The Wounded Leader

As any school principal or adminstrator can tell you, theresponsibilities of school leadership can take a person frominspired moments to crisis in an instant. How does a school leaderwith good intentions preserve a healthy sense of self in the faceof a crisis which in the best of times challenges the self, and inthe worst of times can lead to deep wounds of the heart? How cangood leaders minimize the impact of these crises and remain open tolearn and grow from these difficult experiences? These are thequestions at the heart of the stories contained in The WoundedLeader. Through compelling stories that illustrate many of the commondilemmas faced by school leaders, the authors highlight the manypaths to healing, and show how sometimes the most painfulexperience can be an opportunity for growth. "All leaders incur wounds. The Wounded Leader enables us tounderstand our wounds, learn from them....and begin to heal." -Roland Barth, Founder of Harvard Principals' Center "Not only is the book full of fresh ideas and new insights but itis a fun read. It is not the usual leadership book that reads muchlike the other leadership books but stands out as an originalcontribution...easily presented and scholarly without beingpretentious." - Thomas J. Sergiovanni, Center for EducationalLeadership at Trinity College, San Antonio, Texas

Preface. Acknowledgments. The Authors. Part One: Ironic Blessings. 1. To the Stars Through Adversity(Ad Astra per Aspera). 2. Anatomy of a Wound: Where Does It Hurt? Part Two: Wounded Leaders. 3. Great Expectations. 4. Fragile Power. 5. Branded. 6. When the Bubble Bursts. 7. Trapped in a Cocoon. 8. The Trial. 9. Dancing on the Skillet. Part Three: Looking for the Good Story. 10. Narrative Healing: Once Upon a Time. 11. What Wounding Teaches. 12. Seeking a Cure for Leadership. Appendix A: Method of Inquiry. Appendix B: Case Story. References. Index.