Overcoming Adversity: Resilience Development Strategies for Educational Leaders

Abstract

School leadership has never been easy. However, some experts like Garcia (2005) wrote that current school leaders are facing a variety of difficulties that make sustaining school reform efforts exceedingly difficult. Collectively, these modern day challenges have the capacity to form the perfect storm. School leaders need effective strategies to cope with these difficult circumstances and to continue the thrust toward school reform. Effective coping mechanisms and resiliency development strategies that can be used by educational leaders to overcome adversity include a routine of exercise and healthy diet, a positive life view, a sustained focus on building bridges between stakeholders, spiritual renewal, a focus on one's personal mission, a determination to model resilience, and the utilization of supportive professional networks. Resilience development strategies can be effective in helping school leaders to overcome adversity and accomplish organizational objectives.