Thinking Outside the Box

Today, there exists a newly discovered world of thought and possibility that is not yet on the radar screen of most people in our society. In this new world, life is more complex, yet at the same time simpler than what we have been led to believe. Many of our most important challenges cannot be successfully met in the same way as they were in the past. However, like preparing for a season of marching and playing music, entering this new world of possibility can be very challenging. It requires extra effort both intellectually and emotionally—including rejecting old ideas and learning new ones. It requires "thinking out of the box". In the context of this book, thinking outside the box transcends just being creative and coming up with a new angle or technique. It involves a quantum shift in thinking to a different dimension in which we see things in a new light where unforeseen possibilities appear. Sometimes these unforeseen possibilities take the form of unwanted unintended consequences. For example, while eliminating educational programs at first glance may appear to be a good way to balance a school district's budget, doing it may also mask the need for more money, lower the quality of education, and trigger a long-term process of dismantling educational programs. While thinking outside the box is not always easy, it will strengthen your ability as an educational leader to identify emerging opportunities as well as problems that are hidden from view. Like a mosaic, the chapters in this book are interconnected and work together to form a reservoir of thought that will enable the reader to sharpen the lens through which he/she views the world. This book is ideal for school administrators who want to optimize their potential as educational leaders to identify opportunities not only to navigate the rough waters of change, but to utilize the energy of these waters to move their schools and school districts forward.

William G. O'Callaghan, Jr. is founder and owner of The Santa Rita Collaborative, a nationwide interactive network of management, communication, technology, human resource, and public education specialists which helps school leaders build and implement strategies to increase educational capacity. A former journalist, political consultant, and Fortune 500 corporate executive, he has developed a unique perspective about educational leadership which he shares in this book. O'Callaghan is editor of The Power of Public Engagement: A Beacon of Hope for America's Schools, author of Putting the Power of Public Engagement to Work for Your Schools and Community, and co-author of When the Choir Began to Sing.