Good Advice From Bad People

Recently, I was reflecting on how fortunate I am. Throughout my life and career I have had some incredible mentors who have guided me, supported me and given me fantastic advice. As you would expect, these are good people with good intentions who had and have my best interests in mind.  My life is richer due to them.

I have also dealt with a rouges gallery of bad managers, backstabbing peers, fools, cheats, liars, and thieves.  For these people, I have been an impediment to their means and agendas.  I would like to say that nothing good has come from my association with these people.  Except, that would be a lie.  In spite of their motivations, my life is richer due to them also.  Yes, the advice from this group has generally been more extreme: sweeter from the liars and cheats; more bitter from the bad managers and thieves.  And you have to sift through more garbage to find the useful nuggets, but it can still be there. 

For example, the work I do today can be attributed to advice I received from individuals in both groups.  In fact, it was one of the bad people who forced me to get off of high center (being unhappy in a safe job position) and do something (being happy while taking a risky job).  And the seed of an idea for starting this blog came from a “friend,” who turned out to be a jealous peer, who was trying to derail a contract negotiation. 

My point is that being able to sift the good advice from the bad people can be good for your psyche and your career.  That and, if you are one of those people who needs to keep score, overwhelming success is always the best revenge.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

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Uncle Mike's Advice

Last week LYS trained over 400 campus leaders on the PowerWalks observation system. Every trainee was diligent, attentive and earnest. We could not have asked for better groups.

While we were doing that, a LYS Principal was writing his weekly newsletter. At the end of the newsletter he included something I had shared in the blog about eighteen months ago. He thought it was important to remind his teachers of something my Uncle Mike (a successful business owner) had taught me (mostly by his deeds - he was a man of few words). I think the lesson is timely, especially for the 400 new PowerWalks users who are going to be spending considerable more time in the classroom.

1. Work hard.

2. Be decent to people, especially the people who rely on you.

3. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

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/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Come visit us at the LYS Booth at the TASA/TASB Fall Conference

A Reader Writes... (Advice for the First Year Principal - Part 1)

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

“Since the Texas Charter School Conference I have read all your postings but, Advice for the First Year Principal, is what I've been waiting for. Even though I am assistant principal, my principal is three hours away at the main campus making me the de-facto principal and last year the teachers ended the year with zero morale, so this really helps.

Will there be a part two?"

SC Response
Part two is the on-going LYS conversation. If there is something particular that you are considering, or need help with, just send in a comment.

Even though you are the assistant principal, in your case use the one of the primary leadership rules of the Navy. In the Navy, when on shore, officer rank really matters. The admiral outranks the captain who outranks the commander who outranks the lieutenant commander... But when the ships are at sea, the highest ranking officer on board is the Captain of the Ship.

When you are three hours away from the boss, you are the leader. Embrace the role. That alone should have a positive impact on morale. Weak and/or non-existent leadership is a morale killer. We all want to know that there is a vision and purpose for the organization; that those above us are working as hard we are to further that vision and purpose; and that someone will make the decisions and mobilize the resources that will put us in a position to be successful. When we know that is not the case, we flounder and the organization suffers.

When I worked for Brezina, there were times when I was the highest ranking leader in the district (admittedly, this did not happen very often). When this did occur, I made sure that I was extra visible during the day. I stayed late to make sure that if anything happened I would be there. Even though my “watch” was always unofficial, I made sure that I had my finger on the pulse of the organization. Then when Brezina returned, I would tell him that everything ran smoothly while everyone was away. Which I always found humorous, because he had no idea why I would report this.

The point being is that you have a great opportunity to make a difference, greater than what is typically expected from your nominal position. Work every day to make the most of the opportunity. Finally, if you get in a bind, just drop a line or call.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Hiring Decisions - Part 1)

In response to the post, “Hiring Decisions,” a reader writes:

"Being the first with a solution to a problem is..." ...more importantly the BEST way to make a DIFFERENCE in the lives of our children!!!!!

SC Response
I hate to steal the mojo, but not exactly. The first solution is usually the best one for adults. Or as E. Don Brown famously states, "If it's good for adults, its bad for kids." It takes some digging to get to the best solution for kids. But that wasn’t the context of the advice, though I do appreciate your enthusiasm.

Most people provide leadership with problems, a few provide leadership with solutions and even fewer provide solutions that are personal agenda neutral (those are usually the ones best for kids). My entire career has been based on providing solutions. This started in the classroom and quickly set me apart from my peers. So that is a cornerstone to my career advice to all educators, look for problems (which few do) and create solutions for those problems (still fewer). At some point someone will notice and appreciate it

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Instructional Discussions - Part 6)

In response to the posts addressing, “Instructional Discussions,” a reader writes:

“These have been good posts. As I recall, you told me to go into “bunker mode” once. It was great advice. As we know, I didn’t follow it (just like you wouldn’t), but it was still the right advice at the time. "

SC Response
What a lot of the newer readers miss is the fact that we recognize that leadership is both situational and contextual. There are times when doing the right thing leads through miles of misery and grief. That sometimes the prudent response is to just ride out the storm. I won’t second guess you when you do that. I respect the "chair" (having occupied it for most of my career). Sometimes, I will even recommend the option of not engaging. Not, that I have ever liked that option. And if you take the prudent route, I will support you even as I remind you that it is your students that are being sacrificed so you can live to fight another day. It’s not good or bad, it just is.

And as you well know, if you ignore the advice to be prudent, I’m with you every step of the way. After all, that’s when it gets fun.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Submits... Sunday Advice

An LYS reader shares,

"Teaching that brings about no change is as effective as a parachute that opens on the first bounce."

SC Response
There you go again, always focused on being effective. I guess on your campus, just showing up isn’t enough?

Great advice. Great reminder.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Advice 2/7/10 - Part 6)

In response to the posts relating to, “A Reader Shares… Sunday Advice (2/7/10),” a reader writes:

“If I'm ever referred to as ' a good principal ' - shoot me...”

SC Response
Hold on there, cowgirl. There is nothing wrong with being a good principal. There are even times when being a “not bad” principal is a huge win. Nobody wakes up and is great everyday. In fact there were times when the only goal I had for a given day was to do everything possible to just “suck a little less than yesterday.” The key is to realize that if you are going to be in the hunt for “great,” you have to grind it out everyday. And the most important days are the ones when you know that you and your team are not at their best.

Great emerges when the stakes are the highest. Without a great adversary or great challenge, who can say where you actually rank. And the truth of the matter is that the stakes aren’t high everyday. Joe Namith wasn’t considered a great quarterback until he beat the Colts in Super Bowl III. And after that game, he was never as great again.

So today I’ll save my bullets and close with Dr. Shirley Neeley’s ‘go-to’ advice, “Never rest, until your bad is good, your good is better, and your better is best.”

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Shares... Sunday Advice

An old school LYS principal shares the following:

“I had the opportunity to have a conversation with an aspiring administrator this week. He came to me after observing that I don’t talk like most principals and my actions are not like most principals. Inevitably our conversation turned to politics. The aspiring administrator correctly noted that politics are imbedded in schools and are indeed a normal part of society. He asked how I dealt with the political situations that arise. After a second of thought I responded that certainly politics are an aspect of school. As administrators we have to acknowledge that and must be prepared to face political issues in our careers. I shared the two guiding principles that I now live by:

1. From E. Don Brown: The principal is the only person in the entire school system that is in a position to be a pure advocate for kids. At some other point, everyone else in the organization will put some issue ahead of the needs of kids. An excellent principal NEVER compromises on the role of being a pure advocate for kids. I will negotiate many issues, but never this one.

2. From Bob Brezina, a corollary: If it’s not right for kids, it’s wrong.

Every time I face a tough situation, I default back to these basic principles. Any decision I make or any compromise I make must not violate either of these two basic principles. Of course the man agreed that these were important principles. The aspiring principal asked if I was serious about never compromising on these two points. I responded that I in my career I have offered my resignation rather than violate these principles, and I have been taken up on my offer. Every supposed leader out there “talks the talk.” I asked him if he was willing to “walk the walk,” even if he had to leave a campus or district in order to be faithful to these principles. He is still thinking about it.

SC Response
You and I have had this discussion more than once. As leaders who fallen on our swords because it was the right thing to do, we have agreed that there is nothing more liberating and life affirming. When you are willing to accept the worst case synerio, there is nothing that the opposing side can do that will shake your resolve. Couple that with the fact that the opposing side is generally focused on being comfortable and you have the equation that allows one person to have the impact and influence of 100's.

Now there is a small caveat that both Brezina and Dr. John Sawyer (at one time, two of the top five school finance minds in the business) ceaselessly hammered into me. You must live well below your means and you must have a rainy day fund. Without that in place, you are a slave to the paycheck. As we both know, it is much easier to die on the hill when you know that your family won’t starve.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn..

Sunday Advice... More Gant Wisdom

I learned a lot from my grandfather. Some of the conversations that I had this week got me thinking about a plaque he kept on the wall. In formal and fancy script it read, “When you are up to your ass in alligators it is difficult to remember that your primary objective is to drain the swamp.”

The conversations this week (in multiple districts) generally centered on the immensity and complexity of the task. Even I was not immune, but I kept making sure that we always came back to the Alpha and Omega of our business, Teaching and Learning.

If what we do everyday isn’t primarily focused on improving the quality of instruction and increasing student performance, then we too are being distracted by the alligators.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Just a reminder for veteran LYS readers and an invitation to new LYS readers, Sunday is usually advice day. Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.

Your turn...

Brezina's Advice

I forgot to mention the following in my last post. When I went into a District, I always rented a house during the first year.

BB

Sunday Advice - Problems with the Boss?

Everyone at some point in time has boss problems. Here are a couple of keys to managing those problems.

1. Provide solutions, not problems. If you are a fountain of negativity (even if it is reality), have some potential solutions for the problems you discover or point out.

2. Focus on accomplishing your goal, not creating excuses. Progress and success solve a lot of problems.

3. Show some independence. If you need constant reassurance, work to develop a little self confidence.

4. Ask for clarification. If your every decision is questioned, look for ways that your activities can better align with the overall focus of the organization.

5. Give something up. Your pet project is your pet project. Work on your boss’ pet project.

If these strategies do not work, then face the realization that if you have a problem with your boss, it is your problem, not the boss’ problem. Figure out how to work for that person or find a new place to work. Is that fair or right? The answer to that is not pertinent. The reality is you are the employee. As Dr. Jim Davis says, “It is your job to make the Head Coach happy.”

I’m not being glib. Three times in my career I have gone from being the “favorite” to the “irritant” overnight (the new boss often does not warm up to the old boss’ key people). In each case, once I recognized (or a mentor pointed it our to me)that my skill set was no longer appreciated and that I was not a fit in the new regime, I left. My career has continued to move forward.

On the other hand, I have watched what happens when an employee fights for what he or she thinks is his or her “rights.” Careers end, positions are marginalized, and attitudes become bitter.

Take the high road and find the boss you can work for. If your boss isn’t smart enough to appreciate you, he or she isn’t smart enough for you to work for them anyway.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Sunday Advice from an LYS Reader

Just a reminder for existing LYS readers and an invitation to new LYS readers, Sunday is advice day. Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.

An anonymous (send me you address and I’ll send your koozie) LYS reader submits the following:

Here is my favorite piece of advice,

“Under Promise, over produce, and claim victory no matter what.”

SC Response
Great advice. It is relevant at a personal, team, organization and career level.

Note to CL: Your koozie is in the mail.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Schaper Wisdom Commentary)

In response to "Schaper’s Wisdom," a reader writes:

“Having served six years in the charter school system working with students seriously at-risk of never achieving high school graduation with a diploma or G.E.D. because history has not been fair to them in and out of the classroom, I have come to look at NCLB with a certain relational resolve that says, "If No Child Left Behind is to be successful, we must Know the Child being Left Behind before they are left behind."

1. This forces us to be proactive earlier and with greater diligence to student learning needs, styles and goals.

2. Whenever we get the students, we must assess not only their content knowledge, but their skill knowledge for learning. Understanding their capacity to learn is one thing, empowering that capacity to its fullest is critical.

3. Lastly, if there isn't a serious effort to connect student-learner and instructional learner in a shared learning experience, success will be difficult. Connecting early builds opportunities for life-long learning success in and out of the classroom.”

SC Response
I can’t argue with the writer and the resolve he talks about is a great kick off discussion for the start of every school.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Great Advice - Schaper Wisdom

Early in my career as a fixer, I was in a meeting with some district principals and administrators. The issue was seriously delinquent students and what to do with them. Most of the solutions entailed expulsions and looooong suspensions. The Deputy Superintendent stepped in the room, assessed the conversation for about 2 minutes and said this,

“I want everyone one of you in this room to understand this. These kids may be turds, but they are MY turds.”

He then turned and left the meeting. Obviously, once he left, the district people began to think of solutions that kept HIS students in school and productive.

Here’s what I learned in the span of less than five minutes.


1. It is easy to teach the easy.

2. Even good people just want their problems to go away.

3. Perhaps the most important duty you have when you have power and influence is to love the unlovable.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Just a reminder for existing LYS readers and an invitation to new LYS readers, Sunday is advice day. Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Dress Code - Part 7)

In response to posts on dress codes, a reader writes:

“Cain nailed it when he writes,

‘Therefore, pick your battle. When you are constantly nagging students about shoelaces, their energy is directed towards deviant shoelaces, not more destructive and dangerous behaviors.’

This could be a quote from Sun Tzu. Pick the time and place of the battle. Strike a target of no great interest in order to take the enemy away from the real, greater objectives.

I think I will now refer to Cain as, ‘Sean Tzu.’ Seriously, this puts the issue in perspective for me and I now see the issue in a different way. Thanks.”

SC Response
Flattery will get you everywhere. Seriously, this is in line with what I advise to new AP’s. I tell them to view school as a game, where everyone has a different definition of victory. Their job is to keep the system moving in a way that the other definitions of victory are not in direct conflict with the big picture. And if you lose sometimes, it’s not personal, just reset the game and start playing again. But always keep playing.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Sunday Advice - From an LYS Reader

An LYS reader submitted the following piece of useful advice:

“I once heard a wise man say...ok, it was Sean....but wise nevertheless.

‘What you ignore, you condone.’

At times, I would get "too busy" to deal with the mundane issues such as what my teachers were wearing....after all I had student achievement to think about. Sean reminded me….by ignoring the behavior, I am condoning the behavior.

Now I take the time to correct the little things...because all the little things add up to compromise the environment and ultimately negatively impact student achievement.

How teachers dress, the clutter and disarray of their rooms, if they are consistently walking in 5 minutes late, “forgetting” to do duty or turn in reports…..these “small” things are big because they speak volumes to colleagues, parents, and kids about what you, as a leader, think is important.”

SC Response:
Send me your mailing address and I’ll send you your koozie.

Just a reminder for existing LYS readers and an invitation to new LYS readers, Sunday is advice day. Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…

Great Advice - Patton

As you read this, school leaders across the country are preparing to address their staff when they return for the start of the school year. For a lot of schools and districts, the prior year was a case of a couple of steps forward and a couple of steps backwards. That is one of the problems that manifests itself when you have numerous indicators of success. So the question I often get is, “How do I address the staff when I know there are lots of things that did not go according to plan?”

To answer this question, I crib from George S. Patton. To paraphrase the General, he said,

“Victory is achieved when you declare it.”

This advice makes me face the fact that all complicated endeavors have numerous indicators of relative success and failure (and a full year of school with tens of adults and hundreds of students is a complicated endeavor). It makes me focus on the fact that success breeds success. Therefore, when it is time to sum up the prior year and get ready for the next year, I try to focus on the following theme:

In total, we won last year (at the very least, we are smarter and we lived to fight another day). We will take that victory and we will use it as the jumping off point for even greater victory this year.

So my advice to you, the LYS reader and leader, is to:

1. Declare victory
2. Set the next ambitious challenge
3. Start working at full speed.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Just a reminder for existing LYS readers and an invitation to new LYS readers, Sunday is advice day. Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.

Your turn…

Great Advice - Sundberg Wisdom

A couple of years ago, I was complaining to a very successful, business owner friend of mine. The complaint was about how difficult it was to move a particularly entrenched bureaucracy. It was a case of one step forward, two steps back.

He said, “They can’t help it, they are a’ama crabs.”

To which I said, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“When you go catch a’ama crabs, all you need is a five gallon bucket to keep them in. You throw them in the bucket and as one starts to get to the top to escape, the others pull him back down. It’s what they do. You are dealing with a’ama crabs.”

When you find yourself dealing with a’ama crabs, don’t take in personally. Build the system, support the few people that on board from the crabs, and understand that you have to drive the change because the a’ama crabs don’t have the capacity.

Also, if you find yourself dealing with an organizational a’ama crab mentality, I would have a big ceremonial crab boil. Boldly confront the mindset and challenge you people to move up the evolutionary ladder.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Just a reminder for existing LYS readers and an invitation to new LYS readers, Sunday is advice day. Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.

Your turn...

Great Advice - Col. Hunter Wisdom

When I was middle school and high school, before summer football practice would begin, I would go and spend a week with my uncle to get ready for the season. My uncle, a retired Marine fighter pilot and successful businessman would push me and my cousin to be ready both physically and mentally. When we were running hills at 5:30 in the morning, hoping not to puke and wanting to quit; right when I would think that I could go no further, he would be in my ear saying,

"Being great is based on how much pain you can endure."

This is brilliant advice, always given when it was needed the most. It was given right when I had a choice, quit and remain average, or find just enough guts to keep going to have the chance to perhaps experience “great.”

Uncle Harold understood Marzano, before Marzano did. His reinforcement of my effort not only kept me working at that moment, but helped me build habits that I still rely on to this day. You may be smarter, faster, richer and better looking than me. You may beat me soundly and often. But, I’ll never willingly and knowingly let you outwork me.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Just a reminder for existing LYS readers and an invitation to new LYS readers, Sunday is advice day. Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.

Your turn...

Great Advice - Brown Wisdom

In honor of E. Don Brown’s birthday yesterday, today’s advice is something he pointed out to me soon after we first met. He stated,

“You do understand that the campus principal is the only pure advocate for students in the system.”

He went on to explain that everyone else in the system, at some point, will have a vested interest greater than that of a student. And that is OK.

I am a hard case when it comes to student advocacy, and from personal experience, I know that this is statement is true. I now see this statement as a critical turning point in my career. I have always been a principal advocate, and still consider myself a principal first (even though I haven't been a principal in a quite a while). But it is still the “Principal” frame of reference that guides my work.

First, I constantly work with principals to embrace the role of student advocate (for if they do not, no one else has the capacity).

Second, I work to build systems that support all other levels of staff (from board member to paraprofessional) when they are working for students and to mitigate the effects of their self-interest when it is contrary to the needs of students.

Finally, I no longer take it (as) personally when I face the anger of self-interest denied. We are all human and we all face moments of being blinded from the overriding mission by our own needs. And when that is pointed out to us, it hurts (been there, felt that, often). I also know that "who" points it out, makes a difference (attack the new guy, he doesn’t know us). On the other hand, if no one ever points out this blind spot, then we never become aware to the point where we can regulate ourselves (imperfectly), coach our peers, and build systems that support our students at those rare time when we can not.

Think. Work. Achieve.

LYS readers, just a reminder and an invitation: Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.

Your turn…