This book is titled Green Light Leadership for a reason.
Ask almost any kindergartener what “green light” means and they will say “GO!” Most people know that a green light signals to move onward. But, as every skilled driver knows, a green light means a lot more. It means increasing the intensity of environmental awareness, using a variety of necessary embedded skills quickly, (like using the mirrors, releasing the brake, checking the dashboard, full awareness of the rules of the road), and then applying the gas.
Real leadership involves people. Real leaders consistently inspire, motivate, and make their employees feel capable and skilled and respected. Real leaders are the kind of people their employees follow not because they have to but because they want to.
How? They make people feel they aren’t following – they’re on a journey together.
And that means their team has given them the permission to lead, a permission they’ve earned over time. -Dharmesh Shah
How? They make people feel they aren’t following – they’re on a journey together.
And that means their team has given them the permission to lead, a permission they’ve earned over time. -Dharmesh Shah
Reviews and comments from school leaders:
This book underlines the importance of understanding, listening and then dealing with the belief systems we often hold – that prevent us seeing evidence!
-Dr. John Hattie
Director, Melbourne Education Research Institute Graduate School of Education, Victoria, Australia and Associate Director of the ARC-SRI: Science of Learning Research Centre: http://www.slrc.org.au
I read many educational books, many of which end up being philosophical and less practical. This book met my needs! It provided best practices, with out getting lost in rhetoric. I look forward to future books written by Dr. Knox.
-Karen DeSchyver
In my role as a school administrator and professional development associate, I’ve been privileged to work with teachers and administrators from every state in the U.S. and more than 30 countries around the world. Throughout my travels, I have yet to meet a more talented school leader than Dr. Kathryn Knox. Together, she and I worked to develop and implement a national coaching model for one of the largest school providers in the country. In a short time, using many of the strategies outlined in Green Light Leadership, we were able to build a culture of trust and create an environment where shared leadership, data driven decision making, and exceptional performance were the norm.
Dr. Knox is a skillful communicator whose leadership capabilities are exemplified in the admiration of her colleagues in the field of education. In the challenging world of school leadership, her work is a model of how one can successfully navigate challenging conditions in order to achieve optimum levels of success. This book features accounts of her experiences accompanied by useful tools that would be a welcomed addition to any educator’s toolbox. I have seen first-hand how the processes and techniques mentioned in this book can move schools from red to green on the path to student success, and recommend it without hesitation to my friends and colleagues.
-Weston Kieschnick
Professional Development Associate
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Leadership and Learning Center
I read Green Light Leadership over the long weekend
I read it over the long weekend – lots of great tips, familiarities (which was fun), and wonderful insight – thank you! I will keep it close for good reference always.
-Teri Cady
Kathryn embodies the style of leadership that encourages empowerment, wisdom, and insight to drive the educational leadership rather than the “bureaucratic” mindset that often characterizes education. Not only does she comprehensively understand how to run schools, she understands learning and how to help leaders lead to get the most out the learning environment. Having served alongside Kathryn, she is easily was one of the top educators I have had the privilege to serve alongside in my twenty-five years as an educator. Her humility, wisdom, and character are hallmarks of this extraordinary leader.
-Ron Benton, CEO and Director
Colorado Virtual Academy
As a former High School Principal, I was so fortunate to work with Kathryn. Kathryn is an outstanding mentor, educator, and her knowledge of educational philosophy and best practice was such an incredible asset for our leadership team. Kathryn’s guidance and leadership, through both turbulent and positive times, provided me with ideas and strategies to develop a positive, committed school culture with shared vision, principles, and goals. Kathryn is an educational leader who mentored me through effective communication strategies, solutions to conflict, and academic planning and improvement. I believe Kathryn to be among the top educators in the world, and I am so happy that I had the opportunity to work alongside her on a school leadership team.
-Teri Cady, Director of Academics
-Dr. John Hattie
Director, Melbourne Education Research Institute Graduate School of Education, Victoria, Australia and Associate Director of the ARC-SRI: Science of Learning Research Centre: http://www.slrc.org.au
I read many educational books, many of which end up being philosophical and less practical. This book met my needs! It provided best practices, with out getting lost in rhetoric. I look forward to future books written by Dr. Knox.
-Karen DeSchyver
In my role as a school administrator and professional development associate, I’ve been privileged to work with teachers and administrators from every state in the U.S. and more than 30 countries around the world. Throughout my travels, I have yet to meet a more talented school leader than Dr. Kathryn Knox. Together, she and I worked to develop and implement a national coaching model for one of the largest school providers in the country. In a short time, using many of the strategies outlined in Green Light Leadership, we were able to build a culture of trust and create an environment where shared leadership, data driven decision making, and exceptional performance were the norm.
Dr. Knox is a skillful communicator whose leadership capabilities are exemplified in the admiration of her colleagues in the field of education. In the challenging world of school leadership, her work is a model of how one can successfully navigate challenging conditions in order to achieve optimum levels of success. This book features accounts of her experiences accompanied by useful tools that would be a welcomed addition to any educator’s toolbox. I have seen first-hand how the processes and techniques mentioned in this book can move schools from red to green on the path to student success, and recommend it without hesitation to my friends and colleagues.
-Weston Kieschnick
Professional Development Associate
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Leadership and Learning Center
I read Green Light Leadership over the long weekend
I read it over the long weekend – lots of great tips, familiarities (which was fun), and wonderful insight – thank you! I will keep it close for good reference always.
-Teri Cady
Kathryn embodies the style of leadership that encourages empowerment, wisdom, and insight to drive the educational leadership rather than the “bureaucratic” mindset that often characterizes education. Not only does she comprehensively understand how to run schools, she understands learning and how to help leaders lead to get the most out the learning environment. Having served alongside Kathryn, she is easily was one of the top educators I have had the privilege to serve alongside in my twenty-five years as an educator. Her humility, wisdom, and character are hallmarks of this extraordinary leader.
-Ron Benton, CEO and Director
Colorado Virtual Academy
As a former High School Principal, I was so fortunate to work with Kathryn. Kathryn is an outstanding mentor, educator, and her knowledge of educational philosophy and best practice was such an incredible asset for our leadership team. Kathryn’s guidance and leadership, through both turbulent and positive times, provided me with ideas and strategies to develop a positive, committed school culture with shared vision, principles, and goals. Kathryn is an educational leader who mentored me through effective communication strategies, solutions to conflict, and academic planning and improvement. I believe Kathryn to be among the top educators in the world, and I am so happy that I had the opportunity to work alongside her on a school leadership team.
-Teri Cady, Director of Academics