Leadership / First Year of Teaching
Why Am I Third String?
If you have been a steady reader of my blog, you know by now that I frequently return to my coaching background to make a point. I do that again today when I discuss the concept of self-assessment.
No driven competitor on the athletic field, a school district, or the corporate environment likes to be sitting on the bench. We all want to be in the game. We want to be part of the action. Being in the game can mean many things to different people. For an athlete, this is easily defined. You are on the playing field. In the school or corporate venue, this may be evidenced by feeling that you are part of the decision-making team or you can see the tangible result of your work. Your input is solicited and valued. You are part of the team. You count for something. You are a somebody. Sometimes the most hurtful thing a coach, boss, or parent can do to another person is to ignore them. For someone so driven, this can be a painful experience. If, as a leader, we consciously employ this method of dealing with people, it is regrettable. It can also be extremely damaging to children who are seeking your approval. If you use this technique as a motivational tool, I encourage you to find a better way to motivate your staff or loved ones.
I have always thought that the most difficult thing to do is to evaluate your own talent or ability. It is hard to realistically see our faults and to step back to see why another person is playing in place of you. But after raising my children and being around my group of friends raising their children, maybe the most difficult thing to do is to realistically evaluate the skill level of your children. I have always been the one in my peer group to step back and remind folks that their child might not be the second coming of Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, or Barbra Streisand. This has been continually reinforced in my career when I have had to talk to parents about the skill level or behavior level of their child as they parade into the school fighting for a grade, playing time, or being the lead in the school play. Therefore, I encourage school leaders to remember this when they are dealing with the “talent blind” or “talent challenged” parent. We all hurt when our kids hurt.
We can also never forget that the job of the coach or corporate manager is to field the best team possible and to win the game. Winning can be defined as sales, improved test scores, or whatever metric is used in your business. You surround yourself with the people that can make this possible. You are in essence betting your career on making good personnel choices. However, for those that are not necessarily on the field at a given time or in the inner circle of your school, there is certainly an important place on your team for them. It is critical though that you are honest with them about how you assess their ability. Although this conversation is hard to do, it is necessary. Your evaluation is probably going to be very hard for them to hear but if you are honest with compassion, I believe they eventually will realize it. It is also essential that your evaluation is based on your assessment, not some tainted reason, such as the quarterback is the son of the board president or the lead in the play is the mayor’s daughter. People will see through these reasons and as a result, your credibility will suffer. Make enough of these important decisions for the wrong reason and your time as leader will be short lived.
I can remember having this conversation with a player one time who was just not strong enough, big enough or fast enough, to contribute at his position. The young man had a great attitude and loved the game, but he just was not a very good player. He was becoming a distraction in the locker room grousing about his lack of playing time. As part of our conversation, I pointed out that he was important member of the team, and that it was a long season. Eventually we could find his niche where he could be a more significant on field contributor. If he could not accept this, I told him that he should reconsider his desire to be part of the team. He came back the next day with a refreshed attitude. By mid-season, injuries had decimated our ranks, and this young man found himself playing and contributing. Perhaps he heard what I was saying and did a better job of self-assessing.
I will share a similar anecdote illustrating school leadership. It is essential that we work to build and nurture leadership from within, and I would always like to see my assistant principals work to develop their skill set to be a principal. If most people are working to be the “head coach”, your organization will be better. A healthy competition is important, and when people are driving to be the best, the organization once again benefits. I can recall a time when I pursued a position that I really wanted. I wanted to be the principal of a school in which I had served for many years as a vice principal. My competition for the position was the other vice principal in the building. I did not get the position. However, the Superintendent at that time, met with me face to face and explained to me that I was not his choice for the position yet he valued my work, and I should be patient. I was just like the young man I had to have the talk with in the former scenario. Although disappointed and dejected, I came back and worked harder, and eventually my career took off. It turned out that not getting the job was probably the best thing that ever happened to me in my career. I wasn’t really ready for it. My point here is that the Superintendent took the time to have the crucial conversation with me. I made a promise to myself that when in the descion making position I would operate in the same way that the Superintendent handled me. He made a point to have that conversation with me. A candidate for a position should never hear that he /she did not get the position through the grapevine or by seeing a printed public agenda with someone else’s name on it.
Our new hires must also understand the process of learning and how they are now being thrust into an environment with seasoned veterans. They may not be immediately welcomed into the inner circle. High school athletes quickly find this out when they attend college on a scholarship. Although they are all all- state, all- conference, all- league, all-county in their current school, when they arrive on campus as a scholarship athlete they are now competing with athletes from all over the country who were also all- state, all-county, all-league, etc. It is a revelation that they may not now be one of the best. The same can be said of our new teachers. They may have been student teacher of the year in their university, but when they enter their new school, a whole new learning curve begins. Each level presents a new challenge. The teacher moving to administration may be lost for a while. True leaders nurture the “newbies” and create a new culture of future leaders.
I am convinced some people do not own any mirrors in their house. This is both figurative and literal. I am asking each person to look deeply in a mirror. It is amazing how some people leave the house dressed or looking the way they do. It is critical that we look beyond the physical and see figuratively who we really are and what skill set we truly possess. It is important that we listen to those that see us on a daily basis. Process the information, reflect upon it, and make the appropriate changes.
Finally, “KNOW THYSELF”.
