BACK TO SCHOOL REBOOT

For most educators and administrators back to school is typically an exciting time filled with shopping, organizing, decorating and wonder about what the new year will bring.  I think most will agree that 2020 has been anything but typical and as a result back to school has rolled out in ways that we never imagined.  We traded excitement for anxiety, shopping for sanitizing, organizing for onlining, decorating for distributing, and wonder for worry.  And whether starting on campus or online, we all had some new adventures ahead of us!

As restrictions lift and changes are made find a way to settle into what might feel like chaos.  Yes there are tons of unknowns but it doesn’t mean that we lose the passion and excitement for the thing that we have committed our careers to.  There is inspiration all around us and with each change let’s see it as another lap in a marathon of a school year.  Trained runners know that each lap requires the same level of skill, but a different level of intensity – in other words…SAME FUNDAMENTALS, DIFFERENT SPECIFICS.  You have everything you need in or around you to navigate this time. You may not be the expert, but someone around you definitely is – so I leave you with a few leadership tips to navigate this time:

• Respect the contributions of the past while embracing the innovations of the future.
• No change leads to paralysis, too much change leads to disaster. Pay attention to yourself and your team.  
• Effective systems provide a means for navigating challenges successfully.
• Valuing people over outcomes leads to profitable outcomes. This is a great time to highlight strengths and redistribute assignments to maximize results.
• Winning is never a solo performance. This is not the time to make decisions in isolation.
• The absence of support is the foundation for conflict. Check in with your team.
• Choose courage over comfort. Nothing meaningful is ever easy. 

The world is ever evolving, but the way we have managed the educational system has been pretty consistent.  This is our opportunity to reinvent ourselves, our work and our impact. This is our chance to move to the front of the class!