Dennis Sparks

Leadership 180: Daily Meditations on School Leadership Dennis Sparks

Leadership 180: Daily Meditations on School Leadership is an inspirational book with 180 topics. The number of meditations was selected to match the 180 days found in the traditional school year. The number 180 also recognizes the possibility of a dramatic change in direction that can occur within leaders and school communities when leaders alter their beliefs, deepen their understanding of key ideas and practices, and develop new habits. Each meditation is numbered and only one page long. The meditations can be read in any order, depending on specific interests or concerns of the reader. Some critical topics in leadership are addressed in several meditations to explore different ways they inform professional practice. These core leadership practices enable transformational change that begins with leaders and radiates from them throughout the organization. Each meditation begins with an appropriately selected epigraph (a quote from another source). The author then discusses the meaning of the quote, the foundational belief about leadership underlying its message, and finally translates those beliefs into Today I will... statements of actions that leaders can take to integrate those beliefs into daily practice. There is a short index of epigraph authors at the end of the book for easy reference.