During the winter break I always find time to read books that have been on my list. I have completed two thus far that are leadership and self development type books. And to summarize how I can apply these publications to assist me as a leader are as follows:
1. The habits you practice will produce the results. As a leader, if you do not model the habits you want your educators to partake in don't expect them to produce the results you need. This includes working with students inside and outside the school and school day. As leaders you want "teachers" to do tutoring, coaching etc. Why are you above that? Being a principal entails doing those think as you are the "coach" of the team.
2. The second thing I gleaned thus far from my readings is to make a list of things that people do better than you. Allow them to do it. There are so many things my educators do better than me and guess what "that is ok". We don;t have to have the answers and its ok to not know. Just because we have the title doesn't mean we have to solve everything. Studying Lean Management and Toyota the "persons" who are closest to the work have the best answers. Our job is to support and look for all the resources they need to complete their jobs. Now this does not mean you don;t have high expectations as a leader. I have high expectations because I truly try to remove the non-productive stuff from my educators.
As a principal I truly do not care who has the fanciest bulletin board.
I will be blogging more in the next few days on more leadership type items that can impact and help struggling schools and leader.
