Future-focused Leadership: Preparing Schools, Students, and Communities for Tomorrow's Realities

Front Cover
ASCD, 2006 - 208 pages

Can your organization keep up with today's rapid pace of change? Or is it falling behind, overrun by forces that seem almost uncontrollable? In Future-Focused Leadership: Preparing Schools, Students, and Communities for Tomorrow's Realities, Gary Marx suggests that staying abreast of current worldwide trends and being aware of those just around the corner is the essence of successful leadership. In this insightful and informative guide, Marx presents principles, tools, and techniques to help leaders steer their organizations confidently into the future and prepare the next generation of leaders for life in the 21st century. Readers will learn to


* Scan the environment to identify and analyze significant trends and issues;

* Manage issues to set priorities and minimize negative fallout;

* Identify the characteristics of an ideal organization and construct scenarios that depict possible futures;

* Engage the larger community in building a future-focused organization; and

* Develop a strategic communication plan that supports the organization's goals and contributes to its ultimate success.

Future-Focused Leadership is written not only for education leaders, but also for anyone interested in successful, forward-looking leadership. Combining stimulating ideas and practical suggestions, the book will ensure that your organization or community is fully prepared today to confront the challenges of tomorrow.

 

Contents

Introduction
1
Part 1The Connected Leader
9
1The Leader as a Connected Generalist
11
2Guiding Principles for FutureOriented Leaders
24
Part 2Tools and Techniques for Scanning the Environment
35
3The Importance of Being ConnectedInternally and Externally
37
Identifying and Analyzing Their Impact
46
5Issue Management
65
9Strategic Communication
137
Part 5Moving Forward
163
10Getting the Ball Rolling
165
Appendix A
171
Appendix B
175
Appendix C
177
Appendix D
179
Appendix E
183

6More Tools and Techniques for Scanning the Environment
85
Part 3Creating a Vision of the Future
103
Identifying What We Want to Become
105
What If? and Then What?
118
Part 4FutureFocused Communication
135
References
189
Index
193
About the Author
207
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