Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea
The Principal Coaching Clinic #31
Do you pay attention to the details?
Answer: Sometimes, never or always (which I doubt)!
I am so tired of watching my favorite NFL team, or for that matter any other professional sport franchise, lose because they do not pay attention to the details. Is it the modern-day athlete? Or could it be the modern-day coach? This is especially surprising because I truly believe there is something to learn from the way coaches, who I personally know, prepare his or her team. I am also a bit frustrated when I listen to some of my colleagues in education lament that he or she cannot get any project successfully across the finish line. Let’s ask ourselves a similar question. Is it the modern-day teacher/educator? Or is it the modern-day principal/administrator?
The lesson I had hoped to learn from the coaching fraternity is the manner in which one prepares his or her team. Nothing can be left to chance. You must prepare for any event. In practice you must review every possible scenario imaginable.
I can recall from my football coaching background that each practice was scripted in such a way to cover every eventuality. My practice schedule was broken down to the minute. For example, my team might spend 12 minutes stretching, 18 minutes in an individual skill session, 6 minutes working on the goal line, seven minutes working on the kick-off team, etc. You get my point. Not a minute was wasted and every potential game day situation was reviewed. Why did I forget this organizational skill when I became a principal? I would use every excuse imaginable which would include: I had a long multiple priority list, I had too many interruptions, my secretary was out, my boss did not understand, etc. At the end of the day, these were merely excuses for me not paying attention to detail. And then I would wonder why I had a losing performance or a failed project.
To be a successful coach, principal or leader, you must do one thing correctly to closure and then move to the next task. And when you do this you must keep your laser-like focus on the job at hand.
Additionally, you must spend your time wisely and plan out in detail, and every aspect of the task at hand. If you put the time in planning, I can guarantee that you will save time on the backside correcting things.
Another thing I have found out is you must “be there” mentally in each part of the process. You are no good to anyone if you are thinking about something else while you are engaged in a project. I recall many times working on one thing when I was not even near being present in that task. My mind was elsewhere. Then when I made a mistake, I would be incredulous.
Practice and work on your organizational skills. Break down the job into manageable segments, then do one thing to completion and do it well. We never tend to practice the skill we may need the most. We tend to practice what we already mastered. We like that. We like feeling successful. Remember, that mastering a skill is hard work.
On your next project I challenge you to plan it well, focus on your task at hand, be there for your team and your task, and then complete one thing well before moving on to the next task. Eliminate all of your distractions. When you do this, I predict that your project will have a greater chance for success and there will be less chance of embarrassing yourself or your team. Try it. I think you will like it!
