You're looking to advance your career in Educational Leadership. What tools can help you get there?

Online courses are excellent when it comes to upskilling. They can fit around your "day job" and ennable you to gain experience and insight from colleagues that you might not normally be able to meet.

To advance in educational leadership, you need strong communication skills, strategic planning abilities, knowledge of educational policies, proficiency in data analysis, adaptability to change, and a commitment to continuous learning. Additionally, building effective relationships with staff, students, and stakeholders is crucial for success in this role

The best tools are building a educational leadership career are 1) Strong will power 2) Upright Ethics 3) Right directioned efforts 4) Flexibility to a) Learn, Unlearn and Relearn b) Adopt and adapt 5) Innovative Cohesivness Rest all things/tools will be an easy cake for achieving the command over any technique or tools . Tools may keep on changing but above are imperative ingredients for achieving it

To advance in educational leadership, leveraging a blend of traditional and digital tools is essential. Embrace ongoing professional development opportunities, such as workshops, seminars, and certifications, to refine leadership skills and stay updated with industry trends. Utilize technology to enhance communication and collaboration among stakeholders, employing platforms like Google Workspace for Education or Microsoft Teams. Additionally, cultivate a robust professional network through platforms like LinkedIn, attending conferences, and joining educational leadership communities to gain insights, share experiences, and explore new opportunities.

Según mi experiencia los cursos online o cursos de corta duración logran complementar e incrementar nuestro conocimiento. Lo importante es poner en práctica todo ese conocimiento nuevo adquirido.

Building my professional network in sectors apart from education helped me a lot to diversify my strategic thinking abilities. Deep diving into what sector experts are working on, helped me integrate their experience and expertise into valuable partnerships at the school level. Teachers and students benefited immensely when they could relate in-class education to real-life problems and solutions.

There are a few others that come to mind: the Principal Training Center (or thePTC) has teacher leader and principal trainings. Harvard Graduate School of Ed has a Certificate in School Managament and Leadership that is asynchronous. Big Questions Institute (BQI) has leadership cohorts for educators who are wanting to explore Futures Thinking, they also have their Masterminds Cohorts which are opportunities to network and get support from other leaders. ECIS offers a lot of opportunities for Middle Leaders that are working in international schools, and AISH is set up for aspiring international school heads. ECIS also has a great cohort for women in leadership. If you are an aspiring leader who is BIPOC there is AIELOC and NABSE.

From the place I come from, nothing beats accolades, titles, professional affiliates, networks, anything that makes you the go to person for the field. Of course, continuous upskilling is as important, but it will always be the associations, networks, affiliates that bring you to the right path to your intended career.

Expanding your network serves a few functions. First, connecting with others in the work can enhance your own understanding of best practices and provide thought partners to bounce ideas off of. Further, an expanded network can be the folks who say your name in rooms you are not in, which in turn can increase your visibility and access to opportunities.

Keep in mind that there's a professional association for almost everything within education. Educators recognize the importance of professional development. Try to find the best fit for your industry (AI) or delivery methods (Certification) so that you can find your voice and make valuable connections in your specialization, but also so your future work can be recognized for its excellence.

As a regular poster on LinkedIn (!) I would say that social media is excellent in terms of providing thought pieces and insights. Again, the diversity of views mean that you will be able to find differing opinions and thoughts that will challenge your leadership perspectives.

It's important that you make yourself known and, principally, that people get to know your ideas and reflections regarding education, learning, and related topics. Share your own thoughtful reflections, but also curated materials and practical tools. Ensure that your content is consistently relevant, useful, and engaging. Personalized and with your unique signature style.

Mi sugerencia en este aspecto es comprender para qué uso está diseñada cada red social y actuar a partir de allí. LinkedIn es la red social profesional por excelencia, por lo cual es prioritario trabajar el networking en ella y generar contenidos que destaquen tus habilidades y conocimientos como líder. En otras redes sociales como Instagram, los contenidos audiovisuales cortos son una gran posibilidad de extender tu red profesional. Por último, puedes ser colaborador en la revista Gestión Educativa firmando tus propios artículos y llegando a una gran cantidad de directivos y tomadores de decisión en educación. Hay muchas posibilidades para darte a conocer, sólo tienes que animarte y comenzar.

Your Identity matters and social media is an excellent way to build your permission personal profile. Create quality content, keep your profile updated and ensure you follow the right people.

💎Build your network and create relationships with educational leaders by sharing your critical feedback on their posts on social media handles. Don’t forget to expand your reach by writing blogs and sharing your achievements on a regular basis.

Having participated in various accreditation programs, either internationally accreditation like CIS - Council of international schools), American (MSA - Middle States Association and Cognia) and IB - International Baccalaureate), I've come to understand that evidence is the most convincing way to demonstrate your commitment to action. Maintaining an updated resume and e-portfolio positions an educational leader uniquely, highlighting their professional skills and career growth.

To be sure that your portfolio and resume is correctly highlighted, you should differentiate it some-way from the mass: for example by using bold characters to underline the key-words you love, but also by listing the content of the portfolio by importance and results (i.e. not on a time-scale as usual)

Having an up-to-date resume and portfolio is an important aspect of advancing your career in educational leadership. This allows potential employers to see your range of experience at a glance and also allows you to showcase any skills or talents you may have. If you're unsure of how to update your resume, there are a plethora of programs and websites willing to review and give feedback on best practices to follow. These are good tools to use and the advice given may very well steer you towards a successful position.

A resume shows your skills and experience at a high level. A portfolio showcases all of those skills and experiences for someone who's already hooked. Always include a link to your portfolio in your resume so that interested parties can see what you consider your best work. Sometimes some work can't be broadly shared as part of a website and it's perfectly fine to say "only by request" or to give a description of that work if you absolutely can't share it. But for the most part let the resume be the gateway to your portfolio. You never know what in your work will resonate with their next job.

You should always be updating your resume with professional and academic accomplishments. This isn't just for when you are in a job search mode. Often things will come out of the blue, and having a well-maintained resume allows you to act quickly when opportunities arise.

Mentors and Coaches can be a useful tool to help you reach your development goals. A suitable mentor will guide you on challenges you are currently facing providing tailored and relevant feedback. Additionally, a mentor or coach can help you build your network of influence.

Acredito que liderança sem conhecimento técnico é apenas chefia. Já vi muitos ex-consultores assumirem cargos de gestão com conhecimento superficial da área usando a velha estratégia “me diz o que você faz para eu dizer que você faz errado ou me apoiar no seu conhecimento para dizer que eu implementei”. Mais que gerenciar, é preciso estabelecer afeto, gostar de gente, preocupar-se com o outro e usar sua experiência pessoal e profissional para auxiliar no crescimento de cada indivíduo da equipe. Nesse sentido, tanto mentor quanto coach são perfis que estabelecem essa relação de afetividade para abrir a relação e analisar as potencialidades de cada um, tornando a liderança algo significativo e verdadeiramente evolucional.

Having someone to walk with on your journey is invaluable. The wisdom, wit, and wonder coaches have provided me in my life made me want to coach others. What a joy and a gift to learn from each other, to give to each other.

Los programas de mentorias por parte de directores con experiencia aportan al directivo que inicia en la gestión educativa el valor de la experiencia y el know how. En la Red REDIE creamos un programa de mentoria para favorecer el desarrollo profesional del líder educativo. Te sugiero que te contactes con nosotros y te pondremos al tanto del programa. Además de nuestro programa existen otros que buscan unir a directores novatos con quienes tienen más años de ejercicio. Debemos generar más cantidad de programas de mentoring para favorecer el desarrollo de los líderes educativos.

Mentors and coaches have played a vital role in shaping my trajectory in educational leadership, offering a unique combination of support and challenge. Drawing on their wealth of experience, mentors provide crucial guidance in navigating the intricacies of the field, offering insights and direction during challenging times, enhancing my decision-making.

I was lucky to have a variety of mentors talk me through my next steps being both strategic and very harsh in their feedback. Sometimes we need to hear the worst by those who truly believe in our abilities and expect the best from us.

Finding organizations that are a fit to your aspirations and skill set is important. Trying to fit a square peg in a round hole does not do you any good as you will become frustrated and unhappy in a new position. I have found researching the position and organizations before applying can help, especially with any connections you have directly or indirectly with the organization. You can find info in various ways and if you can't, that tells you something.

Constantly seek out feedback from others, don't wait to hear from others. Ask what they've learned from you and what you can do better. But also set time aside to reflect on your own goals. Also select each mentor for their ability to give you feedback in a particular area. They are experts, but you can't expect one person to form all of your leadership feedback. Multiple advisors will help you better self assess if your career is maturing in the direction you want.

Por exemplo: O feedback coletado de professores, funcionários, pais e alunos pode ser utilizado para promover a melhoria organizacional e a eficácia da liderança educacional em uma escola ou instituição de ensino.

I recommend Self-Research to understand the diverse leadership styles and identify the one that aligns with your values and goals. I resonated deeply with the concept of Servant Leadership, viewing it not just as a role but as a 'Calling' with emphasis on serving others first and fostering a collaborative environment. Additionally, I find a connection with Situational Leadership, a concept likened to being a chameleon by a colleague. This adaptive approach aligns with my belief in the importance of flexibility and responsiveness to varying circumstances. Armed with this self-awareness, you can then feel equipped to pursue and hone the skills necessary for effective Educational Leadership.

Try following and making podcasts part of your daily routine, its a great non-invasive way to stay current and/or maybe get ahead of things. You might also find the Marshall-Memo a useful weekly periodical to help stimulate your know how and creative flow...

From my perspective, advancing in Educational Leadership requires self-reflection and a commitment to impactful action, for students and the communities. Leaders should assess their leadership skills first to examine their strengths, identify areas for improvement, understand how their actions influence and motivate others, and evaluate their ability to foster a positive, inclusive environment. This self-assessment helps ensure they can effectively drive change, support student success, and engage the community. At the end of the day, leadership is an action rather than a title.

Know yourself. Expand your strengths and work on your areas of need. Observe others who are strong and compassionate leaders. As others have said, read, take courses, have mentors and coaches. Be honest with yourself and ask others for their honest perspective. Remember who you are serving - the role of a leader is not about you, it’s about enriching the people you work with and serve. (And - If this isn’t you, think of other career options. ) The role of an educational leader is not for the faint of heart. It takes hard work, empathy and compassion, decision making skills, etc etc every single day of your career. The rewards are immense

Fundamental identificar os públicos que a escola atende e fazer movimentos de escuta com suas representações, seja de famílias, educadores e estudantes. Utilize ferramentas para sistematizar estas escutas e a leitura da realidade, como a matriz SWOT, evitando que suas percepções pessoais se sobressaiam.