One of my favorite topics to read and learn about is leadership. During the course of my studies, I have chosen 5 aspects that I find most compelling. In this post, I will discuss my thoughts on each aspect and share lessons learned. This is where the true joy of blogging comes into play. Imagine reading this post 10 years from now! Heck, I may think differently next week! My thoughts will likely change as will the themes found in popular educational readings. It is about embracing a growth mindset and being dedicated to learning!
1. Service: Being service oriented is a must for effective leaders. If its the CEO of a billion dollar company, rubbing shoulders with the crew of workers on the assembly line, or the school principal mopping the floor in the cafeteria, there is huge value when the leader of an organization has the ability to roll up his/her sleeves and do work. When leaders show their team that they are willing to perform the tasks that they ask of others, a certain respect is shown. Also, stakeholders appreciate and respect leaders who are visible and involved in the daily tasks of school life. Some of the best school leaders I know are at car pool everyday opening doors and directing traffic or in the bus parking lot unloading the buses. They are connected and present. I will never be a disconnected leader who rules from his office. One's office is not where the real work lies. It is not where the magic happens! Walking the halls and interacting with everyone allows you to keep a pulse of the school. How can you expect to understand the culture of your building if you are not out and about in the building?
2. Humility: Leaders must embrace that they are not always the smartest person in the room. One of my mentors often states, "I may not be the smartest person in this building, but no one will out work me." He also said, "I don't need to walk around the school and tell people that I am the principal of this school." The messages conveyed in this leader's everyday actions show that he is humble and that no one person on the team is more important than another. The message he sends is clear: no one is more important than what is good for everyone. It is not about me, it is about WE! The buildings we work in can survive without us. We are all replaceable. The day that we put our papers in to move on, we will be replaced. Our schools WILL go on without us. The roofs will not cave in when we are gone. It is not about us!
3. Positivity: Leaders must be positive at all times, especially when facing adversity. Through life lessons I have thoroughly learned that being negative, having a temper, and becoming upset are all pointless. Someday a parent will come into your office and bless you out. Everyone within listening distance will be able to hear. You cannot control this. You will likely not be to blame. Do your thing. Listen to the individual. Hear their issue and deal with it. The look on your face when the drama unfolds is what you can control. It is also how you can impact the culture of your building. Grin and bear it! By showing your team that all is good, all will be good! We cannot control what life throws at us, we can only control how we react. Reacting with a smiling, positive outlook is by far the best approach. I was once advised by a veteran school leader to always smile when you are on the phone with a stakeholder, especially a parent. This has proven to be very valuable advice over the years. By simply smiling, you go into the conversation with a positive attitude. During the course of these challenging conversations, we have the ability to do so much good. We may not be able to immediately resolve someones' issue but we can speak with them in a positive manner, allow them to be heard, and begin upon a path of mutual understanding. Another one of my mentors is always able to make challenging opportunities into positive experiences. Human resource opportunities are positive. Issues are communicated and so are expectations, but most importantly the target of the issue feels understood and supported. It is not US vs THEM. It is, this is how we are going to help YOU. Administrators can best yield their power through support and coaching, not through intimidation or an "I got you" attitude.
4. Empowering: Having the ability to raise others up is very powerful. Sharing leadership and responsibility are mutually beneficial for a leader and his/her team. Schools function at their best when key stakeholders have a true voice in the decision-making. I have been in several situations where the leading bodies of a school in reality had little say so. Too often, school administrators keep the "important" decision making to themselves. This denies others input and is effectively a dictatorship. Granted there are many situations where a committee is not needed for both time and simplicity, but for the most part gathering input from the important stakeholders surrounding a situation is the way to go. We > Me!
5. Vision: A school's vision is not just the principal's vision, it is the school's vision. This must involve an exchange of information, a decision of what is important, and what speaks for a community. The leader definitely needs to have an impact on what the school is focusing on but it cannot be based solely on what the leader thinks. It matters greatly what the students think. It matters what the parents and staff think. A school's vision is a collective agreement on what is important and what will be focused on. Once established, this vision should guide what the school leaders design for the students of the school. This shared vision, should be what the community is able to rally and focus on. Once established, a school's vision should hold all stakeholders accountable and focused on the mutually embraced set of values. It should be what everyone is working towards. One of my mentors does an excellent job of hitting stakeholders upside the head with the vision of his organization. He consistently shares his vision regardless if he is speaking to a group of district administrators, parents, or community members. It doesn't matter who it is, the message and focus stays the same.
I cannot wait to learn and experience more in my leadership journey. For now, I step forward expecting good things and am determined to bring about great results. Our future is so bright, we only need to work together to obtain it.
Awesome TJ!
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