior must be addressed. In addition, they believe
each situation should be handled according to the guidelines set by the institution but an
investigation should be conducted and a conversation should be held with the employee. Dave
expressed his opinion, Consider the persons character. Do they know better or was it a mistake
because they didnt know what to do in that situation? He also shared that there must be some
sort of consequenceeven a conversationotherwise the undesired behavior will continue. I
think this is applicable to the school setting regarding students and adult staff members. If the

STANDARD FIVE INTERVIEW

vision and expectations of the leader have been clearly communicated, it is important to address
the behaviors that counter those expectations.
Differences
Although the three leaders agreed that communication and fairness are important aspects
of leading, their opinions differed in other areas. Not all leaders agree on the definition and
importance of integrity, fairness and ethics. Jake, a pastor of nineteen years, believes that ethics
is the most important quality:
We need to consider not only how our actions impact those in the setting we are
in, but also how our actions affect the worldhow our use of resources affects
those around us. We have an ethical obligation to understand the environmental
impact our actions make.
In contrast, Dave expressed that fairness is the most important quality for a political leader. He
said, Constituents should get a fair-shake out of their lawmakers. Politicians need integrity
which is born out of fairness. Some politicians may be unethical, but can still be fair. I think he
is saying that the unethical behavior may be used as a means to achieve policy or the desired
results of the voters. I disagree with that practice. My beliefs are closely aligned with Principal
Gary. He believes these qualities are interdependent upon each other. If you are a leader and
treat one as more important than the other, you are setting yourself up for failure. It is
important for a school leader to conduct herself in an ethical and professional manner. This
means the principal treats her staff and students fairly, adheres to laws and board expectations,
and stays true to her values and morals to demonstrate her integrity.

STANDARD FIVE INTERVIEW

5
Surprises

Being a leader of an organization involves a lot of responsibility. I was surprised in my

interviews that each leader remarked about the importance of reflection and thanked me for the
opportunity to discuss this standard. Each of these leaders is very successful, and I believe it is
due in part to their reflective nature. Many of their answers started with the phrases, Well, first
I think about what I may have done to cause this, or I consider how my actions can impact
others before I . . . They engage in self-evaluation and change their behavior to achieve desired
results. Gary shared, When leaders can reflect on their actions and admit their mistakes they
gain respect from their staff. I believe this is a key component to being a good leader. Showing
imperfections can encourage employees to take risks with the understanding that everyone makes
mistakes.
Another surprise is the definitive answer all three leaders gave when asked how they
maintain a balance between their personal and professional life. They believe you have to be
friendlynot friends with staff and community members. I think this could be challenging if
you have worked in the same building with the same staff members and are friends with them.
Jake, the pastor said he maintains his managerial role at all timeseven while socializing with
his friends from work. I can see how becoming a leader will impact relationships. Dave stressed
the importance of reminding people that he is off the clock when he is approached outside of
work. He explained the need for balance. You dont want to blow them off, but you cant
sacrifice family time and personal time for work. The principal shared that this is one of the
most difficult tasks that an administrator faces. I will try to find balance in my leadership roles.
I was relieved to learn that each leader recognized the importance of establishing friendly
relationships with the staff, but to limit social interactions. Showing your personal side to the

STANDARD FIVE INTERVIEW

staff is an important element of being a leader and is a nice way to build integrity. Sharing
personal likes and dislikes helps people make connections and develop trust. It helps the staff to
view the leader as a friendly professional.
Big Ideas/Take Aways
At the conclusion of the interviews I had a clear idea of these three topics: boundaries are
important for maintaining a balance between your personal and professional life; be clear in
communicating your vision and values; and involve others in decision making.
In order to maintain a balance between my personal and professional life I will be careful
in how I talk to people and be cognizant of confidentiality issues. Dave reminded me that you
cant be friends and be fair when it comes to managerial issues. I think that is a good lesson to
remember. A good leader presents herself as a leader at all times.
Communicating my vision and values is a stepping stone on the way to establishing trust.
Being an example of those values and that vision to the staff is how integrity is uncovered. Gary
shared that having a vision means nothing unless your staff knows the vision and sees you
living the vision. I am not sure what my vision will be, but I do understand the importance of
communicating my vision to the staff. In order to live the vision I will need to incorporate it
into my actions, my writing and my speaking.
The third take-away is the importance of involving others in decision making. Each
leader I interviewed shared that he tries to always include others in making decisions. They
stressed the importance of listening to the staff and their ideas and then allowing them to have
input for the greater good of the organization. I believe successful leaders hire capable people in
order to develop ideas and policies to reach the goals of an organization. As a principal, it is
important to have teacher leadership teams to provide input on building decisions.

STANDARD FIVE INTERVIEW

In conclusion, the most important take-away for me came in the last words each leader
said to me at the end of our interviews. The politician said, Being a leader is great. It is
challenging, but it is rewarding. If you are confident in your ideas, others will follow your lead.
The advice from the pastor was on more of a personal level. He said, No matter what happens,
always remember that you are leading people. They have families. They have feelings. They
have ideas. Listen to them. My former principal shared this with me:
Be careful in how you talk to people. It is critical to build relationships. Make
every member of your staff feel important and recognize what they have to offer.
Dont try to be something or somebody that you are not. The best administrators
are the ones who never forget where they started.
After these interviews it is clear that in order for an educational leader to act with fairness,
integrity and in an ethical manner, she must have a clear vision, be a good communicator, engage
in reflection, and find a balance between professional and personal life.