Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea

Message from the Lead Dog Principal -Summer rant #5

What’s up with your personal time management system?

Why can’t you just be on time?  Is it too much too ask?  And likewise, for all of the teachers out there, why do you have to rush to try to beat the students out of the building?  Being late and rushing out the door are disrespectful to your colleagues and to your students.  It is also a reflection of the culture and climate of your organization.  If this is the case for your school, it is time to hit the culture reset button.  Something is systemically wrong.

Someone once told me that to run a good meeting you must always start on time, stop on time and have an agenda.  The same must be said about the school day.  You know what time you are supposed to be there, and you know what time you can leave.  And more importantly you know what has to be done between these hours.  So, I must ask you, why is it so hard to comply.

I can vividly recall taking over the principalship of a school and to my amazement, a very large line formed daily outside of my office.  I thought unbeknownst to me that maybe we were giving something away.  I quickly came to find out that people formed a line to sign out at the exact minute that their contract allowed each teacher to sign out.  Needless to say, I put a stop to this practice.

Most contracts clearly indicate a starting and stopping time.  Most schools require teachers stay a requisite time after school to help with student dismissal and to assist students with any after class questions or concerns.

Of course, I understand after school familial responsibilities including childcare.  But do you have to knock the kids over getting out of the building?  I think not.  Do you have to race out of the parking lot at record speeds to leave the school property?  Once again, I think not.

I ask you to adjust your time schedules so you are not in such a rush and can fully handle your professional responsibilities.  It won’t be that hard. 

Finally, if you do not see my point, I ask you to think about the optics of the come late, leave early paradigm.  These optics are awful.  And I know that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but the cover can make you want to read the book.  What does your cover say about you and your school?