A Reader Writes... (Leadership / Lonely)

In response to the posts addressing the lonely nature of leadership, a reader writes:

“If this is your first school turn around, hang in there and hold on. October and November, in my experiences, are the months when the push back starts to really build. By Christmas it can be incredible.

Stay the course. During the first week of my first high school turn around job, I met this character sent by the State Commissioner of Education. He says to me, “You know you're going to get fired, don't you?”

Needless to say I was caught off guard. He continued, “You can do nothing, let the school remain as it is, get no results, and they will fire you. Or, you can do what is right for kids, turn the school around, and you will make so many teachers angry that they will fire you. The only difference is what happens to you after you get fired.”

Later that same year, E. Don Brown points out to me that a primary reason for a school board to exist is to listen to the complaints of teachers. As usual, he was right (which I verified, the hard way). Acknowledge the push back, work to not gratuitously cause push back, and don't give in to the push back. The only way I know of to fight hard core push back is to be a constant communicator of your vision. Even this will seem like aspirin for a gunshot wound, in some cases.

By the way, Cain was wrong. I didn't get fired. A bigger district hired me before they had the chance.”

SC Response
There are times that the only “win” is the ability to dictate the terms of your defeat. A diet of “moral” victories becomes stale, but it also provides just enough nourishment to try again (often in a new setting).

One of the many things that set the great leader apart from other leaders is the understanding of role and purpose. There are times that the correct long term play is utter short term ruin. The great leader doesn’t shy from that situation or decision. There is no “Remember the Alamo” if Travis does the prudent thing and abandons the fort to fight another day. When the choice is the betterment of your students vs. your current position, I won’t fault you if you take the easy path. But, I also won’t hail you as a hero.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Comments... Lonely

“Leadership can be lonely; especially for those who are trying to captain a ship that has been heading in the wrong direction. Those "captains" don't have time to stop the ship; they have to turn the ship around and head in the opposite direction, while going full throttle. The push back can be subtle or direct, covert or overt, passive or aggressive; but it is there. There is always the group, often a strong faction, attacking leadership.

As someone who is working hard to turn a ship around, sometimes I wonder if I'm expecting too much or just unrealistic about what can be done. Then I remember, there are kids that depend on me to get this to happen.”


SC Response
I’m going to add couple of points to your comment, a comment that has merit.

Leadership is lonely, and it gets lonelier the higher up you go. It is the nature of the beast. It is also why leadership is a volunteer job. No one makes you apply. And it is because of the volunteer nature of true leadership, that I abhor self-centered kingdom builders who masquerade as leaders. If you pursued the position because you like it when people kowtow to you, at best, you may be an average manager.

Push-back is part of the job. In fact, if you aren’t getting any push back, you aren’t changing anything of substance. Push back simple means that people are getting out of their comfort zone. Expect it, empathize with it, but don’t let it slow down progress.

Even if it can’t be done, you have to believe that it can be done. As soon as you believe it can’t, you will be right. Stay focused and stay positive. If the task is seemingly impossible, break it into smaller, achievable chunks. A 1% increase each week becomes a 36% increase for the entire school year.

As a leader, you have to make it about the kids. As adults, we are there to work. Work can be either enjoyable of drudgery, but it is still work. When the focus is always on student success, once the success begins to happen, the work becomes much less bothersome.


Think. Work. Achieve.

The Fundamental Five poster submissions keep coming in, don’t be left out. The contest deadline is Friday, September 18th.

Your turn...