Discusses how managers can handle change and cope with stress, describes a number of books that address these issues, and relates them to library administration. Highlights include organizational change; stress reduction; human behavior and the tools of change; communication skills; leadership strategies; and the use of humor. (LRW)

When a popular high school principal was reassigned under difficult circumstances, the school's culture was torn apart. A narrative of how this happened and how the principal's successor was able to heal the rift is provided in this report. The paper provides details of the actions that led up to the board reassigning the principal and the outcry…

The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, under the direction of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, agreed to implement a professional development policy tailored to the needs of 19 participating principals their and respective urban schools in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Following an intensive job shadowing program during the…

The actions of chief executive officers (CEOs) in all fields are coming under intensified scrutiny for a number of reasons. Individuals in positions of high responsibility are increasingly faced with demands for accountability--both corporate and personal--that are relatively new to the great majority of these men and women. They are, in many…

School superintendents meet situations that range from those that require quick thinking to those that need thoughtful reflection and long-range planning. But almost every challenge requires some degree of political thinking and behavior. The authors have witnessed many school leaders get into sticky predicaments as a result of trying to maneuver…

When each new school year begins, young teachers arrive anxious they have not had adequate training to implement new instructional programs. Seasoned teachers are irritated they must adapt their teaching style yet again to meet administrators' expectations, and many administrators are daunted by the responsibility of motivating staff members,…

Romantic relationships bud and sometimes bloom in the school district workplace. When those relationships involve a sitting member of a school board or an administrator with responsibility for managing other employees, questions about a conflict of interest will be raised. Most states have laws prohibiting a public official from taking official…

Helping staff get along with each other can sometimes be more challenging than helping young children get along. A director can feel like a referee instead of a leader of professionals when staff bicker with each other. Many directors find that efforts made to strengthen everyone's skills in giving and responding to feedback help a great deal.…

Contains the author's reflections on having been, in effect, censored, that is, told that her talk at a middle school had been cancelled because of controversial struggles at the school about other books. (TB)

Discusses the child care center director evaluation process when conducted by a board of directors to enhance the director's effectiveness. Considers frequency of evaluation and assessment criteria for center and leadership and managerial objectives. Describes the evaluation process, including reorientation meetings, information gathering,…

In this article, the author relates an incident at the elementary school in Maryland where she was teaching 3rd grade at the time. After the author finally managed to get her students to read--and enjoy it--the principal insisted they watch TV instead. Odd as the accusation was, it was made even odder by the fact that her students were reading…

The management style of a school leader deeply influences the ethos of a school. To explicate the workings of power in such leaders, an analysis of education management styles is presented here. The paper works from the premise that effective and productive management styles are empowering. The text acknowledges how difficult it is to frame a…

The Kentucky Education Reform Act overhauled the K-12 system of public education in the state. Finances, curriculum, and governance were radically changed. This article looks at the leaders putting the reforms in place, providing an inside look at what reform entails. (MLF)

Considers the benefits of employee retention and performance improvement in high technology, new economy companies. Discusses attracting and retaining top talent in information technology companies; targeted recruiting and hiring; employee achievement; learning and professional growth; recognition; nurturing careers; team collaboration; the TALENT…

In this article, the author reflects on 17 years of being an administrator in a community college setting. Being a good administrator requires being both a good manager and a good leader. It is the management side that turns many people away from the position, but, linking motivational theory to the situation and meeting the basic needs of those…