"The Hidden-Hand Presidency" and Principal Leadership

Why not draw leadership lessons for our Catholic schools from an analysis of the presidency of Eisenhower published in 1982?

Fred Greenstein’s analysis of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidency offers leadership lessons that can be applied to Catholic school principals today. By examining Eisenhower’s strategies—selective delegation, personality-driven action, and the fusion of formal and informal structures—we can explore how these approaches can support school leaders in fostering community and addressing challenges.

Greenstein presents his project as one moving from seeing the President as "a good-natured bumbler, who lacked the leadership qualities to be an effective president" (vii) to someone who "employed a well-articulated...self-conscious approach to handling certain of the built-in dilemmas of American presidential leadership" (viii). The book is not a biography. After introducing the man and some of the academic/political analysis of his two terms is split into a discussion of his leadership style and an analysis centered on the McCarthy "Case."

I bought a used copy whose brown fabric cover is marked only with stains. Oh well.

I'm not sure I would recommend the book as a whole but Greenstein defines his leadership style as consisting of "selective delegation, action based on personality, and fusion of formal and informal organization" (157). The author criticizes Eisenhower for some aspects of this - the tendency to be seen in public as a genial, peace-maker while confronting problems behind the scenes - what might almost be classified as publicly ducking some problems. These aspects can, though, be applied to similar leadership roles seeking someone who can lead and unite, in a political position who must strive to remain apolitical, and someone who heads a broader organization with deep and sometimes ill-defined goals, in other words, a principal.

In turning to lessons that can be learned for a principal from the book, I'd like to take each of those three main aspects that Greenstein defines and how they can assist school leaders. It is here where I think his concerns about Eisenhower's apolitical approach is actually an asset, especially when it comes to the teacher's break room or parents' parking lot politics.

Selective delegation which Greenstein highlights in Eisenhower's soft touch with cabinet members and staff is something many school leaders need to succeed. Regardless of school size, a principal must avoid becoming the center of all action -- there is too much to the position to not delegate (even in a tiny school). Greenstein also points to Eisenhower's consideration of empowering young(er) leaders to ensure a "next" Presidential candidate - an important consideration for principals. Who are the teacher leaders who can step up in the school and system? How can delegation empower them? One way is to provide teachers with an opportunity to acquire the skills needed for leadership but not applicable to the classroom. For example, I used my preschool staff heavily in marketing efforts to daycare and parent programs; or having a teacher step up and manage both the staffing and accounting side of afterschool care or summer camp.

Action based on personality signaled Eisenhower's efforts to both control his own personality and language and to avoid signaling to others specifically, especially those opposed to his plans. By always being the "adult in the room," a principal can ensure a calmness and continuity to the school, even in high stress times or during difficult conversations. Like Eisenhower, such an approach requires some outlet (a mentor or safe place to blow off steam in a healthy way) but a careful approach in "public" can diffuse difficult situations. Echoing this is addressing ideas and situations and not personalities - even when it comes to difficult students or staff. We need to focus on solutions not make excuses and be sure to concentrate on what we at the school can control.

Lastly, Greenstein presents Eisenhower's fusion of formal and informal organization as the ability to both use a Chief of Staff effectively (essentially birthing its modern usage for Presidents) and the various other governmental roles and establishing informal channels of persuasion, communication, and policy-making that cut across those. One area I wish I had done a better job of was establishing formal leadership structures even at the smaller school where I led. A formal structure can provide guidance, support, and clean lines of communication/delegation. I believe if I had set up a stronger set of Professional Learning Communities by grade level, a more academic and collaborative approach could have been fostered, breaking down some of the silozation that isolated classrooms.

By fusing such formality and process with an informal or ad hoc approach, Eisenhower demonstrated that a deeper array of problems can be handled appropriately, and a wider range of input and considerations drawn out. This collaborative sense would also assist a school environment balancing hierarchy with accessibility for staff and parents. For example, the use of informal structures to gather feedback on potential initiatives or curriculum changes prior to a broader or more public announcement is invaluable.

These three themes echoed to what I felt were some success and struggles in my own leadership journey and something that I see with schools that I've worked with in the past as well.

AI art makes me laugh sometimes.