The Art of Leadership: Cultivating an Environment of Excellence

There are some rudimentary concepts we can acknowledge when it comes to effective leadership. I have started class discussions with the simple prompt, "A good leader..." Students readily fill in the blank and as we discuss, I eventually draw our attention to the verbs and adjectives that have emerged. At some point I offer to them this nugget, "Whoa, I said good leaders...you are giving me definitions of excellent leaders." They ponder momentarily how that scoundrel teacher has gotten them again, and we move on. Not. We talk about the difference between being good (which is a fluffy word and has no real meaning) and being excellent (a little less fluff).

 In my mind, educational leaders need to be excellent. Simple to say, right? After all, "excellent" is one of those words we throw around in education all the time; priding our district or building on the "Tradition of Excellence" or "Excellence for All." It has such a rich magnetism...we all are drawn to the desire of being excellent. True excellence cannot be feigned because it is incapable of being hidden. In these places, excellence isn't a slogan or sales tactic, it is an operating norm. Not that any school is going to change its motto to "Where Mediocrity Reigns Supreme." Sadly, on occasion, that is the cultural reality of the school. So how do you foster excellence? After all, it doesn't just happen because you have a caring staff who like what they do and are good at it. Excellence isn't necessarily present because you have the best standardized test scores in the state. Excellence is nurtured and cultivated by doing the right work, with the right people, at the right time.

Truly excellent schools promote learning environments that not only allow, but encourage teachers to take responsible risks for the sake of enriching and empowering students in order for them to take control of their learning. If your school doesn't allow teacher autonomy and empowerment, you likely have a sour culture.   When teachers don't feel trusted to make the right decisions, it negatively impacts the learning environment. If teachers aren't excitedly sharing something they tried that enhanced learning for all students, something is wrong. The principal has enormous weight in establishing what the staff and students are excited about, believe in, and do with fidelity. If you believe you have the best staff, who are there for all the right reasons, find ways to capitalize on that. Provide the time, tools, and other necessary resources to help growth happen.

If I encourage teachers to try something different, what do I do when it doesn't work? The best way to show teachers that you believe in them is to watch them in action and give them prompt and effective feedback. Tell them what you saw students engaged by. Offer advice for ways to tweak the lesson so that all learners are engaged. You can stay on top of the classroom activities by having teachers share lessons to a building wide YouTube channel. Teachers can post lesson examples to a collective Dropbox account. It is rewarding to watch teachers observing each other and grow from their own colleagues. Encourage everyone to try something new, either on their own or with a group. This next year could be the best yet!