I started a new job in January 2020, moving from leading at a school to leading at a system level. As I reflected on the new work I was engaged in (over a year ago,), I started writing this blog about transitions in my work-life; a new school year, a new school, or in my case a new job. You know, the whole ‘a change is as good as a rest’ philosophy.
So then what happened? The pandemic hit. Everything shifted. In really big ways.
I was assigned, as one of the central leaders, to help move an entire secondary school system of 23,000 learners into full distance education from March to June. From July to September we moved to creating a cohort, quadmester, in person, hybrid learning program, plus starting a full virtual high school for what would become 4600 distance learning students. Eventually, I became the Principal of this distance learning program in addition to my new System Leadership role.
Well, a pandemic response in an entire global education system remix will really make you think about shifting gears and the power of change in a whole new way.
Too many large shifts can cause whiplash in those around us and a culture of uncertainty, or a sense that your organization has an identity crisis. We are clearly seeing that in the world of education in the pandemic.
“Too much change is not a good thing.. Ask the climate.” – Michael Scott, The Office.
And yet…
From the macro to the micro we are at our best when we realize that our current direction is not always the best direction. New thinking has never been more possible. Just like a failing battery that needs a jump start, a school leader can reflect upon their Covid challenges and defeats for a valuable leadership reboot.
What got me through those huge pandemic changes and shifts was my existing skill set, but what made my work exciting, growth-based, and of service to others, was my smaller, but deeper shifts in my leadership learning.
“Every day the clock resets. Your wins don’t matter. Your failures don’t matter. Don’t stress on what was, fight for what could be”. -Sean Higgins
My areas of deepest leadership skills growth during this time of unrelenting change that have developed and served me the most have been; tapping into and growing my personal and professional networks, deep trust in my teams, and using every single interaction as a chance to show mutual humanity and common purpose. These are the skills I want to retain and build upon moving forward.
1. Personal and Professional Networks
Every person, every single one, who was an existing support, or a new introduction, became someone I was going to network with and potentially going to rely on. We all had a role in this work, a common goal of purpose meshed with survival, and a need to discard the old and create the new quickly.
It was liberating and comforting to build new, mutually beneficial relationships so quickly and see every single person as an asset who could help move our organization where it needed to go. If you crossed my path, I was going to see what you were willing to contribute to our shared goals, and it is my belief that this focus on interconnectedness brought out the best out in us both.
2. Deep Trust in Teams
Teams needed to the accessed, created, tasked and trusted quickly, and then disbanded when the work was done. I have always valued teams, but this Covid context forced growth in my ability to let them do the work, and share the vision, in a whole new way. The outcomes have been so transformative, that this must continue.
3. Humanity First – Every Damn Time
Listen, I am an introvert, which comes with its challenges in leadership and life. The crisis and pace of change needed in education and my new central role gave me a good smack of ‘you ain’t got time for that nonsense’ when interacting with others. Any sense of boundary or even an end to the work day ceased to exist. Not all of that is good of course, but it did push me deeper into the value of letting people in.
Showing others the struggle, letting them see the real me, and sharing the giddy, nerdy, joy when we accomplished something together paid off. Every email, announcement, vlog, newsletter, web post, phone call and the never ending video meets, became a chance to make a connection and show vulnerability.
And guess what? That open approach and vulnerability brings out the best in everyone. When used with the educators I was fortunate enough to lead, it allowed them to start to see their role with their students in that same way.
Humanity first. Trauma forward. Exceptions become the rule. Trust your people and trust yourself.
The growth in all of these things make all of it, all that crazy change, all that endless shifting…all of it is worth it.
The Pensive Principal 