A Reader Writes... (Another Cainism)

Another LYS reader shares a favorite Cainism…

“Here is my favorite Cainism…

I had an Assistant Superintendent (who was never a principal and had never worked on a low SES campus) try to force his redesign plan on the low performing campus that I just took over. After spending 30 minutes explaining his complicated, five year plan, he asked Cain what he thought. To which he replied,

“No offense, but garbage wrapped in a pretty package is still garbage.”

The result, the Superintendent giving me the go ahead to run a different game plan and the campus getting off the AU list in one year.”

SC Response
Why doesn’t anyone remember the nice things I say?

In all seriousness, Dr. John Sawyer (a long time Superintendent), always reminded me that whenever I was in the room with a Superintendent, my primary job was to make sure that he or she did not walk off the cliff. The assistant superintendent in question was trying to convince the superintendent that his plan was correct. My job was to make sure that they did not make a mistake that they could not recover from. The closer someone is to the edge, the more direct you have to be.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...