I have been reading Lauren Kaufman’s collaborative book, “The Leader Inside: Stories of Mentorship to Inspire the Leader Within,” and I have enjoyed the stories about evolving as and becoming an educational leader.
I read this quote from the book, and it really struck me:
A few ideas I want to share that this quote made me think of that I wanted to share with you all:
1. Too often, I have met many great teachers who I can tell have a tremendous influence on others and model what great administrators could and should be. Far too often, when I ask them if they have ever considered going into school administration, they share, “I don’t want to do THAT job.” I gently nudge them to consider that what they currently see school administration as does not reflect what it could be. You don’t have to do the job like others in the past; you should do the job in the way that you would hope your own school administration should be.
When I first entered school administration, I was often told I would miss kids.
But I didn’t.
Because I was in classrooms ALL THE TIME and made sure that I spent as much time with students as possible, I would often take a laptop and sit in classrooms to knock off emails or spend recess playing sports with students. That was an investment I got back tenfold, and it made my life easier when some of the “bad stuff” happened. Yes, I still had to do certain things that all administrators had to do, but I also made the job the way I wanted it to be.
Do your best to be the boss you always wanted.
2. Sometimes, we aspire to be like others, but we should also learn from those we don’t want to be like.
3. At any point in your career, no matter what you have done, you can change how you view yourself and your actions moving forward. A quote I have heard thousands of times is, “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” That “change” starts with how you perceive yourself, followed by the actions that emulate your new way of thinking.
I know this from experience.
One year, I just decided to change how I saw myself and how I approached my work. Things started falling into place quicker than I had ever imagined. What was fascinating was that the more I complained about the things I had no control over, the more stagnant I became. When I focused on what I could do, things around me changed.
But a bit of a warning.
Those you work closest with might want to hold on to what you used to be rather than be okay with what you are becoming. A great education example is when someone goes into school administration, many will say that they have “joined the dark side.” Is that because they have become evil or because of an insecurity that one might have in themselves?
It is easy in the short term to be less than what you could be for the comfort of others. But if that is what others need you to be, you don’t want that to be a long-term relationship. Always be kind and considerate to others, as you would hope others would be to you. Being kind and considerate includes wanting people to grow.
Don’t hold yourself back due to the insecurity of others.
These are just a few things Lauren’s book made me think of. The stories have pushed my thinking on my own evolution and how much further I can still grow.
I became principal at a school where the previous leader had built and led for 12 years. When I started, a mentor advised me to “beware of being the bridge principal.” Well, I was that bridge, and have since transitioned into a central office role. Through this journey, I’ve learned that I can be an effective educational leader in any capacity, and I am grateful to God for guiding me through each step of my career.