8 roles of symbolic leadership

The text mentions that everyone including principals, parents, teachers, staff members, and community leaders, should be a leader. The eight roles of symbolic leadership are critical in their own right. The historian seeks to understand the social and normative past of the school. The culture is made of all events concerning the school including those in the past and present. And this is directly related to the future goals of the organization. The saying "you have to know where you've been to know where you're going" applies here. School leaders are anthroplogical sleuths. They pay attention to the culture which includes the rites, rituals, and values held by the organization. This gives tremendous insight to the path and direction of the organization. The school leader also serves as visionaries. Knowing the past and present events of the school allows the leader to clearly identify what the school can become. Not only this but visionary leaders continually identify and communicate the hopes and dreams of the school. School leaders also serve as symbols. Leaders, their actions, demeanor, communication style, etc are constantly being watched. The issues the leader tends to and their actions communicate meaning. Even the issues the leader choose not to pursue communicate what is important to them. School leaders are potters. They shape the elements of the school, always with a clear idea of what the organization will look like. School leaders are poets. Through memos, mottoes, and conversation, leaders communicate with language. When considering other symbolic roles this is important. For instance, the visionary leader will find it beneficial to effectively and poetically communicate the vision for the organization. School leaders are also actors, performing in dramas. Critical events or major transitions open up the stage for dramas to be publicly acted out. This public showing can reaffirm cultural values and beliefs which are critical to the organization. Lastly, school leaders are healers. Change is inevitable. School leaders play an important role is transitions. Their acknowledgement of special events serves as affirmation to the rituals and values of the school. Stakeholders will take their cues from how the leader chooses to celebrate or ignore key milestones.

The end of chapter 15 ends with the following: "Schools are cautious and confusing cages where teachers, principals, and students try to create pockets of safety and sanity for themselves, reluctant to leave these safe quarters for parts unknown. Schools are also storehouses of our memories. To radically transform them is not simply risky; doing so can feel like institutional homicide." This passage reflects the underlying culture of many organizations. Those in the organization may feel boxed in and afraid to go against the norm. Their is always safety in things that are familiar. It is when we try to explore places unknown that we encounter anxiety, resistance, and opposition. Whether good or bad we know the results of the status quo. However, delving into a new arena could possibly result in failure. No one wants to be associated with failure whether individual failure or institutional failure. To change inevitably means to reprogram thinking. Because schools are storehouses of our memories, this will prove a difficult task. We will have to stray from things we know and the memories of the way things use to be. It is up to the leader to create an atmosphere that welcomes change for the better.