The International Schools Review Forum

What traits do you look for in a boss?

What are indications that they are helping you grow as a professional?

What are indications that they not concerned with your professional growth?

Do they have time for you? Time to answer questions, explain decisions, discuss ideas? Do they offer opportunities to be part of the big picture and develop your skills/knowledge? Like being part of policy and curriculum development? Like providing a partner or mentor for peer support and mutual development? Are they brave enough to disagree with you, not give you what you want even though you know they like you, and tell you when you’re wrong so you can grow?

Do they have the an alytical skills and quantitative thinking to solve difficult problems? Or do they simply evade such questions giving excuses? Leadership requires strong higher order thinking to address complex structural issues and not everyone is cut out for it. They also have a good ear and more or less, keep their word.
Here are some indicators that they don't care about your professional growth:
Send generic emails about P.D.
Don't appreciate teachers' hard work and achievements.
Intentionally delay your references or write superficial ones.
Promise the moon during the interview and forget everything after you land on campus.

Its somewhat of a Resigio Effect, but how much coin and in what form they actually provide for PD. How they handle and address that usually summarizes how they address and handle everything else.

1. I want a boss who doesn't let her friendships with staff dictate her decisions. I want a boss who treats people equally, without giving special treatment to personal friends.

2. I want a boss who understands the amount of time it takes to plan and grade. I want a boss who doesn't call meetings for the sake of having a meeting, but uses time efficiently and knows what information belongs in a meeting and what can be an email.

3. I want a boss who knows her own limitations and understands that sometimes teachers have good ideas and input. I want a boss who doesn't pretend to know everything or talk down to teachers.

4. I want a boss who doesn't automatically support parents over teachers in a conflict.

5. I want a boss who wants teachers to have a good work/life balance.

6. I want a boss who remembers conversations with teachers and doesn't forget promises or details.

@angelica1981
That's a great list!

It is !

I'm particularly a fan of number 1.

Should be so incompetent that SLT replaces them with me.

While I do think they mean well, they really do not have time for me. They even forget to do the yearly observations. Weeks go by without an authentic conversation. I know they are busy and all, but I am use to having really good bosses, so I am use to a higher standard and much better relationship. It is what I bring as well, and unfortunately when I am not treated that well, it is a real challenge to show up authentically.

They have cut me out of the bigger picture, even though we are supposedly on the same team. I am not sure what to think anymore. They have lied to me, and I did need to address it. Ever since then I have been cut out of the picture.

Regardless, I am learning some interesting skills in terms of emotional management, so I guess I am technically still learning something!

What I really liked about my previous boss is how he was able to admit to being wrong about things.
Some bosses will keep pushing ideas that are clearly not working just because they came up with it.

Illiane_Blues wrote:
> Some bosses will keep pushing ideas that are clearly not working just
> because they came up with it.


Or because they're writing a paper on it for their doctorate . . .