Leadership & Sustainability: System Thinkers in Action [Paperback]

Michael Fullan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 141290496X | ISBN-13: 978-1412904964 | Publication Date: July 22, 2004 | Edition: 1

Fullan provides a comprehensive examination of what leaders at all levels of the educational system can do to promote large-scale, sustainable reform.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Leadership & Sustainability extends and amplifies Fullan's thinking in very powerful and practical ways, by developing a topic that hasn’t seen this kind of elegant, integrative, and comprehensive treatment before. It uses real-world examples and research literature to tackle, head on, the question of sustainability--how organizations move into the future and endure over time, as well as the equally challenging question: what about an organization is worth sustaining long term? Folks who have followed Michael Fullan's work over many years will like this book very much." (Richard Ackerman, Associate Professor, Educational Leadership )

"An ambitious and provocative journey into the complexities and possibilities that arise when leadership and sustainability join." (Roland S. Barth )

"Leadership & Sustainability is a critical breakthrough. Michael Fullan has utilized findings from some of the best research and observations in education over the past fifteen years to brilliantly illuminate the challenges of creating schools capable of continuous organic change and improvement." (James P. Comer, Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry )

"Michael Fullan has gone beyond his past research that described the change process so insightfully to a new and exciting exploration of how systems thinking and the 'long lever of leadership' can bring about deep and lasting reforms in schools and schooling. This brand of leadership for sustainability, as described by Fullan, results in the 'deep learning' that enables schools to respond successfully to the revolution in expectations they now face. This new work will both inform and inspire educators to become the 'new theoreticians' whose impact will be felt in their schools every day." (David T. Conley, Director, Center for Educational Policy Research )

"With knowledgeable savvy from both individual leadership and system transformation, and a knack for writing in 'plain-speak,' Fullan helps us understand that it will be 'leadership' (not leaders) that pave the way for great sustainability. His attempt to link abstract concepts to concrete examples of what it looks like in practice was successful." (Theodore B. Creighton, Director, Center for Research and Doctoral Studies )

"Efforts at education reform have taken us down a variety of paths, and Michael Fullan has consistently noted the importance of leadership to large-scale reform. In his latest book, Leadership & Sustainability, Fullan makes a solid case that such reform is a complex process involving many variables. Key among these variables is the relationship between leadership and sustainability." (Vincent L. Ferrandino, Executive Director )

"Michael Fullan has been among the most salient international observers of educational change over the past decade. In this book he draws upon a diverse knowledge base in a critical examination of the limitations of current education reform strategies in use around the world. He then answers his own challenge by seeking to identify what it will take to create sustainable educational reform. His approach will be of interest to a broad range of educational leaders, policymakers, and scholars." (Philip Hallinger, Executive Director, College of Management )

"While everyone is debating quick-fix reform in education, Michael Fullan sets out a compelling strategy for widespread and lasting improvement. Drawing on experience from around the world and examples at every level, Fullan brilliantly personifies the transformative theorist-in-action that he urges others to be. This book is essential. Don’t leave school without it!" (Andy Hargreaves, Thomas More Brennan Chair in Education )

"In Leadership & Sustainability Michael Fullan continues to push the edge of what we understand about improving schools on a large scale. His ideas, both provocative and practical, are well worth the attention of educational reformers, policy makers, and practitioners alike." (Kenneth A. Leithwood, Professor and Associate Dean )

"No one has contributed more to our understanding of leadership and change than Michael Fullan. Leadership & Sustainability continues that tradition--a brilliant analysis of a timely topic." (Thomas J. Sergiovanni, Lillian Radford Professor of Education )

"Michael Fullan does it again--providing yet another significant resolve to educational leadership. In an era marked by changing demographics, increased accountability, and a wave of anticipated retirements, Fullan offers a vision and a roadmap for designing and implementing strategies that can result in systemic reform in our nation’s schools." (Gerald N. Tirozzi, Executive Director )

"Fullan displays his usual and unique capacity to explain the complexity for improving schools and school systems. He provides vivid examples which illuminate the pathways for headteachers, policy makers and academics wishing to combine immediate results with long term and greater benefits. Fullan's books--and this is no exception--are for educational policy makers, practitioners and researchers what J K Rowling's Harry Potter books are for children and parents. This is one of the best and most useful." (Tim Brighouse )

"Offers practical advice to school administrators, districts, and systems to prevent the sort of backsliding that jeopardizes long-term results."

(Principal, March/April 2006 )

"A discourse on and an inquiry into how sustainability comes to be. This book sensibly and unapologetically champions humane values that were once more commonly espoused in an era before metrics gone mad and big government in education." (Teachers College Record, Vol. 108, No. 1 )

About the Author

An innovative thinker who is sought-after by institutions, publishers, and international think-tanks, Michael Fullan is special advisor on education to Dalton McGuinty, the premier of Ontario. He formerly served as dean and professor emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. He holds honorary doctorates from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and from Nipissing University in Canada.

Fullan served as dean of the faculty of education at the University of Toronto from 1988 to 2003, leading two major organizational transformations, including a merger of two large schools of education. He is currently working as adviser and consultant on several major education reform initiatives around the world.

He bases his work on research and practice on both the public and private sectors, finding an increasing convergence in this literature. He has written several bestsellers on leadership and change that have been translated into several languages. Four of his books have won book of the year awards, and his publications have been translated into several languages.

Now, Michael Fullan is offering his experience to you in an online professional development opportunity!



Visit our Professional Learning page for more information!

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Corwin Press; 1 edition (July 22, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141290496X
• ISBN-13: 978-1412904964
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #168,351 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Fullan is professor emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Recognized as an international authority on organizational change, he is engaged in training, consulting, and evaluating change projects around the world. He is the author of The Six Secrets of Change and the bestselling books Leading in a Culture of Change and Turnaround Leadership, all from Jossey-Bass.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lost in the Prose, February 26, 2006

By 

Timothy Haugh (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Leadership & Sustainability: System Thinkers in Action (Paperback)

Despite the positive reaction some of my friends had to this book, I have to say that I remain unmoved. As a whole, I find this book to be a disappointment.

Not to say that there aren't many worthwhile things to find in this book. Simply reminding readers of the importance of sustaining success (which is an entirely different animal than achieving short-term results) makes this book valuable. I am particularly interested in his assertions about the effective leader's ability to train new leaders to follow in his footsteps as an important part of sustainability.

On the other hand, this book--for all of the good things it has to say--is shockingly poor in its prose. For a book as slim as this one, it is a trial to get through. The number of numbered lists is mind-boggling as is the number of footnotes and references to others' work. Synthesis can be valuable but it should be more readable than this. In addition, Mr. Fullan makes a number of assertions that he does very little to back-up with data or specific evidence.

When it comes right down to it, this book reads like a series of platitudes about leadership that doesn't really bring its point home. Mr. Fullan may have a lot of valuable help to give but a reader will find it hard to gather it from this, even if he makes it to the end.

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't put it down, January 10, 2011

By 

mb - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Leadership & Sustainability: System Thinkers in Action (Paperback)

I bought this book for a college course. After taking a quick glance I haven't been able to put it down.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another fabulous Fullan resource, January 17, 2011

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J. Smith - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Leadership & Sustainability: System Thinkers in Action (Paperback)

I have read and used a multitude of works by Michael Fullan in my positions as an educational administrator. This book, focusing on leadership that lasts, is one I will go to again and again.