A Reader Writes... (Poisonous Staff - Part 5)

In response to the 12/2/2010 post, “Poisonous Staff – Part 3,” the original writer sends in another update:

For yet another follow up, my relationship with the faculty member I first wrote about is now quite strong. In fact, I see the beginnings of a good administrator in this person. If your principal is getting push back, here is my advice:

1. Most leaders do not communicate enough. E. Don Brown once told me 40% of the principal’s time should be spent communicating vision and expectations to teachers, parents, and other administrators. I have yet to hit the 40% mark, but the closer I get it the more effective I become. You have to be like a broken record, always on message, to hit 40%.

2. Most leaders do not communicate effectively. As a leader you need to have expert knowledge of what you are trying to implement on your campus. I have seen principals asked straight questions regarding the reasons why a plan was being started and not being able to give a solid, level, rational answer. That might be OK for an AP, but not the principal. The idea ends up sounding like just another other program or a “not based on the current education reality” ESC endeavor. You simply lose credibility if you can't talk the walk. I am not talking about justifying, I am talking about expert level knowledge that inspires confidence in others and gets them onboard.

3. Be patient. Learn to influence others. Weak leaders fall back on, "Well, if you are not on board you are not a team player and maybe you need to move on," with the veiled threat of, "I will document you and move you along". This is a bad first, second and/or third move. It may become needed, but many leaders play this card much too soon and much too often. Remember Brezina’s rejoinder, “You can't fire them all.” Influence trumps power almost every time.

SC Response

There is a hidden component of constant communication. The communication needs to be tight, concrete, measurable and actionable. There are tons of people who can talk up a storm. But lots of pretty talk and no action, adds up to, No Action.

The LYS Nation talks different than the rest of the education world. We don’t discuss the power of trying to engage in the abstract idea of work. We simply say what we are going to do, do it; say what we are going to do next, do it; and so on. When I was a principal, the mantra on my campus was, “Get them in school. Get them in class. Get them in college.” Each step was measurable, each step was actionable and each step kept us on a specific path. We were hedgehogs before hedgehogs were cools. One reason why you are getting closer to the 40% mark is because you are starting to talk less, but say more.

As for influence trumps power, you could not be more right. In fact, power doesn’t make a leader, power makes a petulant brat. Influence is the currency of leadership. And the less formal power you have, the more you are forced to build true leadership skills. Think Covey’s conscripts vs. volunteers. I’ve yet to meet the petulant brat that can engage both the heart and the head of anyone.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

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A Reader Writes... (Advice for the First Year Principal - Part 7)

In response to the post, “Advice for the First Year Principal – Part 3,” a reader writes:

“OK writer, you are off to a good start, but here is where you need to polish up. True: you are not in a popularity contest. However, there is a popularity contest going on, even if you choose not to participate. You need to understand (Sean does) that being a principal is about 30% mechanics (LYS stuff) and 70% personality. Even from the business world, Steven Covey reminds us that we can demand expectations, but people only give their best voluntarily.

My first principalship I spent my time learning the mechanics; I mastered that quickly. My second principalship was a situation of task overload. The school was in desperate shape, enter the need for the knowledge of mechanics (which I had not mastered, but knew adequately). However, the community was a hornet's nest, enter the need for personality. Harry Miller and Roger Hailey attempted to give me a crash course in personality, but the school was the perfect storm. The school was too broke, I was too inexperienced, and the community was too entrenched in mediocrity. I simply was unable to learn fast enough to overcome the storm.

Fast forward to my fourth leadership position. I assure you I have mastered the mechanics and have learned the lessons from Miller and Hailey. Maybe not to perfection yet, but certainly to adequacy. You must not only manage the easy stuff (the mechanics), but you must master the dynamics of leading people.

Just saying, you may want to rethink the popularity issue."

SC Response
Early in my first principalship, one of my mentors (Dr. Richard Griffin), pulled my aside and said, “Son, being a good principal is 70% personality, 30% technical. You have the ratios reversed.”

It’s an important lesson, yet one that is rarely taught directly and explicitly because personality is so personal. It’s easier to hear (and say), “you’re wrong,” than “you’re a pompous, arrogant jerk.”

I glad you mentioned Harry Miller. Sometimes the coach you need isn’t the coach you want. As you mentioned, your "go to" skill set is centered on the rapid turn around. This unique skill and experience set is why you are always in demand. But as you pointed out, District 2 had the need, but not the desire. Enter Coach Miller. I remember you telling me, “Harry is different than my other LYS coach. He wants me to go slower”

To which I replied, “Harry wants you to go fast, just is a different way.”

All this to say, as you well know, the purpose of leadership is to move the organization from where it is, to where it is should be, to where it could be, in an effective, efficient and expedited manner. To do this requires a package of skills, executed with purpose and reflection. Popularity for popularity’s sake is an exercise in vanity. Popularity as a leadership skill is a legitimate and effective tool.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Dying in Ditches - Part 2)

In response to the recent post, “Dying in Ditches,” a reader writes:

“I like this poster as he or she seems to be a Steven Covey fan. First, I agree that the road between the two ditches can be traveled. I have traveled it and in fact find myself traveling it again. Like Cain, I have never died in a ditch, although I have died taking hills, after I took them. I suppose you can say I died of my wounds. So yes, you can not choose a ditch and can instead choose the path, but it still may not be safe. You just hope you can do something for kids along the way.

I agree with the writer’s statement, "When the focus is on instruction and student mastery through exemplary instruction, the "other" issues either resolve themselves or become unimportant."

But, I have to add, that it doesn't always work that way. As Cain points out, when people have agendas other than kids, leadership gets sticky. I am in a district now where the entire climate and culture is openly hostile towards the needs of kids. The adults have arrived at a consensus that allows adult co-existence. The sacrifice for this stale-mate is quite literally human, as the kids are paying a tremendous price.

What is tragically funny is that the adults all know the right talk and talk a great story. But it is just talk. There is not sufficient moral conviction amoung the leadership to break the adult alliances and to focus on kids. The few leaders with any moral conviction whatsoever quickly become victims of the adult serving machine.

In this particular district, the truth is quite one sided, and it is not in the favor of kids. So, I agree with the poster, and I hope to work in a school like the ones described. I have always worked on the uncharted edges of the map, and sometimes "there be monsters there."

SC Response
I wish I could tell you that this writer is wrong and cynical, but I can’t. This writer works in one of the most dysfunctional districts I have ever come across. The hope is that the mavericks in the district (in this case, teachers and Principals who are student focused) can carve out just enough student success so that the inevitable attacks from the vested interests are viewed as purposefully self-serving.

Keep fighting the good fight for your students. If you don’t, who will?

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Morning Homework / Support Lab)

In response to the post, “Morning Homework / Support Lab,” a reader writes:

“Cain pointed this out to me a while back, and I must admit I was embarrassed to have not seen it myself. It is so incredibly simple, yet profound. When you have a captive audience, make the most of it.

In order to make this work it seems to me you need two things. One, you need teachers willing to volunteer or you have to be willing to assign these morning sessions as duty. The problem with duty assignment is, as Covey says, people volunteer their best. Of course you could come up with some financial incentives, but that will run into your second need.

Second, you need people who are intrinsically motivated to work with kids. Paying teachers may get them there, but getting their hearts and minds is another issue (of course this is true during the instructional day too, so this may be a non-issue). It seems to me you would not get much at all from adults assigned to this as morning duty.

And I suppose we can top this off with a third issue: the leadership had best be there too. You can’t lead from the rear, so if you ask others to be out front, be prepared to be there yourself. I think Cain is on to a good idea here, but I am fishing for ways to effectively implement this. Anyone?”

SC Response:
Again, LYS readers, chime in if you have some ideas.

First, like we discussed, don't beat yourself up because you can't see everything. No one can, hence the value of fresh eyes and external support.

Second, I think you may be over-thinking this. There are a couple of obvious answers. You could just schedule it as duty. I think there are staffers who would volunteer to come in early if they could leave early. I know I would have. I think another option would be to use counselors, department chairs and AP’s. With extra pay comes extra responsibility. But what I would do is toss this project to my department chairs. Empower them to schedule it, staff it and make sure it runs smoothly. After all, student success in their core area is their responsibility. And, if they don’t think it is their responsibility, you need a new department chair.

Third, I don't think that motivated adults is critical in the beginning. In fact I wouldn't even worry about it. Just make sure they show up and there are kids who need support. As the students respond and improve, so will adult attitudes.

Third, you are absolutely right. Leadership has to take an active interest in monitoring and supporting this. If we don’t, things will quickly return to exactly what we have right now – nothing.

This is the time to set this up, with implementation no later than the than the 3rd day of school. Some of you may wonder, “Who needs support by the third day of school?” How about every student who failed a class last year, every new student to the school, and every student who forgot to do their homework the night before, just to begin.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

An Audience Member Asks...

An audience member from a recent “Be the Shepherd: What Every School Leader Should Know about Leading Change,” presentation that I gave, asks:

“Sean, I attended your "Be the Shepherd," workshop and appreciated the insights and rubrics you put before us. I am a bit confused on one point and hope that it is just because I missed a key part of the puzzle somewhere before, during, or after your presentation...as follows:

I originally decided to attend your workshop because of the title itself and my particular vested interest in "shepherding" as a key and critical model for successful leadership. I have taught from that perspective in the classroom, for non-profit organizations, and for administrator certification courses. I was hoping to broaden and deepen my understanding of this model. Strange that I only heard in the last minute of the presentation the urging to "be the shepherd."

As a communications instructor in my past, I know that the ear focuses on what the mind expects. If the ear doesn't hear the expectation the mind either becomes critical or absent. I was neither. However, can you explain the intent of the title as it related specifically to the presentation and is there another workshop that you offer which more specifically deals with the shepherding model as one for successful leadership?"

SC Response
I don't think that you missed anything. The presentation was meant as an introduction to the coaching and leadership practices and beliefs of the Lead Your School organization. We believe that there is a moral obligation that we have to fulfill, if and when we assume leadership roles. Or in other words, “Be the Shepherd.”

I also have been taught that when you present you should lead with your second best material and end with your best material. For the presentation that you attended, I wanted the audience to leave with at-least the awareness that their leadership is bigger that just their self interest, again, “Be the Shepherd.”

I think we are on the same page with the understanding that non-profit leadership can be significantly different from for profit and para-military leadership. John Maxwell does an excellent job of describing this when he talks of "Church Leadership." Coercion can only take you so far, or to paraphrase Covey, "volunteers" are more productive than "employees."

As far as your question of follow-up; every group training and individual coaching session that we lead focuses on the need to place the needs of others above self. For us it is as simple as this - that is what coaches and shepherds do.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Sunday Advice and Book Recommendation)

In response to the Sunday Advice, Dr. Mike Seabolt writes (and then recommends):

“The advice to 'Seek first to understand, then to be understood,' is a basic principle of Steven Covey’s, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

It is a great read and will dramatically improve your leadership ability. The book focuses on communication and personal relationships and how they are used by effective leaders to promote their organizations.

The book was extremely popular 20 years ago, but is not much read these days it seems. The underlying principles are timeless, however, and I recommend the read. "

SC Response:
Doc, if you hadn't mentioned that the book was published twenty years ago, all of these 22 year old teachers and 29 year old AP's would think that it was new.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (A Fatal Flaw)

In response to the post, “A Fatal Flaw,” a reader writes:

“There has to be a balance with faculty. I have had a hard time with this balance, in part due to the fact that I have a habit of taking over schools that are in a ditch, in which the problem is usually due to adults. Having said that, I am reminded of Stephen Covey. Covey says you can make people work, but they volunteer their best contributions. What I now attempt to do is to never negotiate on best practices, but on the other hand I try to be one with my faculty, without being one of them. Celebrate success, share moments of joy, and moments of pain. Suggested reading: Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey. It is an older publication, but the principles in the book are time enduring.”

SC Response
I want to elaborate on my original premise. That being that principals must be loyal to their students first, staff second. The problem with my comment is that as Michael Fullan points out in his writing, it is ripe with hidden nuance. The statement is meant to be a proverb, to be used as a tool. But like any tool, if it is used incorrectly, it can cause more damage than benefit.

Loyalty is not always an “us-versus-them” proposition. You can be loyal to both sides. However, in the role of principal, if you don’t advocate for your students, no-one else will. And sometimes what is best for your staff, isn’t what is easiest for your staff. Doing what is right for students and working to get better, are not the comfortable paths.

What the principal I discussed in my original post appears to be doing is working to create a staff that is loyal to him, due to his ability to dole out favors and protect them from change.

To sum up, the principal that is loyal to students and pointlessly antagonistic to staff is not fulfilling the leadership requirements of the position. The principal that is loyal to students and positions and equips staff to maximize their effectiveness will have a campus that can achieve great things.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…