The Leadership Paradox: Balancing Logic and Artistry in Schools [Paperback]

Terrence E. Deal (Author), Kent D. Peterson (Author), Terrance E. Deal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0787955418 | ISBN-13: 978-0787955410

"A distinctive, playful, and insightful look at the art and craft of leading a modern-day school."
--Roland S. Barth, educator and author of Improving Schools from Within

"Reality-based cases and concepts worthy of reflection by all who are interested in improving school leadership.''
--Linton Deck, director of education and nonprofit applications, Center for Creative Leadership

"Required reading for those who are or aspire to be principals and for those who prepare, train, or supervise them."
--Laraine Roberts, director of research and development, California School Leadership Academy

Rather than view leadership and management as opposing factions, this book shows how the two ideals can serve as complements in building powerful school culture. The authors share real-life stories and examples of school leaders who have learned to adopt a bifocal approach and integrate the contradictions of their work.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"School leaders, as well as aspiring principals and observers of the principalship, will delight in this distinctive, playful, and insightful look at the art and craft of leading a modern-day school." (Roland S. Barth, educator and author of Improving Schools from Within)

"The Leadership Paradox is a book for principals, principals-to-be, and other practitioners. It provides reality-based cases and concepts worthy of reflection by all who are interested in improving school leadership.'' (Linton Deck, director of education and nonprofit applications, Center for Creative Leadership)

"The Leadership Paradox pushes our understanding of the complexity of the principal's work to new levels. It should be required reading for those who are or aspire to be principals and for those who prepare, train, or supervise them." (Laraine Roberts, director of research and development, California School Leadership Academy)

From the Inside Flap

The role of the school principal has shifted drastically in recent times. Today's principals are forced to be less concerned with developing character and more occupied with controlling behavior, moving students through the process, and sorting them into academic and vocational tracks--while also increasing scores on standardized tests. This image has brought calls for changes in the principal's role--from one that centers on providing order and efficiency to a more inspiring, value-based focus on building collaborative relationships and energetic, meaningful enterprises. But these new demands often overlook the need for managing details and coordinating complex and diverse programs and students.The Leadership Paradox shows how principals can combine the skills of administering a complex organization with sensitivity and passion--and be simultaneously efficient managers and effective leaders. Terrence E. Deal and Kent D. Peterson bring together knowledge and wisdom from organizational theory, management literature, and the experiences of practicing principals to illustrate how principals can adopt a ``bifocal'' approach--blAnding managerial tasks and other daily activities with the process of shaping a powerful, value-focused culture.The authors explain how, through a mixture of ``knowing about'' and ``knowing how,'' principals can integrate both important sides of their work. And by blAnding and harmonizing the technical and symbolic aspects of their roles, school leaders can ultimately amplify their impact on the learning and development of all their students. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 154 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787955418
• ISBN-13: 978-0787955410
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,082,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal are the best-selling authors of Leading with Soul. Bolman holds the Marion Bloch Chair in Leadership at the Bloch School of Business, University of Missouri:Kansas City. He consults worldwide to corporations, public agencies, universities, and schools. Deal is the Irving R. Melbo Professor of Education at the Rossier School, University of Southern California, and an international consultant to business, health care, military, educational, and religious organizations.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An eminently wise and practical (hand)book, January 12, 2002

By 

M. Pardee "Lifelong-Learner" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Leadership Paradox: Balancing Logic and Artistry in Schools (Paperback)

Deal and Peterson are on to a--paradoxically--simple and yet equally profound truth: leadership is a paradoxical enterprise. The heart of their analysis focuses on the false dichotomy between (left-brained) rational-technical-logical "management" and (right-brained) symbolic-artistic-passionate "leadership." As their title suggests, they wisely conclude that the most effective school leaders practice a more balanced "bifocal" approach.

Most of us probably tend naturally to prefer one of these approaches over the other. We are thus likely to recognize both ourselves and our nemeses described in the authors' discussions of the respective strengths and weaknesses inherent in these two contrasting styles. Their answer, predictably, is to encourage us to cleave to a more paradoxically-sensitive middle way, or "via media." I tend to agree.

If you happen to see life as rife with paradox and ambiguity already anyway, you are unlikely to learn anything earth-shakingly new from Deal and Peterson's account in this book. But I don't want this review to sound too ambivalent. Paradoxically, perhaps, I found this to be a thoroughly worthwhile work to read--despite its (un)remarkably (extra)ordinary thesis.

5.0 out of 5 stars The title is as the title does..., February 20, 2009

By 

B. J. Blackdeer-Mackenzie "educator and triba... (west central Wisconsin USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Leadership Paradox: Balancing Logic and Artistry in Schools (Paperback)

The Leadership Paradox provides insight into the varying degrees and criteria for decisions on how a person wants to be perceived as an educational leader. Deal states cases, all the options (this is where the paradoxical/ dichotomous writing comes in) and what certain educational leaders decided to do (since the cases were real). I happened to have this book assigned to me in a class, and (while I am a long time educational leader) the book gave me some things to think about in terms of management style extending into leadership, the mundane to spiritual aspects of leading people in schools, and reconsidering some of the options which, through time, I had forgotten as options in leadership (a person can get bogged down in the mundane). Personally, I have my own "short hand" adages, and when first reading the book I wondered why the dichotomous writing was so important. (I.e.: Wouldn't it have been more efficient to just make a statement rather than dally around in these degrees of getting things done?) But I pondered and realized that a review of leadership options is important. If nothing else, for a person that has some established management and leadership patterns, the book was useful for reconsidering the fact I do have options, and I do make choices. This book is solid professional development reading for the educational leader.

3.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration for new principals, February 16, 2002

By 

Paula (University of New Orleans Educational ... (Kenner, LA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Leadership Paradox: Balancing Logic and Artistry in Schools (Paperback)

For an aspiring principal, being able to see how to balance a school leader's roles seems very difficult. Administrators are expected to perform daily managerial tasks efficiently while at the same time provide a dynamic vision and school culture. Through reality-based cases, Deal and Peterson show that creative endeavors can allow principals to balance their seemingly dualistic roles. The Leadership Paradox offers insight into how to balance the technical and symbolic sides of the school leadership role. After reading this book, principals will be better equipped with some cognitive templates and action repertoires that will help them respond effectively to issues as both a technician and artist.