Years ago, I was blessed to be in a position to hold seminars with groups of educators designed to discuss and build leadership skills both informally and formally, internally – for the individual and externally for the school. As we discussed leadership skills and qualities, we would talk about new tools being put in our toolboxes as leaders. This year in Teach & Serve, I have decided to talk about many of those tools.
FAIR DOESN’T MEAN IDENTICAL
Leaders are called upon to make many, many judgements in the course of their work. At the end of any given day, a leader can look back at all she was asked to consider and not be able to enumerate the decisions made. From choices large and small, leaders are expected to apply the rules and regulations of the school to everyone in their charge.
In all of this, they are expected to make fair decisions and to treat everyone equally.
“Equally” is the challenging word here.
Leaders must be fair. They must apply their judgment fairly. They must treat people fairly. This does not, however, mean they must treat people equally.
“Equal” has a different meaning than “fair.” “Equal” means the same thing happens for everyone. “Fair” means the most right thing happens for everyone.
Leaders are faced with decisions that involve varying circumstances and different people. They are faced with decisions that defy cookie-cutter approaches. The right choice in one case may be the exact wrong choice in another. Leaders who hold themselves entirely to the notion that every choice they make is a precedent for the next one, that they will come to the same conclusion in every scenario are doing it wrong.
Being fair is critically important in every circumstance. But not every circumstance calls for the same decision.