Blog 9

So after class and reading more in depth into Dollarhide and Saginak’s (2012) article, I feel very strongly that I am a structural leader. I feel that the results of my assessment in class were biased because I was answering the questions through the framework of our CSCP project, in which I take the role of the rule-setter and organizer. It was difficult for me to put myself into a school counselor’s frame of mind when determining my leadership role and my most powerful self, but when I did succeed at the role-placement I found that the idea of political power does indeed scare me. I have always been naïve in the sense that I like to imagine that I can have a profound effect on my students without having to concern myself with the politics of the school or my relationship with parents/the community. Nakia is a realistic counter to my mindset because she often addresses political issues within a school that I would not even think of, let alone be prepared for as a school counselor. Due to this idea, I go back to the importance of collaboration. I feel lucky that our program fosters relationships between students so that we can feel comfortable asking each other for help and guidance as opposed to only competing against each other for jobs.

            Instead of only focusing on what I am not knowledgeable about, I will also focus on my leadership strengths in the framework of Mason and McMahon’s (2009) article. I want to reiterate something I have said (maybe ad nauseam) several times in the past. I feel so confident (hopefully not naively so) that we will be a generation of professional school counselors that develop our signature leadership roles during our graduate experience (not fully, obviously, but at least build a strong base) so that when we enter the workforce we will not be seen as leadership neophytes, and instead be seen as cultured individuals who have taken time to explore whether we will flourish with a structural mindset, like myself, or perhaps more of a symbolic mindset. Although all of the leadership and power roles can coexist within each of us, I am making the point that there is a way to lead with our strengths so that the more experienced school counselors do not chalk our façade (of trying to use all the strengths simply for the idea that we are supposed to) up to inexperience and will instead respect us as colleagues.

Dollarhide, C.T., & Saginak, K.A. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs (2nd Ed.). New York: Pearson, Inc.

Mason, E. C., & McMahon, G. (2009). Leadership practices of school counselors. Professional school counseling, 13(2), 107-115.