Christian co-Leadership

DEVELOPING A THEOLOGY OF CHRISTIAN CO-LEADERSHIP IN AN ERA OF GROWING COLLABORATION AND FEDERATION AMONG SCHOOLS:

We aim to expand our view of Christian Leadership which promotes:

- a style of leading which seeks to collaborate with others as partner and companion in achieving the mission of the community

- the power of a cooperative approach, a working with, rather than over, being the way in which leadership is exercised and experienced

- leadership which is a team effort and affirms the power of working together, rather than a dominant style of leadership which is based on a leader/follower mode of operation

- the formation of reflective, collaborative leadership teams which are crucial to our existence as Catholic communities

- leadership as a ministry: a consequence of taking Baptism seriously; part of the distinctive nature of Catholic schools and Catholic education in the future as formal collaborations and formal federations extend across the sector

- leadership which is built on trust; and replaces control with interdependence

- a risky style of leadership, because working together exposes members to being misunderstood, rejected or hurt.

We believe that it is potentially dangerous for Catholic schools and indeed parishes to ‘drift’ into formal collaborations and federations without a Christian consideration and understanding of collaborative leadership rooted in Trinity and the model of Jesus as servant leader. We acknowledge that given appropriate opportunities for reflection and discernment, formal collaboration and federation among schools will become the norm for the Catholic community. We see this as a most effective way forward of further deepening the quality of Catholic schools as part of the mission of the Church in nurturing human wholeness; serving the common good and contributing to social cohesion

EXPLORING CHRISTIAN COLLABORATIVE OR CO-OPERATIVE LEADERSHIP:

The following questions for reflection, based originally on the work of Kevin Treston, may provide opportunities for school communities to discern a way forward……………………

Is there an understanding of Trinity and the model of Jesus as servant leader underpinning leadership practice within the community? Do job descriptions acknowledge this? (Examples are available through anam.cara@btconnect.com)

Is there a high degree of commitment by leadership team members to the theology and practice of Christian collaborative and co-operative leadership?

What expectations do people in the co-operative leadership team have of one another?

Do members of the team share and articulate a common vision?

Is the cooperative leadership team faithful to nurturing its prayer and spirituality?

Does the leadership team set specific and distinctive goals? (An excellent model of this may be seen in the Barnsley Federation)

How are conflict situations managed?

Do the members of the team celebrate together?

Are time and resources allocated to the professional, personal and spiritual development of team members? (An excellent example of this occurs in the Wakefield Partnership of Catholic schools)

What are the levels of interaction with the wider community?

Does the team conduct regular and comprehensive evaluations of its effectiveness?

Frank J McDermott

July 2008