Michael Fullan

A good resource for an educational leadership framework, but is clearly written as a primer for those already versed in Fullan & Quinn's "Coherence Framework" and Kirtman's "7 Competencies for Highly Effective Leaders," as it combines those two works. If you are not familiar with them (as I wasn't), it may take a bit to wrap your head around the jargon and how the two frameworks are relating to each other.

While the ideas are cogent, this book reads as something that may have been rushed (some missed editing, repetitive phrasing, and sections not fully explained). Some of the book sounds like the authors had been asked to explain just a bit more about a bulleted list they had put together; I imagine it's written this way because the bulk of the information is in the authors' previous works.

That said, there is good insight and information throughout the book. Recommended for those already reading in educational leadership (EL), but you'll want to consume as part of an EL book cocktail (probably combined with the authors' other books).… (more)

At the end of his book, Michael Fullan shares his concern that readers will miss the nuance in the leadership approach he outlines and misinterpret it as a simple three-step process. Nuanced thinking is required to understand nuance. Nonetheless, this is a valuable book for those having to grapple with the complexities of today’s world. This is a guide for leaders who are unwilling to settle for surface-level change. Fullan describes what is required to lead within complex environments. He illustrates his process with case studies of leaders who lead with nuance. Though Fullan focuses primarily on the education arena, nuanced leadership is applicable to any sector of society.… (more)