Leading with the Edge.

Unlike the under-representation of women seen in many other sectors, including the public schooling, currently in India , the private schools, especially in Urban areas are lead in the last twenty years, to a great extent by Women, essentially with teaching background either in the same school or acquired at some other school/s. While one can consider this as a bastian of women, however, there is a gradual change in so called International and corporate schools with an increasing preference for male Principals either from defence back ground or hard core management background. Keeping this changing senario in consideration, this paper seeks to caution those women who are working in schools and aspiring for the school leadership positions within the urban and private school set-up to focus on improving their academic credentials, learning and development and also sharpen and develop certain innate competencies women leaders have, like relationship management, nurturing people, people management, to maintain their relative edge in the profession in accordance with the trends of 21^st century school leadership. The competencies that are discussed in the paper are largely based on the outcome of day -long workshop - "21^st Century Skills for School Leadership and Management" conducted at COD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]