Leadership Tenets of Military Veterans Working as School Administrators.

This study investigates the leadership tenets informing veterans’ work as school leaders. Drawing on 15 interviews and surveys with military veterans working as educational leaders, the study relies on Stake’s (2006) case study method to substantiate assertions that veterans: 1) come into education without the support of a transitional program, 2) are committed to taking care of their people, 3) have a strong belief in service, 4) are influenced by leadership that they have witnessed, and 5) are equipped to manage delegating and accountability by virtue of military experiences. Examining the Military to Education Connection As the U.S. commitment to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down, over 2.8 million veterans are returning to civilian life (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, 2011). When trained, these veterans have something to offer as educators and educational leaders (Ballard, 2005; Broe, 2008, Chaparro-Ramirez, 2008; Nunnery, Kaplan, Owings, & Pribesh, 2009; Owings, Kaplan, Khrabrova, & Chappell, 2014; Owings, Kaplan, & Chappell, 2011; Owings, Kaplan, Nunnery, Marzano, Myran, & Blackburn, 2006). Examining the leadership tenets informing the work of school administrators who were in the military addresses needs in the literature calling for a better understanding of leadership, generally (Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, & Wahlstrom, 2004; Wahlstrom, Louis, Leithwood, & Anderson, 2010) and a better understanding of veterans experiences as school leaders, specifically (Ballard, 2005; Broe, 2008). This case study research seeks to contribute to this area of need through the examination of the questions: 1. What leadership tenets inform veterans’ experiences as school leaders? 2. What implications might his hold for the field of educational leadership? Conceptual Framework Understanding the leadership tenets of veterans who have become school leaders requires examination of the key principles of both military and school leadership. The sections ahead provide a conceptual framework that draws on these principles. They include explorations of Journal of Leadership Education DOI: 10.12806/V15/I3/R3 Volume 15 Issue 3 Research 99 military and school leadership, as well as comparison of the two. Examining the intersection of both leadership ideologies surfaces key differences and commonalities between the two fields, thus establishing the framework for this research. Military Leadership. The military veteran, as opposed to those who enter education from fields like sports, engineering, or business, has had a level of well-established, professional leadership training throughout their careers. As such, a brief introduction to the tenets of military leadership training is appropriate to provide insight into the foundation of military veterans who have become educators. Military leadership is often characterized as autocratic but recent research identifies leadership as more complex (Hajjar, 2013; Laurence, 2011; Taylor, Rosenbach & Rosenbach, 2009). The military can be a constantly changing, unpredictable, and uncertain environment. Members of the military are variably warriors, peacemakers, and diplomats who are responsible for analyzing and building relationships (Laurence, 2011; Hajjar, 2013). Such requirements necessitate social, emotional, and cultural intelligence (Laurence, 2011) as well as the physical and strategic acumen often associated with members of the military. So while the hierarchical structure of rank may imply a top down operationalization of leadership practices, the day-to-day realities of military leadership require a far more nuanced, and even networked, approach. It is partially for this reason that leadership preparation plays such an important part in military training. The U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps have adopted the same 11 principles of leadership (U.S. Marine Corps, 2013). Though the U.S. Air Force principles rely on slightly different verbiage, they are similar in spirit. Overall, 11 common principles comprise the foundation of leadership in the military. The 11 leadership principles include:  Know yourself and seek self-improvement  Be technically and tactically proficient.  Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates  Make sound and timely decisions  Set the example  Know your (Marines, Soldiers, Sailors) and look out for their welfare  Keep your (Marines, Soldiers, Sailors) informed.  Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your action  Ensure assigned tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished  Train your (Marines, Soldiers, Sailors) as a team  Employ your command in accordance with its capabilities (U.S. Marine Corps, 2013) If one were to substitute the word staff, faculty, teacher, or colleague in place of marine or soldier, the principles could easily be appropriate for the field of educational leadership. Contemporary Principles of Educational Leadership. Educational leadership is a key component of educational reform, and has been since the turn of the century (Fullan, 2003). No significant school reform has taken place without effective leadership (Leithwood et al., 2004). School leaders serve many functions in the organization. They provide direction, develop the people in that school, and spearhead any reorganization efforts that may be necessary to enact change (Leithwood et al., 2004). Notably, the principal’s leadership also has been shown to have Journal of Leadership Education DOI: 10.12806/V15/I3/R3 Volume 15 Issue 3 Research 100 a statistically significant effect on student learning (Marzano, Walters, & McNulty, 2005): they are second only to classroom teachers as the most important school related factor in improving student achievement (Leithwood et al., 2004; Wahlstrom et al., 2010). Marzano et al. (2005) conducted a meta-analysis of 35 years of research on the effects of principal leadership on student achievement. They found that effective principal leadership had a statistically significant effect on student achievement (Marzano et al., 2005). As part of this work they identified 21 leadership responsibilities demonstrated by successful principals. Most of these responsibilities describe interpersonal skills such as building and understanding relationships, positively rewarding individuals, and maintaining strong lines of communication with staff and students. In the next section, we describe the relationship between military and educational leadership principles (Table 1). The Relationship Between Military and Educational Leadership. In Table 1 the 21 responsibilities identified by Marzano et al. (2005) are aligned with related military principles (U.S. Marine Corps, 2013) to elucidate a bridge between educational and military leadership. The 11 leadership principles (U.S. Marine Corps, 2013) that are foundational to the military are similar in many ways with the 21 Responsibilities for School Leadership that Work as defined by Marzano et al. (2005). A comparison of these two lists shows that numerous traits, responsibilities, and characteristics appear in both educational and military leadership domains. Marzano et al.’s (2005) responsibilities can easily be connected to many principles of military leadership (Table 1). School leaders must be aware of their context if they hope to change any given situation. They must also be aware of relevant ideals and beliefs, and both internal and external resources. Leaders must be flexible as they consider which individuals or entities are best suited to help them achieve their goal. Relationships are the basis of all leadership. In order for leaders to create and sustain relationships, they must know the people that they are leading. This requires creating a fair, disciplined, and orderly system of organizational operation that acknowledges, affirms, and rewards people for their work. Trust is central to establishing these relationships. As Lieutenant General Ulmer once commented, “Trust is both the glue that holds organizations together and the lubricant that allows sustained productivity” (Taylor et al., 2009, p. 167). Individuals and groups must trust that leaders are “self aware”, knowing their “ideals and beliefs” as well as “their people”; they must also know that leaders are “technically and tactically proficient,” equipped with knowledge of individuals as well as curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices. Finally, they must be certain that their leadership trusts them enough to delegate authority to do what needs to be done. In both schools and the military, leadership is fostered through ongoing training, teamwork, communication, and evaluation. Journal of Leadership Education DOI: 10.12806/V15/I3/R3 Volume 15 Issue 3 Research 101 Table 1. U.S. Marine Corps Leadership Principles compared to Marzano, Waters, & McNulty’s 21 Responsibilities U.S. Marine Corps Leadership Principles* 1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement 2. Be technically and tactically proficient 3. Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates 4. Make sound and timely decisions Primary Concepts Seeking and reflecting on growth Knowing and practicing relevant skills and strategies Developing leadership skills, trusting subordinates with responsibility Engaging in well informed decision making Best Practices from Marzano, Waters, & McNulty’s 21 Responsibilities ** -Knowledge of curriculum, instruction, and assessment -Ideals/beliefs -Situational awareness Involvement of curriculum, instruction, and assessment Ideals and beliefs Contingent rewards Affirmation Intellectual stimulation Input Situational Awareness 5. Set the example Modeling leadership principles Visibility 6. Know your (Marines, Soldiers, Sailors) and look out for their welfare 7. Keep your (Marines, Soldiers, Sailors) informed. 8. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your action 9. Ensure assigned tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished 10. Train your (Marines, Soldiers, Sailo