Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea
The Principal Coaching Clinic #5
How well do you pick your leadership team?
It is that time of year again. For all of the sports fans out there, this time of year is heaven. You have March Madness, the upcoming baseball season, the NFL draft of college players, the NBA lottery and free agent player signings all over the place. Teams are rapidly changing, getting ready for the next season.
As the leader of your school, this is also your free agent period. Teachers and administrators are retiring, leaving for different jobs and there are some people you are not asking back. Are you going to rebuild or reload?
I am asking each principal at this time of year to think about what your line-up will look like for the next season. I am sure it will be different. For some schools, the changes will be few and very subtle. For other schools, there may be a radical make-over. Will you have a line-up that will compete on every play? Will you have a championship caliber team? I caution you, and perhaps admonish you, do not take this team building activity lightly. It is critical and will predict your future. Also, never underestimate the power that one person may have on the chemistry of your team.
Upon reflection, there were times that I did not put the right amount of effort into this process. I perhaps went through the motions. I settled! If there is any bit of wisdom that you can take out of this blog today is to NEVER SETTLE.
I always start off seeking the person that has the right energy and right attitude for the position. I want that person that has a laser-like focus who is driven to excellence. I want that person outworking me. I want that person to exude a positive attitude and someone who can stand tall in the face of a crisis.
It is always good that when you are assembling your team you look for people that complement your skill set in addition to the skill set of other team members. You have to have divergent personalities with divergent skills. To use a baseball analogy, you cannot have all single hitters. You need some homerun hitters and people in your line-up who can drive in runs. Each person may assume a different and unique role on the team.
Additionally, I am looking for a master communicator that can communicate ably in both the written and oral form. As part of this communication skill set, I need people who can build relationships. Always remember that working in a school is about the ability to build relationships. Our jobs are all about people.
My team needs creative thinkers that are willing to take a risk. I do not need more people to tell me that I have a problem. I need people around me that can bring ideas to the table that can solve problems.
To be on my team, you must possess a level of maturity to temper your passion. I need a person that will present new ideas to me, defend them, argue with me about them, and if in one’s idea is not accepted, have the ability to personally rebound. I have no tolerance for pouters or those who sulk. When we open the door, it is always about the team’s decision. I never want to hear from my team membersvthat we are doing things because “the boss” wanted it that way. Once we hear from all team members and make the decision, it becomes “our decision.”
Finally, a critical aspect of joining my team is the ability to teach. Even though you may now be in a leadership role, you must always be the teacher. You will now be teaching not only students but the adults in your school. To me, that is a critical skill set that is a non-negotiable. If you forget that you are a teacher, you cannot be part of my team.
Each person on the team must be committed to excellence. If you are content with mediocrity, you are not welcome on my team. We will always compete to get better and we will always conduct ourselves as champions.
Good luck in assembling a world class team. This team is essential for the success of your school but also your personal success. You cannot do it alone. Never forget that!
