Just Measure It

A lot of the school leaders and educators that I work with are new to concept of constant, incremental growth. 

Quick side notes: 1) Slow and steady progress beats the “Lightning Bolt” nine times out of ten. 2) Lighting bolts happen once. If you get one, great! That gives slow and steady a head start.

Central to the slow and steady growth construct is measuring results for the purpose of honing process.  Easy is theory, harder in practice.  Because what trips everyone up is the problem of what to measure?  In many cases the initial answer to the problem is, “who knows?”

In this situation, follow the advice of Jim Collins (Good to Great). 

When you don’t know what to measure, make your best guess. Measuring something poorly or even measuring the wrong thing is first step in understanding how to measure it better in the future. 

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Aspiring Principal Workshop (Multiple Presentations 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Asks... Checkpoint Data

A LYS reader asks the following:

SC,

I have a question for you. This summer I heard you say in a presentation that teachers should not use checkpoints to sort students.  So, what should we use to decide who should go to remediation?

SC Response

I didn’t exactly say that (though it takes a while to complete the thought).  Here’s the complete explanation:

Sorting students is a by-product of the assessment process. Yes, we all do it. But if that is all you do with your assessment data, the only guaranteed result is that the group of students who struggle will increase.

Adult practice drives student performance. As such, the primary purpose of student assessment data should be to inform us on the quality of the adult practice and help us decide what we will do to improve that practice.

Let me know if you want more details.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Aspiring Principal Workshop (Multiple Presentations 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Micro-managing and the Concept of Loose / Tight Leadership

Micro-manager! 

Is there a worse thing?  

Employees throw the name at bosses as an insult.  Leaders will disengage in fear of being labeled. 

I say embrace it.  Because the label simply describes a set of practices... Being present and visible. Observing. Monitoring progress. Being aware of the details. Steering. Pushing. Supporting. Leading.

I’m going to micro-manage, because to not do so is to rely on hope and luck. “I hope my staff is doing the right thing and if we’re lucky we’ll succeed.”

Careers and students get crushed by hope and luck, so I’m not a fan. 

Micro-managing is the science... Loose and tight leadership is the art. 

If things are working and improving, the leadership is loose.  I’m encouraging, connecting, suggesting, providing, pushing, protecting and promoting.

If things are not working and improving, the leadership is tight.  I’m training, scripting, problem-solving, directing, pulling, rallying, communicating, assisting or replacing.

Don’t apologize for being a micro-manager, work at it.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Aspiring Principal Workshop (Multiple Presentations) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook