Bruce Springsteen

Looking for a new head of school with an outstanding résumé for leadership? Consider Bruce Springsteen. Based on his lengthy, stellar, and innovative career, his leadership qualities, and his ability to work well with colleagues in the incomparable E Street Band, Bruce Springsteen displays many qualities of an ideal head of school.

• Knows his mission and can articulate it (loudly).
• Relates well with colleagues and is quick to recognize their contributions.
• Likes to work collaboratively.
• Enjoys his work and doesn't leave until the job is done.
• Works a crowd exceptionally well.
• Treats colleagues with deep respect — often giving them cool nicknames like The Big Man, Mighty Max, The Professor.
• Universally recognized as The Boss—a title that denotes clear leadership abilities.
• Exhibits a great sense of history and tradition in his field ("Roy Orbison singing for the lonely…").
• Possesses a tremendous potential for board recruitment ("Let's welcome new board members Bonnie Raitt and Southside Johnny.").
• Delivers excellent morning assemblies ("Today let's explore the meaning of the last verse of "Brilliant Disguise,": 'God have mercy on the man who doubts what he's sure of.'") with great potential for multimedia presentations.
• Can serve as his own guest speaker at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Arts Center.
• Can increase NAIS Annual Conference attendance tenfold when the site of his keynote address is changed from the ballroom at the New York Hilton to Giants Stadium.

Jay St. John is head of school at the O'Neal School (North Carolina). A fan of The Boss, St. John prepared this article shortly after attending a Springsteen concert in the Meadowlands.