Goals must be clear, concise and pursued with a sense of constancy that lets everyone know there will be no escape. Further, effective superintendents are communicators of the highest order. They know how to convene and persuade to get everyone aligned to the job at hand. And effective leaders are facilitators. They know how to marshal and organize resources to back up the goals.
Affective leaders have to be about the heart and soul of the organization.
They must understand that children who are hungry for food or who are starving for attention will not learn to read until those more basic needs are met. The affective leader understands that the key to communication is through people's feelings, not through their thoughts. That is why great leaders are storytellers who can use metaphor and fable to help folks anchor their thoughts to their feelings. Leaders understand that to get folks to perspire, first you have to inspire. And inspiration comes from being grounded in the spirit of the work.