This is not the post I’d planned to write for Dr. Scott McLeod’s Leadership Day 2009. That entry is still in my drafts folder … saved for another day!
We are getting a new Elementary Principal next month, thanks to our previous Elementary Principal, Dr. Janice Fipp, being named our Superintendent effective July 1. Our new elementary leader starts in mid-August, the soonest he could while providing his current district with the required 60-day notice. He’ll have all of about two weeks to get ready for the staff’s return to school on September 1st. Since hearing the news of his hiring, I’ve been wondering: what can I do to help this person succeed? What’s my role? Should I “manage up,” speak up or shut up?
So, where to begin? Among Badowski’s suggestions:
- paying attention
- jumping in when needed
- maintaining a good attitude no matter what
- doing quality work
- keeping your boss informed
- building relationships, trust and an information network
- staying out of politics
- learning the art of selling and negotiation; and
- being a good follower when the situation dictates it.
With all due respect to the author, those seem to be intuitively obvious the casual observer, except the last one.
Question: when does the situation dictate someone NOT be a good follower?
Answer: when you need to SPEAK UP about something that matters. A lot.
So how does one decide what’s worth SPEAKING UP about? In “Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division,” author Anthony Muhammad provides a framework for improving relationships within schools, but, doesn’t even suggesting such a conversation come across a little too negatively? Here’s the thing: this is a great book with many positive messages and ideas for improving school culture. My friend (and intellectual man-crush) Bill Ferriter actually interviewed Muhammad using Voicethread a while back, bringing the perspectives of many educators around the country into the mix. Thanks for that, Bill – I’m still processing!
But what about the last option, just shutting up? My new principal is going to have his hands full for WEEKS, even MONTHS to come. Even if he “hits the ground running,” he’s probably going to be in a flat sprint for 14 hours a day (not counting commuting time) for the foreseeable future. Does he really need MORE on his plate? Should I even try to frame a discussion – one that hasn’t been asked for – in a way as to make it clear the focus is somehow worthy of his time and attention? Or should I just hang back, wait and see what develops, and work on being prepared in the event he asks for input?
So what do you think? What’s it gonna be? Manage up, speak up, or shut up?
Inquiring minds want to know!
-kj-
Kevin,
Even though your new principal will have a lot on their plate, I do think you can set the tone for the school year by writing out some of your goals for the year. Give them (in print or email) with a note attached saying you just wanted to keep them in the loop about your program and would love to discuss your goals further as a convenient time. This way you are letting them know you value your program but also was to have a collaborative relationship. Best of luck!
Colette
Depends on your situation — if your in need of change I would be the first at his door making him see the urgency of the need and laying out a plan you think viable. However, if you are in a great place and the past management has been strong, continue on your current course and let him see how you need to continue to be supported.
i think you do all three. let the new principal know that you are there if they need help or supoort in any way. Do your best work and fill in your principal when needed. Speak up when it looks like the principal needs assistance and shut up because they are the boss and they will have unfortunately figure some things out themselves.
Thanks for commenting, everyone!
@collette: a goals list for the year is an excellent idea. I’ll start working on it now so that it’s ready if/when he asks!
@ldob: it’s a mix, actually, more of the latter. While there’s always room for improvement, the challenge is expressing that in the most forward-thinking, positive way possible!
@maureeen: as I wrote the final few sentences of the post, I essentially reached the same conclusion: you have to do all three depending on the situation and details. Love how you summed it up so concisely!
-kj-
I had a real nightmare situation with a new principal, placed in our inner-city Probation high school by Arne Duncan. I had been there for 17 years, as newspaper adviser, department chair, and finally as TechCo. Given a very challenging situation, I do believe that whatever number of students that I could motivate to participate in their education received the best I could offer. I gave no less than I gave students at the college prep. high schools where I had taught previously. The political situation in the Chicago Public Schools has gotten very ugly. That last year I was removed from the TechCo position and got to watch a network that I helped move to 92% compliance with CPS Network standards fall apart at the hands of a vendor the principal knew and hired part-time. She put me back in the classroom, giving me all freshmen, the most difficult students at the school, and surely a recipe for my failure. My blood pressure rose under the disruption and constant discipline problems, not to mention that this wasn’t what I wanted to be doing at this point in my career. By mid-year, our CEO Arne Duncan announced that the school was going to be “turned around”, and that the entire staff was going to be displaced. This past year, I worked as a substitute teacher at regular salary, found jobs I was qualified for, applied, but never received any call backs. There are numerous teachers from my school and others in similar situations that have filed age discrimination grievances with the States Attorney and Illinois Department of Human Rights. CORE has also filed a class action suit.
Two reasons for sharing this: 1) sometimes there are politics involved in schools that have absolutely nothing to do with leaving no child behind and what’s best for the community, and 2) I just retired after more than 33 years, and find that the way I and others have been treated by Central Office to be unconscionable. It’s painful to be treated this way after more than 3 decades of service.
As others have said, your new principal is going to be busy. On the assumption that you don’t really know him/her, my first suggestion would be to wait, watch, listen. Make sure that he/she isn’t pushing his/her or the district’s latest agenda.
Second, if you want to help, then find others who also want to help and go to the principal as a group who wish to help. The group should agree that it is willing to listen to the principal’s thoughts and vision but also be a group which has its own thoughts and visions. Make sure that you are genuinely making an offer to help and that you aren’t pushing an agenda.
I guess what I’m saying is that you should avoid an individual offer of help; rather, the offer should be a collective offer.
On another matter; I am so sorry for Gary Latman. I wish I felt better about Arne Duncan. I’m developing a rule. If an administrator mentions any of the following in the first 3 minutes of any discussion or presentation – data, mandate, no child left behind, assessment, testing, etc. – all staff present should politely excuse themselves saying that they have student concerns to deal with.