Leadership: Being, Knowing, Doing is Stephen Tierney’s third book. The upcoming launch seminar will provide an overview of the three ways of leaders.
“I arrived to headship with a keen eye for a new idea, a fistful of ready-made solutions and the capacity to work long hours. These allied to Ofsted and Diocesan Section 48 inspections, in my first half year, helped create a one hundred and five page development plan. It led to a manic style of leadership. What the school required was a less frenetic leader and a more phronetic one.” In an increasingly frenetic world too many leaders have lost sight of the simple yet profound wisdom associated with practical action, otherwise known as phronesis.
Phronesis is an ancient Greek word associated with good judgement and good character. At its core, it is about the ability to discern how best to act. Practical wisdom involves acting thoughtfully and virtuously and encouraging others to do the same. In the book, Stephen describes virtue, thought and action – which coalesce in effective leadership – as the Way of Being, Way of Knowing and Way of Doing.
Each of the Ways has a number of associated Basics, eight in total, which I believe constitute the essence of effective leadership.
- The Ways of Being: Purpose & Introspection
- The Ways of Knowing: Specialism & Strategy
- The Ways of Doing: Implementation, Networking, Guardianship & Expertise
Structuring the book around these eight Basics, readers will be challenged and supported to explore each of the Basics from a theoretical perspective and then provided with real world examples of how they were applied by Stephen in his own career in educational leadership.
In writing Leadership: Being, Knowing, Doing, Stephen seeks to help leaders explore their own capabilities and potential. Leadership can be learnt. The three Ways with their constituent Basics represent a mirror to help leaders reflect upon and improve their practice. In turn, as leaders, we must support the leaders who follow, who we have a responsibility to intentionally and collectively form.”
To attend the online book launch event on Thursday 2 December, 2021 at 7:30pm simply register for free.
