Leading from the Middle: Influencing Up, Down, and Sideways
Three Key Understandings
 Leadership is relationship
 Leadership is everyone’s business
 Leadership development is self-development
Resources
 Every kid needs a champion http://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion.html
 Jung, L. A., & Grisham-Brown, J. (2006). Moving from assessment information to IFSPs: Guidelines for
a family-centered process. Young Exceptional Children, 9(2), 2-11.
 LaRocco, D. J., & Bruns, D. A. (2013). It’s not the “what,” it’s the “how”: Four key behaviors for
authentic leadership in early intervention. Young Exceptional Children, 16(2), 33-44.
 Lone Nut Leadership http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ
 Lucas, A., Gillaspy, K., Hurth, J., & Kasprzak, C. (2012). Relationship of quality practices to child and
family outcome measurement results. Chapel Hill, NC: National Early Childhood Technical Assistance
Center, Early Childhood Outcomes Project, and the Regional Resource Center Program.
http://ectacenter.org/~pdfs/QualityPracticesOutcomes_2012-04-17.pdf
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Lucas, A., Gillaspy, K., Peters, M. L., & Hurth, J. (2012). Enhancing recognition of high-quality,
functional IFSP outcomes and IEP goals: A training activity for Infant and Toddler service providers
and ECSES teachers. http://ectacenter.org/~pdfs/pubs/ratingifsp-iep-training.pdf
Mullis, L. (2002). Natural environments: A letter from a mother to friends, families, and professionals. Young Exceptional Children, 5(3), 21-24. http://yec.sagepub.com/content/5/3/21.full.pdf+html
Shelden, M. L., & Rush, D. D. (2009). Tips and techniques for developing participation-based IFSP
outcome statements. BriefCASE, 2(1), 1-6. http://www.fippcase.org/briefcase/briefcase_vol2_no1
Six words you should say today http://www.handsfreemama.com/2012/04/16/six-words-you-should-saytoday
References
 Covey, S. (1991). Principle-centered leadership. New York: Fireside.
 Hesselbein, F. (2003, Summer). The art of listening. Leader to Leader 29, 4-6.
 Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., & Smith, K.A. (1998, July/August). Cooperative learning returns to
college: What evidence is there that it works? Change, 27-35.
 Kagan, S.L., & Bowman, B.T. (Eds.) (1997). Leadership in early care and education. Atlanta, GA:
NAEYC.
 Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2003). Leadership challenge workbook. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Lambert, L. (1998). How to build leadership capacity. Educational Leadership, April, 17-19.
 Rodd, J. (1998). Leadership in early childhood. (2nd ed.) New York: Teachers College Press.
 Wheatley, M.J. (2002). Turning to one another: Simple conversations to restore hope to the future.
San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
This handout was created by Camille Catlett (919) 966-6635 camille.catlett@unc.edu
Download it at http://fpg.unc.edu/presentation/leading-middle-influencing-down-and-sideways-1
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INTENTIONAL APPROACHES THAT REFLECT YOUR LEADERSHIP
Do your
policies reflect
your
intentional
leadership?
Do your family
engagement
efforts reflect
your
intentional
leadership?
Do your
practices with
young children
and families
reflect your
intentional
leadership?
Do your
interactions
reflect your
intentional
leader?

Do you have guiding principles or evidence-based practices to guide all aspects of
your work?

Do you have agreed upon definitions of key terms to use in your work (e.g.,
cultural competence, inclusion)?

Do select your words wisely?

Is input from family members shaping the quality of your work? Are you building
the capacity of diverse families to support the capability and success of their
children?

Are family members helping you to intentionally and effectively support practices
that connect home cultures and experiences to their learning?

Have you incorporated an explicit and intentional emphasis on authentically
engaging families who are culturally and linguistically diverse?

Do the resources you use authentically reflect the children, families, and
communities you serve?

Do your intended outcomes reflect significant input from the families you serve?

Are you intentionally and effectively supporting practices that connect children’s
cultures and experiences to their learning?

Do you incorporate strategies that will support young children in home, program,
and community settings?

Have you made time to discover your own personal culture and values/beliefs
about others?

Do you have ongoing access to resources that can help support the work you do?

Do you have a variety of strategies for dealing with biased remarks that children
or adults make?

Have you practiced using a variety of strategies for dealing with biased remarks or
viewpoints?
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