Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea

Message from the Lead Dog Principal #12

Will your players make personal sacrifices?

The answer to that question will tell you a great deal about your school, organization, or team.

In a well-functioning culture and climate, the answer is obvious. Likewise, the converse is also true. Pardon me for stating the obvious.

Stressful times do not build character, stressful times reveal one’s character. I can say the same for the ability to make personal sacrifices. It is easy to make personal sacrifices when little is asked of a person. It becomes much harder when the stakes are high.

All schools and organizations are being put to the test today considering all COVID mandates. It is important that you know who will make that personal sacrifice for the good of the team.

Can you check your ego at the door? This is a personal sacrifice for many leaders. Some leaders cannot do this and it plagues them throughout his or her career. An uncontrolled or an unchecked ego has snuffed out the career of many leaders. These folks have placed themselves above the team or organization. They will negatively affect the productivity of the team and will always be a contributing factor as the losses mount.

A school principal must skillfully balance the well-being of each individual in the school against the well-being of the entire school. These have been some of my most tough decisions. Every time a principal suspends someone or recommends removal of a student from his or her school, this balancing act is tested. For example, suspensions or expulsions rarely help the individual being excluded, yet these removals are critical for the well-being of the entire school. I have lost many hours of sleep perseverating over this issue. I like to believe that I always chose the wellbeing of the school when making these decisions.

To be successful, everyone must make some sacrifices. If you cannot do this, there will come a time when you can no longer be part of a team, whether it is a short term or long-term removal. If you do not believe me, just go ask the Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving. Irving refuses to make the required personal sacrifices needed to be part of the team. The Nets have sidelined Irving until he is ready to make that personal sacrifice to be part of the team. Kudos to you, Brooklyn Nets. I applaud you.