LEADERSHIP COACHING: 8 WAYS TO MAINTAIN CREDIBILITY
Everyone thought Mark was a nice guy. He had a heart of gold and staff and parents liked him. He would spend countless hours at the school, often the first to arrive and the last to leave. Mark never said no to anything or anyone, but then he would quickly become overwhelmed with all of the things he had to do. When he failed to get things completed on time or the result did not meet the standards other’s expected, he would be quick with an excuse and then scramble to get it done. This had been his mode of operation for fourteen years because it was easier for him to manage it this way than it was for him to have the difficult conversation with those who had dropped the ball.
On the contrary, Steve could be a little curt at times, resulting in staff and parents not always wanting to approach him. He demanded a lot from others. Many people saw him as a strong leader. Others feared him. At times, his persona came across as arrogant because every decision had to run through him, giving others the impression that he knew more than them. On the rare occasion he did ask for input, staff would hesitate due to his propensity for getting defensive. Nevertheless, most gave him a pass because student achievement data had remained steady during his four years at the helm.
Then there was Andrea. She was passionate, intelligent, driven and had come across in her interview as a strong advocate for teachers. She was a visionary with great ideas and had an ability to articulate those ideas in way that generated enthusiasm and hope during her first year. However, now in year two, the initial energy was starting to wear off. Ironically, although Andrea was well-spoken, her lack of communication in terms of details about curriculum, programing, and policies was creating anxiety among the staff. Morale was beginning to waver with all indications pointing to the lack of accountability and follow through with consequences for poor student behavior.
The scenarios I describe above leave me with the following questions:
If I asked which leader would you prefer to work with, who would you select?
Would your response change if I asked you which leader do you think was more effective?
What attributes do you believe contributed to their success? Which behaviors generated potential damage to their credibility as leaders?
I would argue that on any given day, that regardless of your role, you are leading in some capacity. There are parallels that exist to the way staff and parents view some administrators and the way students and parents view some teachers. You lead every time you make a decision, initiate a conversation or contribute to a discussion. You lead when you present information or go out of your way to help a student or assist a colleague. Leadership comes in many forms and looks different depending on the individual’s experience, personal characteristics, skillsets, and the severity and/or significance of the situation
As rewarding as leadership can be, it can also be extremely stressful because we are vulnerable to failure. No one enjoys having every decision scrutinized, criticized, or living under the constant pressure that others may judge us harshly and in some cases unfairly, if we fail to make the “right” decision. We fear that we will be defined by whether or not we are able to live up to the standard of what it means to be an effective leader.
But how we define leadership and what it looks like is up to us. Consider the following mantra from Live Your Excellence: Bring Your Best Self to School Every Day
I can be a leader and still ask for help.
I can be confident and still have doubt.
I can expect excellence and still be empathetic.
I can be direct and still be kind.
I can work with urgency and still be patient.
I can be strong and still be vulnerable.
To define our effectiveness as a leader we must ask ourselves, “Am I willing to spend more time reflecting on what changes are needed in my personal characteristics and moreover, am I willing to invest additional time re-examining and sharpening my skillsets to gain more credibility in order to re-define my overall effectiveness as a leader?”
Each week I share out 1 Reflection, 2 Ideas, and 1 Resource for you to consider that I hope will encourage you to explore new and better practices in your daily work. My aspirations are to support you and others in developing your skills and shifting your thinking so you will invest in your own development and maybe, just maybe I can inspire you to want to live your excellence so you can bring your best self to school every day!
Live your excellence…
Jimmy
8 WAYS TO MAINTAIN CREDIBILITY: 121
1 REFLECTION
Credibility is what allows us to influence others in a positive way, both in their thinking and in their behavior. It instills in others the belief and trust that we are capable of performing our job at a high level.
2 IDEAS
We know from experience that ineffective communication can create all sorts of undercurrents in school culture. Communicating to all stakeholders a vision and the direction one wants to go is a characteristic of effective and credible leaders, but it is just as important to offer details and a timeline of how you intend to get there and who will play a part in planning and implementing that change. Use your building leadership team to assist you in determining which processes to put into place regarding how and when you will communicate with staff and parents (ie: weekly memo, email, minutes, newsletter, phone calls, meetings, etc.). These processes should also include ways to help you determine or at the very least anticipate what decisions, changes, or initiatives moving forward could generate questions that could lead to consternation among members of your school community. Discussing and working through these items before going to the entire staff will minimize misinformation and alleviate unnecessary stress. It is always best to communicate major changes and decisions face to face rather than through email. Staff, students and families should always be aware of any new initiatives at the school and the details that go with them, especially if it impacts them in any way. If last minute communication becomes the norm, you risk losing credibility as a leader.
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Be intentional in working with your administrative assistant (secretary) as a partner. I would suggest creating a weekly schedule with uninterrupted time (30 minutes) in order for s/he to help you plan out each upcoming week in advance. Setting aside a structured weekly time to meet with your assistant is critical to your effectiveness and success as a building leader. Their role is to assist you in helping you see the big picture, but more importantly, they keep you focused on the details which can often derail you from accomplishing your goals when neglected. Sometimes we can operate under assumptions that people know what is going on, but that isn’t always the case. When information is limited, people tend to create their own. Regardless of your good intentions, when you fail to follow through with information, communication or action, staff will begin to lose confidence in your ability to lead effectively. Your assistant can help you avoid these undercurrents and keep you focused on not only your big rocks, but the day to day operations of managing a school. The more you meet with and invest in your assistant and tell them exactly what you need, the more empowered s/he will feel, the more confident you both become. This ultimately leads to you and everyone on staff feeling better about your work and your overall impact on students and staff.
1 RESOURCE
8 Ways to Maintain Your Credibility
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