Thursday, July 6, 2017

Lead Like a Pirate: Chapter 7 - Set Your Compass & Chapter 8 - Avoid the Blame Game

Set Your Compass

What is the most important work you are focused on right now as a school team to improve student learning?

In chapter 7, the authors (Beth Houf and Shelley Burgess) talk about the importance of knowing your school focus or instructional vision.  Do you know yours?  If you were to write down your school's focus, what would it be?  Would it be the same as your team mates? Would it be the same as your assistant principal?  Would it be the same as your principal?  Long term vision should be your driving force.  "You must be crystal clear about what you and your crew need to this year, this month, this week..."  The first step is finding your focus as a school.  Break down that vision into actionable steps that you and your team can focus on with intensity.  In my opinion, one of the hardest things to do once you have a focus is to-
"Stay the course and push toward your goal 
with unwavering commitment."
Why do I say that is THE most difficult part of setting your compass?  We get side tracked during the school year with what I call ---> "The FLUFF"  
ie. new ideas from trainings or conferences, innovative teaching practices we found on pinterest, a cool website we found with great ideas...  

We get so caught up in "doing" teaching that we put our focus to the side.  We don't follow our actionable steps and we don't accomplish our goal.  All those "fluffy" things CAN help our focus, but we can't let those things overtake or become more important than our focus. 
Chapter 7 helps school leaders reflect on focus.  Create it - if they don't already have one.  And charges the readers to STAY THE COURSE.  

A vision builds trust, collaboration, interdependence, motivation, and mutual responsibility for success.  Vision helps people make smart choices because their decisions are made with the end result in mind.  Vision allows us to act from a proactive stance moving toward what we want.  Vision empowers and excites us to reach for what we truly desire."
 --Ken Blanchard, Leading at a Higher Level

Chapter 8: Avoid the Blame Game 

"If only teachers would...
If only the principal would...
If the students weren't so...
If the parents would just...
If the district would stop making us..."

That is the blame game.  How many times have I heard in my teaching career these same words?  Maybe phrased slightly differently, but I have heard them.  We blame.  "It can't be us, so it must be THEM."  Blaming is a culture that is in every school.  We even blame the tests we give children.  I have heard, "That's not how the question was asked last year!  If I had known that, I would have taught it that way!"  Beth Houf and Shelley Burgess explain that blaming is toxic.  "It gets in the way of creating the kinds of schools where all people thrive."  Think about the time and energy we DO waste blaming teachers, administration, parents, or the district.  If we SAY we are a team, shouldn't we be acting like a team?  It is the old "us" vs. "them" mentality.  I know I have seen that mentality in schools in which I have taught.  "Our kids don't have the same background as their kids."  "Our kids are lower than their kids."  "Our kids don't have the same experiences as their kids."  How do we get out of this mentality?!?  

"Be relentless in seeking out and nurturing each person's greatness."

"Being a leader of a great team requires that you HIGHLY VALUE each individual member of your team."  Beth and Shelley encourage leaders to let go of blame.  Reject the excuses and embrace the question, "How can I lead my school to greatness using the team that I have?"  Every person has unique talents, knowledge and gifts to share.  It is YOUR job as a pirate leader to bring out the best in every member of your crew.  Invest the TIME in getting to know your crew.  This will build relationships of trust.  Perhaps, this will move your team and school forward with a JOLT of positive momentum.  

Reflect on this -
  • Do you partake in the blame game?
  • What will you do next time you hear the blame game spark a conversation?
  • What do you see when you look at your team members?  Do you focus on their strengths?  Do you think about their flaws?  How will you shift your thinking?
  • How will you build your team to one that is highly valuing each and every member?

***When I say TEAM, remember that you are a leader in WHATEVER capacity you serve. You do not need the title of principal or team leader to BE a leader on your campus.  Start to lead out this school year.  We NEED you!

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