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Early in my educational career, I sat at a conference table surrounded by renowned K-12 leaders. As we discussed our leadership philosophies, one superintendent’s response gave me chills: “My role is to put out fires. »
I was inspired and wanted to jump off the table and go into superhero mode, ready to save the day and my students. That was until another administrator spoke up. “Well, my role is to prevent these fires from happening in the first place.”
His words were transformational for me. The hero is not always the one who wears the cape, but the one who holds the clipboard, who plans, organizes and, above all, allows others to stand in the spotlight. I learned that leadership is about using the privilege of our position to build collaborative teams of talented, motivated people who can help us anticipate any problems and drive innovation that results in meaningful change.
I didn’t venture into this transformational leadership journey without some scars and scrapes, but the lessons learned have shaped the way I work with others.
1. Leaders build for the future. During my first year as administrator, our district debated how to maximize its finances in the face of declining enrollment. For a year, our leadership team crunched the numbers and conducted an in-depth facility study before deciding to close an elementary school and reorganize classes by building. We considered it a success, enabling greater efficiency and significant savings.
Until it wasn’t. As soon as we presented the proposal, we received pushback from the school board, the community and parents, so much so that the project was immediately abandoned, regardless of the research we had to support our recommendation .
This obstacle taught me that to elevate our districts, leaders must eliminate the top-down system and develop a grassroots mentality that engages all stakeholders. Successful leaders inspire a shared vision, ensure collective ownership of a project, and assign tasks to those best suited for the job. Empowering and developing others around you is essential to fulfilling your mission and ensuring it endures even after you are gone.
2. Leaders leverage the tools. Technology can help combat chronic absenteeism, personalize learning based on student needs, and strengthen communication with families. But he is not the main character in the history of our schools; he is a supporting character, there to help teachers, staff, and administrators implement best practices.
Successful school leaders know how to balance technology integration so that it supports our educators’ preferred teaching models rather than stealing the spotlight. One of my most eye-opening experiences was seeing a teacher use technology to show parts of a leaf on the screen rather than taking her first graders outside to explore the pile of leaves right outside her window – all because the neighborhood was ingrained in her. the belief that technology was non-negotiable.
Additionally, superintendents must identify AI and technology tools that help support our roles, including digital workspaces that enable collaboration across departments, fundraising systems that promote transparency and accountability and promote communication inside and outside of our schools. Equally important, we must veterinarian and evaluate each one before purchase to ensure it meets our strategic needs.
3. Leaders freeze. As school leaders, we have an inherent drive to innovate to improve the learning experiences of our students. So, for us, one of the most difficult aspects of progress in our districts is taking a step back.
According to the three-step change model developed by psychologist Kurt LewinThe most effective way to avoid resistance and gain buy-in is to “unblock, change, refreeze.” Lewin’s theory resonated with me when I wanted to integrate more STEM into our curriculum. The process began by “unfreezing” the status quo – auditing staff positions on current STEM programs, identifying the “whys” behind the need for change, such as better preparing students for future careers, and developing a compelling message that energized stakeholders. During the change phase, we worked to empower early adopters and make changes to the deployment based on their feedback. Once the curriculum updates were successfully implemented, we had to “refreeze” the stability of our school and ensure teachers settled comfortably into the new routine.
Doing due diligence as a leader and including stakeholders is how we transform our school culture from compliance to engagement, where everyone is excited to be part of a movement that improves student outcomes.
4. Leaders develop teams. In the 1970s, the Vroom-Yetton Leadership Model was developed to help leaders choose among five decision-making processes based on quality, team engagement and time constraints. The problem is that as humans we naturally focus on the last factor. Instead of being time-focused leaders, we need to evolve into development-focused leaders. The more information we receive from stakeholders as we move through the decision-making process through to implementation, the better off we will be for our students.
Last year, I had to adjust our schools’ bell schedule to accommodate a week of state testing. This is basic math, until you dig deeper into the impact a single change can have. I could have scribbled out a schedule in minutes, but instead it took me a few weeks to get everyone on the same page. I’ve spoken to the dining department about how to fit in all lunch times, to bus drivers about the impact of a delayed dismissal time, and to guidance counselors to make sure our students can access their off-site CTE programs. Devoting this time to team building ensured that all stakeholders were comfortable with the decisions and that frustrations were avoided.
Visionary superintendents are committed to growth and change that empowers our students to break out of the status quo when it is no longer viable for impactful learning. To ensure those around you share your dedication, you must spend time building talented teams, focus on the future, and set an intention for true district-wide collaboration.
As the African proverb says: “If you want to go fast, go alone.” If you want to go far, go together. I believe this message should guide everything we do in education: When we come together as a team, we create the best opportunities for our students.
