•Am I open to doing things in a way other than my way?
•Am I open to hearing all perspectives? And when hearing all per-
spectives, do I honor them or shut down?
•If concepts come up at a meeting or staff session that are uncomfort-
able or confusing, do I manage my anxiety in a way that is appropriate?
•Do I want to work in a group and show that interest by exhibiting
appropriate body language?
•When communicating with other adults, do I ask for other perspec-
tives? Do I seek to understand the other points of view?
•Do I manage my impulsivity or interrupt often, inserting my point
of view at times when others want to be heard?
•Do I use positive presuppositions when coming together with a
given group—presuming positive intent and potential?
•Am I aware that I am not allowing equitable participation by talk-
ing too much at meetings or talking too little and not contributing?
What’s at Stake
When we assume new leadership positions, we have great aspirations. We
bring new energy, new insight, and a ton of passion. And then reality hits,
and the work is more than anticipated. As Terry Pearce (2000) says, “There
are many people who think they want to be matadors, only to find them-
selves in the ring with 2,000 pounds of bull bearing down on them, and
then discover that what they really wanted was to wear tight pants and
hear the crowd roar.” This is when the Habits of Mind come into play.
Wo r k i n g t o m a k e c h a n g e i n s c h o o l s i s a m e a ni n g f u l w a y t o m a k e a
life. It is what children need us to do on their behalf. Cultivating the
Habits of Mind helps us do our work in the most day-to-day and visionary
ways. Systems-savvy leaders have agendas they want to pursue, and one of
them is their own learning—asking themselves which Habits of Mind will
help them accomplish their goals. Cultivating the habits of persisting,
managing impulsivity, listening with understanding and empathy, com-
municating with precision and accuracy, and thinking interdependently
is imperative for our efforts to help schools to become places that thrive.
Harriet Lerner (2001) says
Habits of Mind for the Systems-Savvy Leader 305