Racial Injustice c/o Instructional Leadership

While mentoring some Instructional Leaders in Cincinnati last evening (Virtually) the question of uncertainty came up. They asked me how to lead in uncertain times. My response to all my mentees and individuals I come in contact with is as follows:

As an instructional leader, now is the time to ensure the focus of your organization is on the health and well being of your student population and communities. The entire world has viewed, firsthand, the horrific events that have transpired recently, and now is the time to progress ahead in these uncertain times. Uncertainty continues to be a high concern of all educators, leaders and students. What we are certain of, however, is that our normal routines may not be the same as public areas and schools slowly begin to reopen. This is the chance we have as leaders to impact and change our communities for the future. We can choose to embrace the new normal and grow from it. Or, we can be people who want to go back to our comfort zone. Humans love being in a place of our lives where automaticity thrives. We don’t like to make adjustments in life, in business and most certainly in education. We as educators need to use our creativity to adapt to these new adjustments and cannot afford to lose this vital trait.

So, we have a new normal. What about the new you as an Instructional Leader? Everything we want in our lives, for our learners, school and communities is now outside of our comfort zone. So, why not get used to this new normal? If we can embrace the changes that we cannot control, we can certainly change the conditions that created the injustices we see now. These crises are demanding a new you as a leader. Don’t fight the new normal or you will never have a new you. Embrace it. A new you means that you are growing as an Instructional Leader and advocate. Advocating for your school community ensures that racial injustice is not forgotten while ensuring every child is reaching his or her maximum potential. Instructional Leadership is my passion and I will leave you with my “Why” I do what I do. I believe there is hidden talent around us and my mission is to uncover the hidden talent to make the community and world a better place for learning and opportunities. As my new book is forthcoming on Impactful Instructional Leadership my publisher asked me to get this message out to educators.