1. The School Counselor as a School Leader
Dana Bickley
CNDV 5330-CNA
Lamar University

2. The “Co-pilot” Metaphor
The school counselor is responsible for the comprehensive school counseling program, the developmental curriculum, and the academic, career, and personal/social development of students.
Consider this metaphor light of understanding the role of the school counselor as a leader in the school. In this metaphor, the school is like the plane. The principal is essentially the captain of the plane- responsible for the academic direction of the school. The co-pilot is responsible to the captain, but also has separate responsibilities. The passengers could be considered to be the students, and the flight crew is the teachers and staff. “The copilot advises the captain, problem solves with the captain, advocates for the passengers, but is also a leader in the eyes of the passengers and the flight crew” (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).
Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012

3. “Co-pilot” Parallels-cont.
1. “The school counselor advises the principal, problem solves with that professional , communicates up and down the chain of command and to external constituencies, and helps the school remain “on course” in terms of developmental education, school climate, and the developmental needs of students and families.”
Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012

4. “Co-pilot” Parallels-cont.
“The copilot is perceived by the passengers as part of the flight crew, as a leader in his or her own right, responsible to and for them.”
3. “The copilot acts within his or her own professional duties, ensuring that her or his own unique tasks are accomplished to keep the flight in the air, on time, and on course…”
Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012

5. “Co-pilot” Parallels-cont.
4. “The copilot functions as a problem solver along with the captain, as an expert colleague on whom the pilot depends for information, opinion, and discussion of options.”
In this function, the copilot advises the pilot and functions as an independent advocate of flight-related issues- such is the school counselor as an independent auditor of school-related issues for the principal, as well as an advocate for students, their families, and the school community as a whole (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).
Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012

6. The Necessity for Leadership
“…The school counselor serves as a leader as well as an effective team member working with teachers, administrators, and other school personnel to make sure that each student succeeds” (The Education Trust 2001).

7. Our Mandate…
According to the ASCA National Model, Leadership is considered an essential skill for transformed school counselors to possess:
“School counselors are invested in making schools a welcoming learning community where all students can achieve academic, career, and personal/social success. They initiate collaboration around the school counseling program and orchestrate its implementation as an infrastructure for personalization” (ASCA National Model, 2005).

8. School Counselors must lead the HEART of the School.
Our Mission…
School Counselors must lead the HEART of the School.
“You are now being asked to integrate a a new way of viewing yourself as a professional- a leader and an advocate, a champion for students, their development, and their issues. You are being asked to help create the healthy school environment, healthy home environment, and healthy classroom environment that enables and empowers healthy student learning and development” (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).

9. “It takes COURAGE, ENERGY, and DETERMINATION to be a LEADER and ADVOCATE. It takes true DEDICATION and a HIGHER PURPOSE to swim against the tide of status quo…”
This quote represents the challenge of leadership.
Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012

10. What do you expect to be the most difficult challenge?
Group Discussion
With your group, brainstorm some specific challenges to the school counselor’s role as a leader on your campus.
What do you expect to be the most difficult challenge?
What are some ideas your group members have for addressing these challenges.
Allow 10 minutes for discussion while listening and interacting with groups. At the end of the allotted time, ask for a few volunteers to share the challenges and solutions their group came up with.

11. The Five Types of Power Reward power
The power to provide benefits perceived as valuable to the follower.
2. Coercive power
The power to impose punishments or remove benefits as perceived by the follower.
These five types of power and related dynamics inform our thinking about leadership (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). These typologies of power provide important insights which are all based on the perception of the follower- the person responding to the request for action (French & Raven, 1959).
French & Raven, 1959

12. The Five Types of Power-cont.
Legitimate power
Power used when the follower perceives that the leader has the right to make the request and the follower has the obligation to comply.
4. Expert Power
Power that is applied when the follower believes the leader has the expertise, knowledge, or training that will result in valued outcomes.
French & Raven, 1959

13. The Five Types of Power-cont.
5. Referent Power Power that is based on the follower’s admiration, liking, desire for approval, or identification with the leader, which prompts compliance. Which of these types of power do you think is most common for the school counselor with adults and with students?
French & Raven, 1959
Because school counselors seldom have formal organizational power, they instead exercise leadership with parents, colleagues, and other adults on the basis of expert or referent power, while leadership with students may include all five power bases (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).

14. True Leadership Defined
Kouzes and Posner (1995) define leadership as
“the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations.”
How can we as school counselors tap into intrinsic motivators to provide true leadership?
True leadership from the stance of a school counselor is not always based upon “power” but rather on the voluntary action of those following.

15. Four Leadership Frames
Structural Leadership involves the building of viable organizations, technical mastery, strategizing for change and growth and implementation. ALIGNED POWER BASES: Expert Power and Legitimate Power
Bolman & Deal, 1997
The methods for motivating others vary, depending on the context of leadership and the goals that are to be accomplished (Bolman & Deal, 1997). “The highly effective school counselor will generate respect from demonstrating expertise in school counseling, and legitimate power, as others come to recognize the role of the school counselor that includes leadership” (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). Through structural leadership, “change happens only when action is taken in the desired direction” (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).

16. Four Leadership Frames-cont.
Human Resource Leadership Involves believing in people and communicating that belief, being visible and accessible, and empowering others. ALIGNED POWER BASE: Referent Power
Bolman & Deal, 1997
This frame represents a strength of most school counselors- connecting and relating to other people. “For school counselors, our beliefs in our students, families, and colleagues is one of the reasons for being a counselor and a source of passion and joy” (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).

17. Four Leadership Frames-cont.
Political Leadership Involves being realistic about what the leader wants and what she or he can get, being able to assess the distribution of power, building linkages to important stakeholders, and using persuasion and negotiation. ALIGNED POWER BASES: This frame would tap all five bases.
Bolman & Deal, 1997
This frame is usually more difficult for most school counselors. “School counselors need to be realists, aware that change is incremental and often comes as a result of negotiation and compromise” (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).

18. Four Leadership Frames-cont.
Symbolic Leadership Involves using symbols to capture attention, framing experience in meaningful ways for the follower, and discovering and communicating a vision. ALIGNED POWER BASES: Legitimate Power, Expert Power, & Referent Power
Bolman & Deal, 1997
“School counselors can lead others by articulating a vision of healthy, resilient students and by maintaining faith in that vision. School counselors must remember that leadership involves a constant conversation with all partners in the process” (Dollarhide & Saginak).

19. Closing Activity
Think about the most influential leader you have ever met. What was it that made this person such an effective leader? Which of the Frames of Leadership did this person use? Which of the Power Bases did he or she tap into most effectively?
Personal Refection:
What style of leadership is most natural for you, and what style do you want to develop further?
Allow 10 minutes for participants to think about these questions and share responses. Allow time for personal reflection at the end of the session.

20. “We must always remember… that we embody the story we tell
about our students, our schools,
and our profession, and as such,
we are role models.”
Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012

21. References
American School Counselor Association. (2003). American School Counselor Association national model: A framework for school counseling programs. Alexandria, VA: Author.
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (1997). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Dollarhide, C.T. and Saginak, K.A. (2012). Comprehensive School Counseling Programs: K-2 Delivery Systems in Action. (2nd ed.). Upper saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall
The Education Trust. (2001). Working definition of school counseling. Ed Trust: Transforming School Counseling. The DeWitt Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund, National Initiative for Transforming School Counseling. Retrieved March 2, 2001, from
French, J. & Raven, B. H. (1959). Studies of social power. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research.
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B.Z. (1995). The leadership challenge: How to keep getting extraordinary things done in organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.