The Mechanics of Leadership
Lessons in Leadership from Dad the Mechanic & WWII Veteran
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Book Summary Project #791015 In the world of education, business, and other human endeavors effective, trustworthy, innovative, and results oriented leadership is critical to executing the mission and accomplishing organizational goals. It is not always necessary to learn these skills from professors in university settings or even CEO’s. In fact, if we pay close attention to the common men or women who have been successful in their lives and reflect on our own everyday experiences, we can learn much about the critical attributes of effective leadership. While the scale may be smaller, the concepts are universal. My dad grew up during the Great Depression and served four years in the United States Army during World War II. The depression taught him how to deal with scarcity and still get the desired results. During World War II, he spent over thirty-six months in active combat zones. As a radio operator and high-speed telegraph operator assigned to the 63rd Signal Battalion Headquarters in the Fifth Army during the war, he witnessed a variety of military leaders as they made decisions that affected the outcome of the war. He learned much from their success and their failures. He learned just as much from lower level officers and fellow soldiers as they fought the war. When the war ended, my dad worked along the Houston Ship Channel for Texaco and played on a Texaco baseball team. A few years later, he went to work for Phillips 66 as a mechanic and by all accounts did an excellent job. Growing up as his son, I greatly benefited from his wisdom and his experiences. This book recounts a small measure of the man and a taste of what I learned from him. I have recounted personal examples and stories from my developmental years and my professional experiences as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, superintendent of public schools in Texas and a deputy superintendent in Arizona. I offer a number of practical leadership concepts that have been proven to increase students’ learning, improve employees’ effectiveness, and turn around low-performing schools.
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About the Book
How do you create an environment that inspires and motivates teachers and other types of employees to do their jobs? If you know the answer to that question, you may not need to read this book. If you already know the key ingredients of leading people in work environments, you may not want to read this book. If you are not interested in creating a work environment that fosters respect, collaboration, ownership, increased productivity, and quality products, do not read this book. If, on the other hand, you want a school, a district, or other work environment that does those things, and learn leadership concepts passed down from a person who survived the Great Depression and four years of service in World War II, you may want to read this book.
About the Author
Don Jefferies is first a family man. He and his wife Linda have been married 46 years. He is the father of 4 grown children, all with professional careers. He has 5 wonderful grandchildren. His professional life has been devoted to public education for over 45 years. He has a BS in history and English from Stephen F. Austin State University and a MA in history from The University of Houston Clear Lake. He taught secondary education for 12 years and evening college classes for 3 years. He spent 3 years as an assistant principal, 10 years as a high school principal, 7 years as an assistant superintendent, and 13 years as a superintendent. He also taught Cognitive Intervention for 1 ½ years to inmates in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. His highest awards have come from appreciative students, parents, teachers, and school boards. In addition, he earned the “Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Region IV Outstanding High School Principal Award in 1990”. In 2016, he was recognized by the Texas Association of School Boards as the “ESC 8 Regional Superintendent of the Year”. He was also recognized by Discovery Education with the “2016 Lifetime Innovative Educator” award.