Mortality Leadership Competence Theory: Identifying and resetting System-Death in Learning Organizations

By USA Radical Black - An Urban Educational Think Tank (columnist include Don Allen)

When a human body expires, all that remains is a lifeless shell that once held the vibrancy and identity of an individual. Similarly, in many learning organizations, we witness a high “mortality rate” in leadership competence—leaders who, though physically present, lack the necessary vitality, innovation, and insight to drive positive outcomes for students and families. This stagnation comes at the expense of students and communities, who count on schools to be more than just custodians of their children’s time; they expect educational institutions to be engines of knowledge, growth, and preparation for future success. Yet, as data increasingly reveals, the systems entrusted with shaping young minds are often hollow, devoid of best practices, creativity, and effective output.

Mortality Leadership Competence, a term introduced by Don Allen, Ed.S., M.A. Ed., MAT, challenges us to confront the sobering reality that many educational institutions are lacking forward motion, and are unable to serve their students effectively. This concept underscores the urgency for academic leaders to possess a deep awareness of the limitations and potential of human capital in creating positive and impactful student environments. To comprehend this need, examining two theories — the Peter Principle and insights from Patrick Lencioni's The Advantage — provides valuable support for understanding how human capital should be managed and developed to avoid solutionist syndrome and drive substantial change.

The Peter Principle argues that individuals in hierarchies tend to rise to their "level of incompetence." Essentially, people are promoted based on their performance in their current role, not necessarily on their ability to succeed in the next. Over time, this can lead to a workforce where many individuals are in positions unsuited to their actual skills, resulting in ineffective leadership and an organizational culture that fails to drive progress. Within the educational system, this principle might manifest when individuals are promoted to administrative roles based on teaching expertise rather than leadership potential. This mismatch can lead to a lack of vision, miscommunication, and, ultimately, a stagnant school culture that fails to address student needs effectively.

In contrast, Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage emphasizes the importance of a cohesive leadership team that is deeply committed to cultivating a healthy organizational culture. Lencioni argues that true competitive advantage in any organization comes from creating and sustaining a collaborative environment where trust, clarity, and accountability are paramount. Applying Lencioni’s principles to educational settings suggests that when human capital is nurtured in a way that aligns individual strengths with institutional goals, the entire organization benefits. A “Mortality Leadership Competence” approach would encourage leaders to be honest about the system’s limitations, focusing on human capital's strategic growth to break cycles of ineffectiveness.

Incorporating Lencioni’s culture-focused framework and the Peter Principle’s cautionary lessons into educational leadership calls for a proactive shift. Educational leaders must identify potential pitfalls early, promote based on alignment with role demands, and continuously develop human capital to sustain a responsive and dynamic school environment. By acknowledging the need for a culture shift, Mortality Leadership Competence provides an actionable pathway for rebalancing practices, ultimately benefiting the workforce and students.


Read: What are the Top 9 Leadership Training Topics?.

https://emeritus.org/blog/leadership-top-leadership-training-topics/