Blog entry by Gregory Allen

Gregory Allen
by Gregory Allen - Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 9:12 PM
Anyone in the world

I came out as an Abstract Random/Concrete Random individual as these were almost tied.  It was accurate as to my learning styles..."dislike, restrictive, & antiseptic environs" and "having their intuitive flashes & insights demeaned".  I can use insight to skip details & find the big picture and see beauty in the darkest of events & in 'diamonds in the rough'. More telling for me were to leadership results...particularly the positive results of these styles of leadership (shared vision w/in a caring, cooperative & dynamic community = where I am at presently in my teaching-Jesuit High School; and clarity of vision, continual evolution & body, mind, spirit safety = what I teach subject-wise as a theologian).  So these were affirming.  But the darker side was frighteningly accurate as well...'w/holding contributions b/c they've been demeaned or discounted', accommodating others for fear of abuse & social rejection', 'substituting personal vision for the organization's vision', 'jumping ship when the going gets tough or glamour fades'. These all speak to my dark side which I must guard against and attend to in clear self-assessment & reflection.  

The Instructional Leadership Beliefs Inventory was spot on as well, as it indicated I tend to be in a collaborative approach over 53% of the time, which is accurate.  I know my department sees my leadership as more collaborative than directive, yet I can be directive when needed.  I scored 27% on this area of leadership belief.  I feel I get more out of my department members when I focus on collaboration rather than direction.  They feel respected as professionals and USUALLY rise to the occassion.  Of course there are the times when I must be directive w/ teachers who are not successful,  not growing in their profession, and are actually harmful to the learning environment.  Here directiveness is necessary and imperative.