1st Edition
Mindful Educational Leadership Contemplative, Cognitive, and Organizational Systems and Practices
Mindful Educational Leadership unpacks the literature of mindfulness as it applies to K12 school leadership. Crossing disciplinary and theoretical boundaries, scholar and mindfulness coach Sharon Kruse explores mindfulness in three complementary research and philosophical traditions—contemplative, cognitive, and organizational—and applies it to school leadership. This book explores how these perspectives complement and inform each other and the ways in which understanding each can inform decision making, school/community engagement and responsiveness, and advancing equity in school organizations. Full of authentic examples, stories, and models of mindful leadership from real educators, this volume helps readers become more mindful and effective in their practice. An exciting resource for aspiring educational leaders, each chapter also includes supporting resources for study, practice, and reflection on key concepts.
Chapter 1: Mindfulness and Leadership Part I: Contemplative Mindfulness Chapter 2: Presence and Intentionality Chapter 3: Focus and Concentration Part II: Cognitive Mindfulness Chapter 4: Awareness and Responsiveness Chapter 5: Systems and Practices Part III: Organizational Mindfulness Chapter 6: Reliability and Dependability Chapter 7: Learning and Change Chapter 8: Mindfulness and Communication
Biography
Sharon D. Kruse is Academic Director and Professor of Educational Leadership at Washington State University, Vancouver, and Chair of Educational Leadership and Sport Management for the Washington State University multi-campus system, USA.
"In Mindful Educational Leadership: Contemplative, Cognitive, and Organizational Systems and Practices, author Sharon Kruse puts forward a novel framework for leadership practice, one grounded in a unique synthesis of mindfulness research and theory. The latter gives the impression of a scholarly exercise; while the book rests on scholarly shoulders, it also offers approachable illustrations and abundant examples from current practice that promise to connect with its intended audience of novice and veteran school leaders. The book is timely: Mindfulness, as Kruse points out in her preface, has become part of the 'modern zeitgeist'. But Kruse adds much-needed clarity and depth to the concept with her tripartite framework of contemplative, cognitive and organizational mindfulness. At a time when leadership is synonymous with perpetual distraction, this book promises to help aspiring and current leaders center on what matters most, individual and organizational awareness."
--David Eddy Spicer, University of Virginia
"With over three decades of experience, Sharon Kruse provides invaluable advice on how to deliberately lead schools with curiosity. Through crafting narratives of the lived experiences of school leaders, Kruse weaves in theory, research, and practical advice for school leaders in a way that is relevant, actionable, and doable. This text is a must-have for leaders who want to rethink and reframe their leadership practices (current or future) with more authenticity and intentionality."
--Jayson W. Richardson, University of Denver
"Sharon Kruse’s new book Mindful Educational Leadership: Contemplative, Cognitive, and Organizational Systems and Practices explores not only what effective mindful leaders do – but how they think, how they reflect on their own choices and practices and the intentional ways that they engage with and learn from others to innovate equitable, inclusive organizational approaches and systems. Based on interviews with 20 educational leaders who reflect, in part, the rich racial and ethnic diversity of our population, Dr. Kruse has crafted a resource to support educational leaders to more deeply learn about themselves and their organizations in order to mindfully and intentionally co-create inclusive equity-driven, learning environments. This is a must-read resource for educational leaders and those who develop, coach, or support educational leaders."
--Ann O’Doherty, University of Washington
