What LEADERSHIP means at the OCDSB  

Leadership is embodied by people who are able to influence those around them in a positive way. Our leaders are energetic, empathetic, motivated, trustworthy, knowledgeable, and great communicators. Our leaders share a common vision in their commitment to all students.  Our leaders understand that their role is one of support.  They lead by example, they seek input, and they listen. As an organization, we encourage and foster these qualities. In challenging and prosperous times, we are defined by the relationships we build.

What WE are doing to Embrace Leadership

The process began almost six years ago when the OCDSB brought together 25 people from all levels within the organization, from custodial staff right up to principals, parents, students and trustees, for a discussion on leadership. It got an earful. The Board heard that people didn’t feel connected, that many people felt the organization was hierarchical and they felt marginalized. So, in 2006, the OCDSB embarked on a full leadership study. It was very well received and yielded an incredible 5,000-6,000 responses. They confirmed what OCDSB had heard in its initial leadership discussion. So the Board set out to change it all.  

The study culminated in a report entitled Leadership: A School District Initiative that included recommendations for future action. As a starting point, the OCDSB recreated the definition of leadership within the organization. The new approach is in stark contrast to more traditional notions that see leadership as a structure founded upon positional authority. Essentially, the new vision is founded on three principles of inclusion and engagement:

• Each individual has unique capacities and ideas that need to be recognized.  It is one of the driving forces behind the leadership initiative. It is our responsibility to reach out, to value, and tap into each of these capacities
• By harnessing these individual capacities, the organization will be enriched and invigorated, and
• The intended result is to achieve a culture of engagement where people feel valued and supported in an environment that embraces and systematically promotes ongoing learning fostered through internal and external dialogue

As part of that culture of engagement the OCDSB has reached out to the community, beyond the walls of schools and administration, engaging people from all walks of life --- everyone from small business owners to neurosurgeons, to people who run NGOs.  We wanted to see how they ran things, to hear about the creative tools they use to effectively build their organizations. We are listening and we are learning and we are becoming better at what we do – come join us on journey of rediscovery – we need and want your help.

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www.leadthewaytocreativity.com

Find out more by viewing our "Leadership for Creativity: A School District Initiative" presentation.