Posts
In response to the post, “Gant Wisdom,” a reader writes:
"SC, this piece of wisdom is needed in education. The field of education suffers from the affliction of having no real purpose. By this, I mean there is no "bottom line" as there is in business, or any victory to be won as there is in the military. We exist to "educate" children, but there is no clear consensus in many schools of what "educate" means. As a result many schools flounder in the modern world of education accountability. Too often we in education we get caught up on what we like, or who we like, or what our opinion is, rather than focusing on the job at hand. I can't count the times I have been to a school and have heard "we are like a family". That is congeniality, something that is not needed. What we need is collegiality. The two terms sound similar, but they are not the same. The old, conventional wisdom said that being a principal was 80% about personality. In the modern era, this seems to conflict with accountability. What if we said that being a good principal was 80% student results? Food for thought."
SC Response
Food for though? I’ll bite.
I’m going to partially disagree with you on some points. First of all, in education you can either choose to have a purpose or not. And by purpose I mean a true driving force. Campuses and districts with a true sense of purpose achieve and do great things (Hello Aldine ISD – 2009 Broad Prize Winner). Unfortunately, in our field you can choose to just show up and not rock the boat. Those are the districts and campuses that value and celebrate the status quo (Hooray, we’re average?). People who have that type of orientation seem flock to those places and things flounder along (seemingly ok) until accountability catches up with them.
The “family” concept is powerful, but can be either useful of dangerous. Family can either drag you down or pull you up. Don’t fight it, use it. If you are the principal (campus level) or the superintendent (district level), you are Big Momma or Big Daddy. You set the tone and focus for the family. Reward and nurture what you expect. Remediate and prune away what you don’t expect. A strong family can win championships (see: Rooney family, Steelers). A weak family never seems to overcome itself (see: Bidwell family, Cardinals). Unfortunately for you, so far in your young career, you have always been cast as “Mean Step Dad.”
This brings me to your question about the 80% rule (personality vs. results). I think it is both, 80% of the principalship is personality and 80% is student results. The math doesn’t work unless you view the equation as two sides of the same coin. On the people management side, 80% of it is personality. If you are right and a jerk, people focus on the jerk part. The personality piece helps you move people to get the results. On the results side, if you are nice and your school is failing, the superintendent focuses on the failed school part. The positive results piece buys you some time to work on the personality.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Brezina Writes - A Reminder
One of the things that you have got to remember is that it is not your school. The school belongs to the community. You are simply privileged to work for and/or lead it for a sliver of time. You can not let things become personal (after all we are professionals). As you move an organization forward, there are those who will not like some of the things that you are changing and improving. They may fight and slander you, but you have to realize that they don't hate you personally; they hate the change that you represent. Stay focused on ensuring that all students (especially those without advocates) are better off because of your leadership. When you leave, and we all leave eventually, your legacy is not how many people liked you. Your legacy is if you hand off the district or campus in a better position than when you received it.
BB
SC Note
If you happen to be in London, England next week, make sure you visit Cambridge University. While you are there you can hear Mr. Brezina address an international audience. The topic: Schools of Promise.
LYS Nation, he will be sharing with the World the results and promise of your hard work.
Think. Work. Achieve.
BB
SC Note
If you happen to be in London, England next week, make sure you visit Cambridge University. While you are there you can hear Mr. Brezina address an international audience. The topic: Schools of Promise.
LYS Nation, he will be sharing with the World the results and promise of your hard work.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A Reader Asks... Judgment
A LYS reader asks:
“Today I helped finish up an investigation of an employee. The employee’s actions could have very easily put students in harm’s way. Fortunately though, no harm was done in this instance. During the investigation it became clear that none of the students and few of the parents had any problem with the employee’s actions. As a result, at the end of the day, the other campus administrators asked me, “Who are we to judge?”
I thought this would be a good question for the LYS Nation. So, SC, as school leaders, who are we to judge?”
SC Response
We are teachers and leaders. That predisposes the responsibility of “judgment.” There is “right” and “wrong” in the world. Just because someone didn’t get hurt is immaterial. Part of our job as a teacher is to teach and model moral, ethical and appropriate behaviors in our classrooms.
As leaders, we have a duty to ensure that our teams and organizations model and maintain moral, ethical and appropriate behaviors and practices. When this does not occur we must step up and “judge.” It is up to us to hold the offending party accountable, to correct the situation, and to ensure that lapse is not repeated.
As a leader, I’ve been asked many times how is it that I feel comfortable imposing my “judgment” or “beliefs” on someone or something. To which I reply, “When I volunteered for the job, I accepted the responsibility. They don’t pay me to do the easy things, the pay me to do the hard things.”
However, here is the caveat. If your morality, beliefs and judgment are dramatically out of line with that of the community you serve, you have two choices.
1 – Compromise yourself; or
2 – Face possible repercussions for your stance.
Choice number 2 makes your career a lot more exciting and a lot less secure. The old school LYS crew live and die by the second choice.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“Today I helped finish up an investigation of an employee. The employee’s actions could have very easily put students in harm’s way. Fortunately though, no harm was done in this instance. During the investigation it became clear that none of the students and few of the parents had any problem with the employee’s actions. As a result, at the end of the day, the other campus administrators asked me, “Who are we to judge?”
I thought this would be a good question for the LYS Nation. So, SC, as school leaders, who are we to judge?”
SC Response
We are teachers and leaders. That predisposes the responsibility of “judgment.” There is “right” and “wrong” in the world. Just because someone didn’t get hurt is immaterial. Part of our job as a teacher is to teach and model moral, ethical and appropriate behaviors in our classrooms.
As leaders, we have a duty to ensure that our teams and organizations model and maintain moral, ethical and appropriate behaviors and practices. When this does not occur we must step up and “judge.” It is up to us to hold the offending party accountable, to correct the situation, and to ensure that lapse is not repeated.
As a leader, I’ve been asked many times how is it that I feel comfortable imposing my “judgment” or “beliefs” on someone or something. To which I reply, “When I volunteered for the job, I accepted the responsibility. They don’t pay me to do the easy things, the pay me to do the hard things.”
However, here is the caveat. If your morality, beliefs and judgment are dramatically out of line with that of the community you serve, you have two choices.
1 – Compromise yourself; or
2 – Face possible repercussions for your stance.
Choice number 2 makes your career a lot more exciting and a lot less secure. The old school LYS crew live and die by the second choice.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
A Reader Writes... (Staff Urgency - Part 2)
In response to the posts on “Staff Urgency,” a reader writes:
“SC is right on. I am an experienced principal, but currently find myself in a unique position. I have little power, officially. So instead, I have learned to use the power of influence. I have had both, power and influence, in the course of my career. Guess which one is more powerful? Hint: it is NOT power.
The right teacher with the right philosophy with the right student results can be a powerful force in a school. In the long run, weak principals do not stand a chance against such a person.”
SC Response
The exercise of raw force, though in many cases is effective in the short run, quickly loses its effectiveness over time. Influence and a sense of purpose are the currency of both the successful informal and formal leader.
When I was responsible for multiple campuses, I had informal leaders spread throughout the system who had as much credibility and influence as I did. It was imperative to both my success and the success of the organization that we remain on the same page. So instead of fighting or ignoring these leaders, I included them in my information, feedback and decision making loops. Not because they had a “formal” vote (they didn’t, you can’t abdicate your responsibility), but because if they weren’t aware of the direction the organization was moving, they could quickly shift from being an asset to a liability, without meaning to do so.
First by happy accident and then by purposeful action, I began to lead with the council of the exceptional teacher leader. Did we always agree? Of course not. But with honest dialogue and a focus on student needs, we solved more problems than we created.
My advice to school leaders is to not be afraid to use power, but don’t overuse it. When you have to draw a line in the sand, do so with both confidence and zealous energy. But in most other cases, your mission is to point the organization in the right direction, provide the necessary tools and support, and free up your people to do their jobs.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“SC is right on. I am an experienced principal, but currently find myself in a unique position. I have little power, officially. So instead, I have learned to use the power of influence. I have had both, power and influence, in the course of my career. Guess which one is more powerful? Hint: it is NOT power.
The right teacher with the right philosophy with the right student results can be a powerful force in a school. In the long run, weak principals do not stand a chance against such a person.”
SC Response
The exercise of raw force, though in many cases is effective in the short run, quickly loses its effectiveness over time. Influence and a sense of purpose are the currency of both the successful informal and formal leader.
When I was responsible for multiple campuses, I had informal leaders spread throughout the system who had as much credibility and influence as I did. It was imperative to both my success and the success of the organization that we remain on the same page. So instead of fighting or ignoring these leaders, I included them in my information, feedback and decision making loops. Not because they had a “formal” vote (they didn’t, you can’t abdicate your responsibility), but because if they weren’t aware of the direction the organization was moving, they could quickly shift from being an asset to a liability, without meaning to do so.
First by happy accident and then by purposeful action, I began to lead with the council of the exceptional teacher leader. Did we always agree? Of course not. But with honest dialogue and a focus on student needs, we solved more problems than we created.
My advice to school leaders is to not be afraid to use power, but don’t overuse it. When you have to draw a line in the sand, do so with both confidence and zealous energy. But in most other cases, your mission is to point the organization in the right direction, provide the necessary tools and support, and free up your people to do their jobs.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Monday, November 2, 2009
A Reader Writes... (A Problem with a Co-Worker)
In response to the post, “A Problem with a Co-Worker,” a reader writes:
“Or there is scenario 5. The principal leader knows, understands and shares your frustration. She has addressed the issues not only numerous times with the person in question but also with Central Office. Central Office has "tied her hands" and in so many words has said “live with it.” The principal has no choice but to keep the person and work to minimize the negative impact to the campus.”
SC Response:
You are correct. I ignored that scenario because it boarders on negligence. I’m going to draw a line in the sand. Retaining marginal staff has nothing to do with teacher contracts. It has everything to do with subjective systems and weak and/or inept leadership. Let me explain,
1. I am not an advocate for firing people based on subjective measures. It is the job of leadership to set forth objective performance measures, coach staff to be successful and hold those who prove to be “uncoachable” accountable. To not have such a system in place is a failure of leadership.
2. If someone proves to be “uncoachable,” then that employee should be removed. To not do so is a failure of leadership.
So where is this leadership failure? The reader hit the nail on the head. The failure is generally at the central office level or higher. As I have explained to more than one school board, the inability to remove toxic staff members is due to either poor documentation policies (leadership failure), lack of will (leadership failure), or retaining a weak lawyer (leadership failure). To remedy the situation, pick the relevant area of failure and correct it. To not do so places the needs of weak leaders and marginal staff ahead of the needs of student and hard working, dedicated educators. If you find yourself working in a setting such as this, I would seriously consider moving to a different district.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“Or there is scenario 5. The principal leader knows, understands and shares your frustration. She has addressed the issues not only numerous times with the person in question but also with Central Office. Central Office has "tied her hands" and in so many words has said “live with it.” The principal has no choice but to keep the person and work to minimize the negative impact to the campus.”
SC Response:
You are correct. I ignored that scenario because it boarders on negligence. I’m going to draw a line in the sand. Retaining marginal staff has nothing to do with teacher contracts. It has everything to do with subjective systems and weak and/or inept leadership. Let me explain,
1. I am not an advocate for firing people based on subjective measures. It is the job of leadership to set forth objective performance measures, coach staff to be successful and hold those who prove to be “uncoachable” accountable. To not have such a system in place is a failure of leadership.
2. If someone proves to be “uncoachable,” then that employee should be removed. To not do so is a failure of leadership.
So where is this leadership failure? The reader hit the nail on the head. The failure is generally at the central office level or higher. As I have explained to more than one school board, the inability to remove toxic staff members is due to either poor documentation policies (leadership failure), lack of will (leadership failure), or retaining a weak lawyer (leadership failure). To remedy the situation, pick the relevant area of failure and correct it. To not do so places the needs of weak leaders and marginal staff ahead of the needs of student and hard working, dedicated educators. If you find yourself working in a setting such as this, I would seriously consider moving to a different district.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
A Reader Writes... (Why You - Part 3)
In response to the posts on “Why You,” a reader writes:
“Obsessed with work? You, no way! Just joking.
I always admired your work ethic and that you held us accountable. Even though there were a few things that I disagreed with, they were never the really important things. I always felt backed by you, but most of all, I felt that you valued my judgment and my commitment to doing what was right for kids. When you left it was a very sad day of us who cared about our schools. You’re first replacement did a wonderful job for as long as he could, but now the system is broken. The critical leaders have left. Ethics and values are a thing of the past. Decisions are no longer made in the best interest of kids.
If I were not so close to pulling the plug, I would be out of there. I continue because I care about these kids, this campus, and this staff. When I leave, it will be sad for me, but I can hold my head up and will leave with no regrets.
Just had to let you know how I feel! I know the Cain Train has lots of passengers! I was fortunate to have been on that train with you.”
SC Response:
I can tell you that you are one of the last assets in a morally bankrupt system. And you (as always) have diagnosed it correctly. Once the focus moves from students to adult convenience and kingdom building, the sense of greater purpose simply evaporates. You also exemplify what Brezina and Brown constantly remind us, that the two most important positions in the system are Superintendent and Principal. The Superintendent because he or she sets the tone and focus for the organization as a whole. The Principal because he or she is the only pure advocate for students. In addition, you are living what we preach, that without support, the Principal can keep the campus student centered only until the organization wakes up or the principal burns out.
Working with you was always a learning experience for me and was instrumental in my leadership development. I learned the importance of creating systems and scripts for the novice and marginal staff and then to coach them up to improve performance. More importantly, I learned that when you occupy a central office position that if you do not collaborate with and support your expert and the driven campus leaders, you are actually subtracting value. You taught me when you let your superstars be superstars, the whole organization benefits. For one brief moment in time, we were “World Class.” My regret is that we didn’t know it until after the ride was over.
I leave you with this, Brezina once told me that a good principal was difficult to manage and a great principal is almost impossible to manage. Keep being impossible.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“Obsessed with work? You, no way! Just joking.
I always admired your work ethic and that you held us accountable. Even though there were a few things that I disagreed with, they were never the really important things. I always felt backed by you, but most of all, I felt that you valued my judgment and my commitment to doing what was right for kids. When you left it was a very sad day of us who cared about our schools. You’re first replacement did a wonderful job for as long as he could, but now the system is broken. The critical leaders have left. Ethics and values are a thing of the past. Decisions are no longer made in the best interest of kids.
If I were not so close to pulling the plug, I would be out of there. I continue because I care about these kids, this campus, and this staff. When I leave, it will be sad for me, but I can hold my head up and will leave with no regrets.
Just had to let you know how I feel! I know the Cain Train has lots of passengers! I was fortunate to have been on that train with you.”
SC Response:
I can tell you that you are one of the last assets in a morally bankrupt system. And you (as always) have diagnosed it correctly. Once the focus moves from students to adult convenience and kingdom building, the sense of greater purpose simply evaporates. You also exemplify what Brezina and Brown constantly remind us, that the two most important positions in the system are Superintendent and Principal. The Superintendent because he or she sets the tone and focus for the organization as a whole. The Principal because he or she is the only pure advocate for students. In addition, you are living what we preach, that without support, the Principal can keep the campus student centered only until the organization wakes up or the principal burns out.
Working with you was always a learning experience for me and was instrumental in my leadership development. I learned the importance of creating systems and scripts for the novice and marginal staff and then to coach them up to improve performance. More importantly, I learned that when you occupy a central office position that if you do not collaborate with and support your expert and the driven campus leaders, you are actually subtracting value. You taught me when you let your superstars be superstars, the whole organization benefits. For one brief moment in time, we were “World Class.” My regret is that we didn’t know it until after the ride was over.
I leave you with this, Brezina once told me that a good principal was difficult to manage and a great principal is almost impossible to manage. Keep being impossible.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sunday Advice - Gant Wisdom
My grandfather, who is retired military and was a top executive in two large companies, shared this with me early in my development. He said, “Son, they don’t have to like you, they just have to work for you.” This piece of advice has always kept me focused on what is truly important in leadership, that the mission of the organization trumps your need for feeling good.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
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