When Leaders Can See It All

If you google “qualities of great leaders” or another synonymous phrase, you will come across a plethora of lists from authors, current leaders, professors, etc. of what people who are lucky enough to serve others in leadership roles should and shouldn’t do. I will say; however, that over the years, I have noticed one overarching quality in those leaders who have provided more examples of what one “should” do versus what one “should not." 

Being a leader of people is not an easy task. In order to effectively serve others, there is a myriad of intricacies that one must recognize and implement. One quality; however, that I have noticed in leaders who are able to passionately lead a community of people is the ability to see things from points of view other than their own. Whether this means showing true empathy when someone is struggling, stepping into someone else's shoes when sharing news about a change, making an unpopular decision when you know there are few people willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with you, or stepping out of your own bubble to lead a change that you may not even be on board with yourself. Even though many leaders believe they are practicing these skills, remember, it is different to step into someone else’s shoes and actually think about how THEY feel in their shoes than to reflect on how YOU feel in them (Gourguechon, 2017). 

Unfortunately, in this day in age, perspective-taking is not an easy task. We live in a partisan society in which people would rather try to prove why their point of view is the “right” one versus taking the time to truly understand someone else’s. A leader, however, who recognizes differences in opinions and is willing to step out of her comfort zone, name that schism for what it is, and find a way to move forward will find it easier to lead through adversity and change than a leader who is not willing to take that step. This act of leadership does not mean that everyone will end up on the same page in peace and harmony, rather that the team may be able to come to a place where they recognize each other’s opinions as different, but valuable in their own right. A leader who can help her team come to this understanding together will experience more success than one who cannot. 

While perspective-taking is not something that comes naturally to everyone, there are some ways to practice it in your daily leadership life. When making decisions, stop and think, Am I leaning this way because this decision is what I would want, or because this decision is best for the entire community. When listening to other people’s perspectives, do not listen with “the intent to discredit or disprove” the speaker, but to actively hear and understand what the other speaker is saying and the feelings behind it (Cools, 2018). As a leader, you do not have to change your views to agree with the other person, but you DO have to allow that person to be truly heard. Finally, recognize that empathy and perspective-taking are not easy. Allow yourself time to reflect on your daily decisions as a leader and whether you took the time to consider the perspectives of your team that day, or focused mainly on your own. If the answer is the latter, vow to do better tomorrow.

Cools, J. M. (2018). How & why you should strive to understand someone else’s point of view: Specifically when you don’t agree. Medium.com. Retrieved on: April 15, 2020.

Gourguechon, P. (2017). Empathy is an essential leadership skill -- And there’s nothing soft about it. Forbes.com. Retrieved on: April 15, 2020. 

Collaborate. Connect. Learn.

I spent an entire day last week in classrooms....not observing, or doing walk throughs, but teaching.  I honestly think that one of the most important things a school leader can do is to stay in touch with the classroom and with kids.  It was an amazing day connecting with students and learning more about them and their classroom behaviors and systems.  Here is the story of what led up to this amazing day of learning.

Early last week, all of the teachers in the district participated in professional development in which they were given the opportunity to choose the sessions they attended throughout the day.  I LOVE that the district is providing that type of autonomy to teachers!  To follow up, I wanted to think of a way for teachers to share with each other everything they had learned.  There were so many valuable sessions that teachers attended, and I thought everyone would benefit from hearing what their colleagues had learned.

So, I hired a sub for the day, and the two of us circulated around the building, providing teachers with 30 minutes of additional coverage, apart from their regular prep time, to go to the library.  The library had been converted into a "learning lab" for the day.  There was chart paper scattered around the room with markers for teachers to make their thinking visible for their colleagues.  There were snacks and refreshments.  Teachers were encouraged to collaborate with their learning lab partners about what they had learned earlier in the week at the district wide PD.

The results were amazing for all involved.  Teachers enjoyed discussing ideas and concepts with people that they may not usually have had the opportunity to chat with.  They had a few minutes to sit down with snacks and unwind, which (as educators know) is not commonplace in schools.  And I, as the principal, had an entire day in classrooms, with kids, uninterrupted by meetings, phone calls, or emergencies.  It was a best-case scenario for all involved: students, teachers, and administrators.

I know I am only a few months out of the classroom into my role as principal, but this day confirmed what I believed to be true all along.  Teachers thrive when they are given autonomy to collaborate and treated as professionals.  Also, administrators need to work to keep that connection with instruction and students thriving.  I will be sure to include this learning lab set up in the agenda throughout my career as a principal!