Living on the Horns of Dilemmas: Superintendents, Politics, and Decision-Making

Living on the Horns of Dilemmas: Superintendents, Politics, and Decision-Making

This book is based on the professional experiences and research findings of Drs. Litchka, Polka, and Calzi who possess a combined total professional experience of over 100 years as educators in the United States, including over 75 years as public school administrators and over 30 years as chief school officers. The authors have also spent a combined 30 plus years in researching and roles, responsibilities, and stresses of school district leadership. They are committed to appropriately preparing current and aspiring leaders to survive and thrive as superintendents. The authors know the topic of school leadership very well from both the practical "lived experiences" to the various theoretical research conceptual frameworks. This book reflects actual stories collected via their most recent research associated with school district leadership, decision-making, politics, and "living on the horns of dilemmas." According to the authors of Living on the Horns of Dilemmas, being a school district superintendent today requires the courage of a matador. Peter Litchka, Walter Polka and Frank Calzi, all professors in the field of education leadership, have compiled a series of case studies that examine problems faced by practicing superintendents in rural, suburban and urban school districts. The authors conclude each case study with a 'From the Arena' section, providing suggestions from researchers and other prominent individuals in the education field for how to handle the situation in question. They also reflect on the dilemma presented in each chapter with a series of questions for consideration, such as whether student test scores and student attendance should be part of teacher evaluation. Issues that will apply to new and aspiring superintendents are included, such as an essay on leadership versus management where they reference they include wisdom from American scholar Warren Bennis; 'Underperforming organizations are usually over managed and under-led.' When considering the difference between problems and predicaments, the authors note systemic predicaments that are unique to district organizations and therefore difficult to solve at the local level. Ultimately, the reader is reminded that the district administrator cannot do it all. As a leader in education, day in and day out you will have to make decisions - most of them fast, even in a hurry, often without sufficient data on which to lean....This book provides you a cornucopia of valuable insight, helpful advice, and intriguing examples of how to face the many dilemmas of your job. In an equally-measured mix of systemic research and anecdotal evidence, this book analyzes and exemplifies the main dilemmas you will have to confront like a matador with the bull in a Spanish arena....There are no simple solutions, but this book definitely will help you to make better decisions. You still have to keep an adventurous attitude, but as Helen Keller wrote, "Life is either a daring adventure - or nothing." As I read various stories of the book, it wasn't memories of circumstances that came back to my mind - it was the emotions of feeling completely alone as a leader! Making decisions, tough decisions, is the responsibility of the superintendent, and there is rarely one right answer. No matter how sure and confident a superintendent is in making decisions, there are always unintended and unpredictable consequences. In Living on the Horns of Dilemmas, Polka, Litchka, and Calzi capture the complexity and challenges inherent in the decision-making processes that superintendents face. They creatively use case studies that are relevant and real to guide the reader to reflect on the challenges of the superintendency. Few authors can capture the human side of the superintendency with such sensitivity and understanding as with this book. It's refreshing to have a book on leadership so grounded in practice and, in fact, written by 'three wise men' who have 'been there and done that.' Not only have they lived to tell the tale of the school superintendent, but they're able to add the lens of the university professor, having all taught at that level on educational leadership. For practicing school superintendents, there is a refreshing message here that simplicity isn't bad, clarity can be achieved, and that others share very similar challenges (and rewards). Decision-making is outlined as the heart of the role, with trust and the psychology of trust as key human dimensions that are critical in determining whether important school board decisions are likely to bring about change. Rooted in the reality of the superintendent position, there is a knowledge and understanding that, unfortunately, not all dilemmas have an obvious, immediate, or perhaps any 'win-win' outcome. School superintendents will see their reality reflected in these pages through a healthy dose of real-life scenarios, along with the added value of practical and grounding reflections on how to deal with the