Politically Intelligent Leader: Dealing with the Dilemmas of a High-Stakes Educational Environment, Paperback

Today's educational leaders are often caught in a world of rising expectations and diminishing resources--the political pressures are enormous. Those in the business of education often feel ill prepared and apprehensive about their ability to deal with a high-stakes political environment. The Politically Intelligent Leader helps leaders at all levels learn more about themselves and their own political styles. It provides strategies for delivering a personal educational vision, diagnosing others' styles, and customizing strategies to influence those who can help or hinder one's organizational goals as well as providing groundwork for leaders to understand how to operate ethically with all groups--elected boards, citizen groups, unions and volunteers--during politically volatile times.

Patricia Clark White has been superintendent of three award-winning California school districts, a national and international consultant and presenter, and an executive coach to leaders dealing with political issues. She is currently a professor and Associate Dean for the School of Education at Brandman University, overseeing the doctoral program in Organizational Leadership. Thomas R. Harvey is a professor of organizational leadership in the doctoral program at the University of La Verne. He has been the dean of the School of Organizational Management and the chairman of the Department of Educational Management for fourteen years and is the author of several books including Checklist for Change; The Practical Decision Maker; Building Teams, Building People; and The Soul of Leadership. Shari L. Fox is currently an executive coach to K-12 site and district level administrators. She is also an adjunct professor and learning group leader at the University of La Verne. She had served as school superintendent prior to retirement and now finds great joy in volunteering in her grandson Payton's classroom where she can observe firsthand the "sandbox politics" that begin at an early age.