Teach Boldly

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.

THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT JOB

Throughout the year, I have been blogging about the many tools that I believe an education leader should have in their proverbial toolbox. Hopefully, if you have been reading this thing, there were some helpful insights and tools for you to consider.

Important, as we approach the conclusion of this volume of Teach & Serve, is the fact that good leaders know when to employ each of these tools and how.

I am not handy. I do not do well with home projects and, in the world of construction, I rarely can find the tool for which I am looking. 

But leadership requires that we find the right tool for the right job. As leaders, we are confronted by decision after decision and choice after choice. We deal with many, many different issues every day and each requires some kind of response.

Choose the right tool for the right job. It makes the work so much easier.

I joked with my kids for years that they should absolutely not go into education. I called it a dead end career. But, if they had to, I told them not to teach English. That was the worst. I jokingly begged them not to follow in my or my wife’s footsteps. Don’t. Teach.

I was, of course, kidding.

However, I did not think any of them would actually become teachers. 

I’ve telegraphed this particular punchline. 

One of my sons decided teaching was his path. He dedicated himself to the pursuit. He got his masters in education. He became a high school coach, something I have never done. He found in this work his vocation. 

And, this year, he plied his trade at the school I serve as principal.

I could not be more proud of him (especially today on his birthday!).

So glad you came into the “family business.”

We never know the influence we have… While culture tends to promulgate the “those who can, do, those who cannot, teach” idiocy, there are hundreds of examples of brilliance and impactful teachers in reality and in pop culture. Every-other-week this year, I will share my brief reflections on Smart People Doing Smart Things be they in literature, in film, in music or in real life. Many will be teachers, but not all. Many will be fictional, but some will be real. All will be inspiring. Welcome to IntelliPop!

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.

BRING THE FUNNY

There is a wonderful moment in the terrific show The West Wing when speech writers Sam Seaborn and Toby Ziegler are developing material for the President of the United States to deliver at the Annual Correspondents’ Dinner. These comments are intended to showcase the President’s lighthearted relationship with the Fourth Estate and are supposed to engage, amuse and challenge.

It is not going well for these fictional writers.

As they review their work, Sam says to Toby: “You know what we forgot? We forgot to bring the funny.”

Not every leader is funny. Not every leader has the ability to make light of situations. Not every leader can readily make people laugh. But every leader should consider sharpening this tool because bringing the funny tends to put everyone at ease.

Leaders should not forget to bring the funny (especially as the end of the year is SO CLOSE). The ability to make people laugh and to put them at ease should not be underrated. The work we do can feel relentless. Lightening things up is a welcome relief for those we lead. Leaders should use this tool readily and often.

Bring. The. Funny.

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.

PRACTICALITY 

It is May and teachers all over are wondering where the time went, are looking at the tatters of plans they have for their years and are trying to figure out how to get everything done they wanted to get done while making it to that finish line of the end of the year. Likewise, administrators are feeling similar pressures, similar feelings, similar regrets. 

This is a perfect time to grab the tool of practicality out of the toolbox. 

There are only so many hours in the day, days in the week and weeks in this month. One must be practical about what can be accomplished.

Though the need for practicality might be more acutely felt in May, in reality, leaders who employ practicality as one of their tools tend to be more successful than those who do not. 

No matter what a leader wants for the school and no matter how compelling that vision may be, faculties and staffs only have so much bandwidth for what they can do. Leaders who balance grand plans and ideas with practical approaches will not burn out their teachers. Rather, they will illustrate that balance and practical approaches are good ways to proceed. 

Being practical is not always a bad thing.

Indiana Jones is a teacher.

Enough said.

We never know the influence we have… While culture tends to promulgate the “those who can, do, those who cannot, teach” idiocy, there are hundreds of examples of brilliance and impactful teachers in reality and in pop culture. Every-other-week this year, I will share my brief reflections on Smart People Doing Smart Things be they in literature, in film, in music or in real life. Many will be teachers, but not all. Many will be fictional, but some will be real. All will be inspiring. Welcome to IntelliPop!

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.

DELEGATE

I believe that one of the weaknesses that afflicts many leaders is the belief that they can do it all. Most leaders received their positions because of their abilities. They have typically illustrated competence and mastery over a great many things. They often seek out responsibility. They rarely turn down the chance to learn something new in terms of the way the school works.

For this reason, they believe they can do things better than others and that teaching others to fish, as it were, is time that could be better spent in other pursuits.

Hang on.

Leaders who delegate are realistic. They know they cannot do everything.

Leaders who delegate are empower-ers. They know they can share their authority.

Leaders who delegate are visionary. They can see a future without themselves in leadership.

Delegation is a tool that most leaders – this one included – should employ far more often than they do.