Midway through the school year is a great place to stop and
reflect. As I have conducted formal and informal discussions with staff members
this month, I have taken the opportunity to think about how we have grown as a
learning community. It is easy to get mired in the minutia of the year and
forget to celebrate the progress along the way and realize the areas needed for
growth. As I personally reflected and had conversations with colleagues,
several thoughts trended to the top of the list.
Relational Leadership
Building relationships has been fundamental to my work as a
new principal to campus. Each time that we interact with an individual on our
campus, whether it be students or staff members, we have the opportunity to
build up or tear down a relationship. I can certainly reflect on many instances
where, in a passing conversation or a formal meeting, I could have taken the
opportunity to be more gracious, thoughtful, knowledgeable, or compassionate of
the needs of others. Reflecting on these moments of failure in building up a
relationship allows me the chance to do it better the next time.
Relational leadership also allows the opportunity for me to build
capacity in others for leadership. In his book, Culturize, Jimmy Casas
talks about how to model positive interactions everyday and the impact this has
on culture within a learning community. By working to model positive
interaction on our campus, I am showing others what really matters. Do I get it
right every time? Of course, not! Am I human? Yes. Unfortunately, as leaders we
are under a microscope, but when I do not get it right, I must suck up my
pride, make it right, and do better the next time.
Perception is not reality. Reality is reality.
I have said the cliché “perception is reality” over and over
in the past. As I have reflected on this school year, my mindset behind this
thought has shifted. What others think about the work that takes place in our
building every day is important. What they perceive, however, does not mean
that it is a true reflection of the work that is taking place. It can become a
slippery slope of a lost vision when we chase the perceptions of others.
Instead, what I have tried to do this year is receive
feedback of others and test that feedback against the vision we have set out to
achieve. For example, you may have heard a teacher say, “these students
misbehave more than any other year at this school,” when the data on discipline
does not support this claim. You might dismiss the comment as the teacher being
frustrated in their incorrect perception. Another way to proceed may be to
reflect on the communication cycle for discipline and see if the teacher has
been left out of the discussion about how to support student behavior on campus.
One way builds resentment within the campus, while the other way builds
collaboration.
Trust
We have nothing if we do not have trust. In his research on
the neuroscience behind trust, Paul J. Zak explains that a sense of higher
purpose and trust produce oxytocin in the brain which leads to happiness. In
fact, Zak finds that those that work in high-stress organizations are 50% more
productive and 40% less likely to exhibit burnout. If we do not build a community of trust within
our learning community, we will struggle to provide the environment students
deserve.
Being new to a campus, there is an obvious skepticism that
occurs with change. While I would love to wiggle a magic wand and, suddenly,
trust ensues, that is not the realty. Trust is something that we must work on
daily. Trust is built in communicating broadly and collaboratively. Trust is
built when we do what we say we will do. Trust is built when we face conflict
head on and agree to work in the spirit of doing what is best for kids.
Treat others as they want to be treated.
When I began my administrative career, I immaturely thought
that everyone showed up to work every day for the same reasons that I did. What
I have learned over the years is that different people are motivated by
different things. Some may come to work every day because they have a passion
for the content they teach. For others, it is a financial means to an end. Yet,
others may come to work because they feel a social sense of purpose to support
the human development of adolescents. None of these motivations, or any other
reason for that matter, are wrong, but recognizing them does allow me to
support staff needs in different ways. By seeking to learn about the uniqueness
of each person that I serve, I have been able to have more meaningful
conversations and dig deeper into why we do what we do.
I have also learned to be careful of filtering how others
want to be treated through the lens of how I want to be treated. Of course,
there are some standard social norms that we should practice in a learning
environment. Understanding how to support the individual, however, allows me to
work more efficiently and effectively. For instance, I enjoy one-on-one
conversations. So, when I started the year and asked someone to come visit with
me in my office, I thought nothing of it other than it being a conversation. I
quickly realized that for some, having a conversation in the principal’s office
meant something entirely different. Thus, I had to adjust my conversation style
with some, choosing a fly-by to the classroom or an email communication instead.
As I reflect on this midpoint in the year, in some ways I
wonder how we made it through the stress of what this year has given us.
Mostly, however, I am humbled every time I think about the opportunity I have
to serve kids and how important this work is to the future of our community. I am
grateful to be reminded every day that I chose the greatest profession on earth!
