Fullan, Michael. (2003). The moral imperative of school leadership. Reviewed by Damian Curley, Bishop's University (Quebec)

Fullan, Michael. (2003). The moral imperative of school leadership. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press. Pp. xvii + 88. $24.95 (Paperback) ISBN 0-7619-3873-7 Reviewed by Damian Curley Bishop's University (Quebec) January 8, 2005 Michael Fullan’s book, The Moral Imperative of School Leadership (2003) is a practical handbook for educators focusing on the pivotal role played by principals as agents of systematic change. The reader is guided through five chapters as a vision of effective systematic change unfolds. Practical, user friendly and relevant strategies are provided for reshaping culture and leadership within schools and beyond. The writer’s philosophy and advice are corroborated throughout with practical examples, case-studies and vignettes that allow the reader to experience the journey towards sustainable change through effective leadership. Fullan proclaims, “…this book is about school leadership” (2003, p. xv) and proposes that leadership with a moral purpose is the key not only to school change but also to system change. The author echoes the opinion of other notable writers such as Roland Barth and Andy Hardgreavesin championing the role played by the leader with a moral purpose. Fullan asserts that “the role of principals is to help create and sustain disciplined inquiry and action,” and wonders “what has to be done to help create and sustain in numbers school principals” (p.7). The author believes that the context around which change takes place is important and seeks to redefine the principal’s role within the school, as well as the larger school system, and the wider context of societal change. Fullan paints a bleak picture of our education system in his Preface, describing the 1990’s as a “dismal decade for the principalship”(p. xiii), when expectations piled up while leadership training and development were neglected resulting in an exodus from the profession (p. xiii).Ultimately, the author points to a brighter future, aided by a practical model which outlines a “hierarchy of moral purpose” (p.30). Later, a comprehensive six-point strategic model for transforming leadership (p. 73), supporting the devolution of authority to the principal is added. Fullan agrees with the conventional opinion that reform has swept through our education system and with it has overtaken many educators who were not able to face the added demands but could have been the people to lead the reform. Meanwhile, the methods by which change has been implemented have been ineffective causing resistance, subverting actions or apathy among educators. The result is a system not meeting required standards and left with many experienced but aging leaders and disillusioned or inexperienced teachers. Fullan advises that there is great need now for strong leaders to provoke a cultural change that will lead to the development of professional learning communities with a sustained capacity for leadership and learning. Fullan examines the power of context and asserts that if you change the context, then you can change behaviour (p.1). This is a very powerful statement but not easily realized. Fullan maintains that to change behaviour one must create a community within which new behaviours and values are nurtured. People are more likely to change in a “see-feel-change sequence” (p.2). This notion is similar to Daniel Goleman’s idea of “attunement” as opposed to “alignment” in his book Primal Leadership (2002), where he writes, “people need to see, feel, and touch the values and the vision of the organization” (p.220). Like Fullan, Goleman claims that if people find meaning in a vision they will develop a moral purpose without compromising their own dreams. Terence Deal and Kent Peterson in their book Shaping School Culture (1999) also capture this notion by stating that, “people create culture; thereafter it shapes them” (p.85). Similarly, Fullan’s hope is that leadership capacity will become reciprocal by building capacity over time, and cautions that disciplined inquiry and moral purpose are vital components for this to happen. He adds that it is important for the principal to get the right people into the right positions with a common vision. We are introduced to such terms as the “reconceptualizing leadership,” “performance training sects,” “hierarchy of the moral imperative,” and “moral compass,” “underresponsibility” and “the responsibility virus.” The author looks at the barriers faced by administrators and concludes that administrators perceive there are self-imposed barriers and system imposed barriers which he feels may cause administrators to loose their “moral compass.” Fullan wonders, despite all the research and attention being given to leadership, why are we still loosing ground (p.13) and admits that “the system is in deep trouble” (p. 24), citing underresponsibility among teachers, poor change strategies, an excessive volume of initiatives and neglect of leadership succession (p.25). The author also maintains that the idea of the principal as instructional leader is limited. This observation, while extreme, seems to be based on findings from England that showed no improvement in teacher or principal morale despite great accomplishments in literacy and numeracy between 1997 and 2002 (p.27). Fullan contends that we need to go much deeper in transforming schools, towards what he terms as “accountable, informed professional judgment” (p.27). This view is supported by Richard du Four and Robert Eaker in Professional Learning Communities at Work (1998) who state that “principals of professional learning communities lead through a shared vision and values rather than through rules and procedures” (p. 184) Fullan’s use of the model entitled “Making a Difference” (p.30), expands the idea of “going deep,” with a hierarchy of moral purpose containing four levels: first the individual, then the school, followed by region, and then society. Involvement in one or two of these levels may result in some limited change but will not be sustained. “Those making a contribution at Level 4, by definition, need to be involved in the work of the previous three levels if they are to be effective” (p. 29). The author provides a variety of examples illustrating surface-level cases that show a lack of depth, consistency or integrity, adding that schools that transcend the individual and school levels display a list of essential characteristics such as, high expectations for students; assessment data that supports student success, and encouragement of staff collaboration (p. 40). Fullan’s model is reminiscent of Steven Covey’s “Four levels of Principal-Centered Leadership with Key Principals” in his book Principal-Centered Leadership (1992). Covey identifies personal, interpersonal, managerial and organizational principles, indicating that each level is “necessary but insufficient” (p.31). Like Covey, Fullan insists that there must be involvement in all levels and also lists trust and disciplined inquiry as being key elements of the leadership model. Fullan’s model, however, goes further as it also includes societal change. This book encourages leaders to take the moral imperative on the road. Making a difference is why people get involved in teaching. Let’s go one step further and make a difference to society. Parker Palmer in The Courage to Teach (1998) pleads for a resistance to the “perverse but powerful draw of the ‘disconnected’ life” (p.35), and identifies fear as the culprit for shutting down those “experiments with truth that allow us to weave a wider web of connectedness” (p.36). Similarly, Fullan expands this notion of “disconnectedness” and asserts that there must be “lateral development” (2003, p. 47) to promote regional development and ultimately system development. This idea of lateral development that results in capacity building resonates throughout the book and neatly fits into Fullan’s practical approach to system change. Consequently, schools leaders must have the courage to realize that they can influence not only their school but also the system. The more that principals identify with this bigger picture, the more that moral purpose will become a feature of the whole system. Fullan’s guidelines for systematic change evoke many of his earlier ideas put forward in What’s Worth Fighting for in Your School (1996), but there has been an evolution. Previously, the writer seemed to accept an ineffective system. In “The Moral Imperative,” the principal takes a more central role in changing the context, and is challenged to influence the system, as well as the individual, by building capacity within the organization (capacity will lead to capacity). In dealing with how to implement the moral imperative and the ominous undertaking of transforming society, the reader is reassured that “school leadership is a collective enterprise” (2003, p.xv) and that participation in all levels will result in societal change. Fullan extends this notion further in Leadership and Sustainability (2004), where he examines what leaders at all levels can do to pave the way for large-scale sustainable reform. Unlike many contemporary books that deal with this subject, Fullan’s empathic writing style connects with educators and is interspersed with case studies and vignettes from his own research in England, Canada and the United States as well as reference to extensive research and data. One is left with a renewed belief that change can take place, and readers are encouraged and challenged to put themselves and their ideas on the line. Fullan appeals to something all educators have: the desire to do the right thing and the wish to make a difference. This book could be a great professional development tool when developing a mission for a school or organization. A mission should be something that people are willing to defend. People will defend something only if it is meaningful to them and if they truly believe they are doing the right thing. “Living” missions influence people and organizations only if the people in these organizations believe that what they are doing is right. We need to appeal to people’s moral purpose in this way to create effective organizations. After all, deep down everybody wants to leave a legacy and what greater a legacy than to create sustainable societal change? References Covey, S., (1992) Principle-centered leadership. NewYork: Franklin Covey Co. Fireside. DuFour, R. & Eaker, R., (1998) Professional learning communities at work. New York: National Educational Service. Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. & McKee, A., (2002) Primal leadership. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press. Fullan, M., (2003) The moral imperative of school leadership. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press. Fullan, M., (2004) Leadership and sustainability. (2004) Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press. Fullan, M. & Hargreaves, A., (1996) What’sworth fighting for in your school? New York:Teachers College Columbia University. Lambert, L., (2002) Beyond instructional leadership. Educational leadership. 59(8), 37-40. Palmer, P. (1998) The courage to teach. San Francisco: Jossey Bass. About the Review Author Damian Curley is Principal of Onslow Elementary School in the Western Quebec School. He is currently engaged in a Masters of Education program in Leadership at Bishop's University, Lennoxville, Quebec. He is exploring the idea of transforming school culture through shared leadership and how this approach can influence student participation in leadership and healthy activities. Other areas of research interests include evaluation and assessment, and instructional intelligence.