A long-time school principal and former division director of the Turnaround Office of the Connecticut State Department of Education, Morgan Barth serves as a managing principal at ECM Holdings in Tennessee. Morgan Barth has an award-winning track record in leading and transforming educational institutions across a number of states.

Some school principals quickly adopt a servant leadership style in which their end goal is to serve the people they lead, that is to say, the students and teachers of a school. That type of leadership is useful in that it’s conducive to an environment of trust and empowerment. However, it may not be the best way to lead a school.

As important as it is to support the needs and interests of the students, a principal needs to take into account the needs of the school as an institution. A transformational leadership style encourages followers to achieve, but also works to align organizational achievement with individual efforts. Transformational principals are those that have a clear vision for their school and are able to articulate that vision to promote action in their followers.