Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea
The Principal Coaching Clinic #2
Can you be the lead dog?
Many people want to be the lead dog but in reality, few can actually do the job. Never forget that, “If you ain’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.” I have seen the quote many times on bumper stickers at one of my favorite summer vacation spots. To me the job of a principal of a school is very similar to that of the lead sled dog. I think the metaphor fits.
The lead sled dog must be the visionary for the team. He or she sets the direction and the speed of the group. He or she also must keep the rest of the sled team focused. The lead dog must be both intelligent and alert. He or she also has the ability to sense things that others cannot sense. This lead dog commands the respect of the team. And if others detect a weakness in this leader, they will attack him or her and look to replace the leader. (Roach)
Wow, this sounds incredibly like a building principal.
The principal has the responsibility to steer the team and at times on this journey, the scenery could rapidly change. The lead sled dog must make decisions quickly and decisively. The rest of the team is looking at the lead dog for direction.
To be successful, the lead dog sets the pace and culture of the group. The sled dog team must work as one. Once again, to be successful, it sounds remarkedly like a school principal and yes, it the leader is not doing his or her job, others on the team will start nipping at his or her heals. Yes, this is exactly like the dynamics of a school.
If the principal cannot lead, another person on the team will. A school, just like nature, abhors a vacuum. Especially a leadership vacuum. Believe me, if you as the principal won’t lead, someone else will.
Do you consciously choose to be the lead dog or does it somehow just happen? Many will argue that it is in somehow in the lead dog’s DNA to lead. Is it nature or nurture? I tend to believe it is a combination of both. There are hundreds of companies out there looking to make a living, developing leadership skills. But if the person does not have “it” in his or her personal make up, unfortunately all of the money spent on these courses will be wasted.
My personal fascination with this metaphor goes back to my read of Jack London’s, The Call of the Wild. The lead sled dog, Buck, personified many of the traits of a good school principal. Buck is strong, powerful and intelligent. He has an incredible instinctual sense. He shows intense loyalty.
The lead dog must see the path that the team is about to travel and then have the confidence to set out on what is usually a perilous journey.
Being the lead dog is hard work. It is about accepting responsibility and being accountable. The job is about being able to get others to work together. It is about communication and maybe these social skills could be the most valuable skills in one’s personal tool kit.
At the end of the day, the principal, the lead dog of the school, is responsible for everything that happens either in the school or in the case of the lead dog, the journey of the sled team. Always know that the “buck stops here.” You cannot run from that. I always hope that as a principal, I was as good as Buck!
Roach, D. (2012). 9 Characteristic of Every Strong Lead Dog. Like a Team, retrieved from http://likeateam.com/9-characteristics-of-every-really-strong-lead-dog/.
