Deliberate Excellence

Internationally-renowned educator and speaker, Dr. S. Dallas Dance envisions and leads change that creates opportunities for all young people-including students of color and those living in poverty-to thrive as critical thinkers, thoughtful leaders, and lifelong learners. His calling is motivating teams of all sizes to develop young minds and working with leaders and organizations to build capacity to do greater work for all of the individuals within their community. Numerous national awards and board appointments-from institutions including the White House, Microsoft, and ASCD-recognize his impact on organizational culture, rigorous instruction, vibrant leadership pathways, leveraging technology, and dynamic community engagement. In July of 2017, Dr. Dance became a Partner with the Strategos Group, a value-creating team of public affairs individuals committed to facilitating high-impact business growth and transaction advisory for companies by leveraging our strategic relationships, business expertise, and political and policy insight. In addition, he serves as Senior Vice President of Education for the MGT Consulting Group, a practice which has been providing comprehensive management consulting services to public and private sector clients for over forty years. Prior to joining both groups, Dr. Dance served as the Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools in Maryland with over 112,000 students, 173 schools, and over 21,000 employees. As leader of the nation's 25th largest school system, Dance pioneered equity-centered shifts in teaching and learning to close the graduation achievement gap between black and white students, while increasing diploma rates overall. Prior to his appointment in Baltimore County, Dr. Dance served as one of three chief school officers responsible for the administration of nearly 300 schools in the Houston Independent School District, the seventh largest school system in the nation. Before his tenure in Houston, Dr. Dance served in executive leadership positions in Virginia that leveraged his expertise in curriculum, instruction, assessment, school improvement, and strategic planning. Dance earned a doctoral degree in educational leadership and a master's degree in administration and supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University. His bachelor's degree in English is from Virginia Union University. Dr. Dance enjoys traveling, music, reading and all sports, especially golf. He is the proud father of one son, Myles Dallas Dance.

Foreword Preface Acknowledgments About the Author INTRODUCTION Success Principle 1 LEADING FOR EQUITY: FOCUSING ON EACH CHILD, EVERY DAY Know What Your Values Are Demonstrate a Strong Appreciation for People Addressing Equity Takes Leadership Addressing Equity Will Guarantee Resistance Equity Is the Work, Not an "Add-on" to the Work Students Want Us to Focus on Equity, Not Equality Success Principle 2 LEADING THE CHANGE: IMPLEMENTING SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVES Understand the History of the Organization Acknowledge the Current State of the Organization Understand the "Players" Within the Organization Ensure People Understand What Change Means Have an Effective Strategy to Implement Change Success Principle 3 LEADING THROUGH COMMUNICATION: TELLING YOUR OWN STORY Communicate Openly, Honestly, and in a Timely Manner Communicate Your Story, or Someone Else Will! Organize Your Communication Efforts Individualize Your Communications Use Every Available Resource to Communicate View Communication as a Two-Way Street Have an Open-Door Policy CONCLUSION Avoiding Pitfalls Mistake 1: Knowing All the Answers Mistake 2: Bashing the Previous Leadership Mistake 3: Speaking Before You Think Index

"Deliberate Excellence captures the essence of why successful leaders grow people and organizations: it's all about relationships." -- Tanna Nicely, Principal This book is a must-read for leaders and future leaders who want to avoid the pitfalls that can derail success. Through the story of his rise as a successful leader, Dallas Dance provides invaluable principles for successfully leading and implementing change. He also exemplifies a growth-minded perspective to stakeholders who are not quite ready for change by encouraging them to remember that 'no' really means, 'not yet.'" -- Kathy Rhodes, Principal "Leaders are desperate for books that offer techniques from educational leaders who still practice and hone their craft from the trenches and a proven record of success. Dallas Dance offers educational leaders a unique, candid, and welcome perspective." -- LaQuita Outlaw, Principal - Grades 6-8 "Deliberate Excellence is a thoroughly enjoyable personal account about affecting change by being committed and engaged in the institution you presently serve . . . The author makes it clear that caring for the work opens up opportunities for advancement that allow the individual to affect change in more meaningful ways. It should also be required reading for all principals, assistant principals, and CEOs." -- Veronica Rodriguez, Special Education Coordinator "Dynamic leadership matters! Dr. Dance's remarkable journey has inspired him to develop a blueprint for educational leadership excellence. Fighting for equitable practices and outcomes for all children is clearly his passion. Every administrator or aspiring leader will flourish if these principles are put into action!" -- Cheryl R. Brooks, Principal "I wish I had read "Deliberate Excellence" 20 years ago! Providing a roadmap for leaders wishing to affect significant change, Dallas Dance's book balances theory with practical experiences. Dr. Dance outlines his bold and successful tactics to address the complex equity issues that plague school districts. His strategic approach to communications is a model for all school administrators." -- Dr. Luvelle Brown, Superintendent "For 20 years, Dr. Dallas Dance has been an inspiration to me as a leader. He understands that true leaders inspire others to lead, galvanize their audience, and provide practical applications to difficult situations. Regardless of the political climate, Dr. Dance has always kept students first. After reading Deliberate Excellence, educators will take away successful strategies to increase student achievement." -- Dr. John B. Gordon III, Chief of Schools "Deliberate Excellence is a book written for all leaders. Dr. Dallas Dance speaks from real life experiences that are relatable and from the heart. His leadership steps have helped him develop into one of the most accomplished administrative leaders in the country. The three specific strategies outlined in this book will transform your leadership skills and help you stay on track to ensure success." -- Susan Monaghan, Principal "As an educational leader with 30 years' experience, I've read many books on leadership. Dr. Dance's book is a must-read for all educators. By sharing real stories, he keeps the focus on equity, change management, and communication. Deliberate Excellence is an insightful read from the heart of a leader on the fundamental strategies that should drive educational leaders." -- Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora, Superintendent of Schools "In education today, the question is not whether or not we must embrace and lead for change-the question is how we do that in a way that changes lives and secures a real future for our students. In Deliberate excellence, we are given a resource that answers this question for every leader seeking to understand what it takes to move his or her district forward. Dr. Dance makes an inspiring case for why we should be doing this work and the important role our leadership has to play in the lives of our children and our communities. Fortunately for us, he draws on his experiences as a model leader to create a guidebook filled with compelling anecdotes and positive advice that can be used right away." -- Dr. Aaron C. Spence, Superintendent "Deliberate Excellence shows educational leaders how to increase agency within their organizations. This book effectively communicates the importance of engaging in challenging work to improve schools and districts, which is what the head, hand, and heart of education is all about. I applaud Dr. Dance for his extraordinary leadership during unordinary times." -- Dr. Andre D. Spencer, Superintendent