Thursday, June 28, 2007
The Principal Principle
I was running on the treadmill yesterday, reading Newsweek. I came across the article "The Principal Principle," which describes the importance of school principals in creating outstanding schools.
It's that leadership thing again, and the roles are as varied for principals at schools as in corporations and large institutions. The article states:
"Principals also have to be politicians, crisis managers, cheerleaders, legal experts, disciplinarians, entertainers, coaches and persuasive evangelists for their school's educational mission."
Indulge me in a little exploration of these terms.
Politicians. Those skilled in the administration of government, active in politics and policy-making, and able to make things work out to their advantage.
Crisis managers. Those able to conceive of and take appropriate measures required to resolve hostile situations.
Cheerleaders. Those who are professional enthusiasts, both vocal and very public in supporting their teams.
Legal experts. Those who know the boundaries created by law (and how close to get to the edges when pursuing change of any kind).
Disciplinarians. Those who seek to produce specific character and behaviors through training and self-control (interestingly, the word "discipline" comes from the word "disciple" and the concept is inherently linked to teaching).
Entertainers. Those who can hold the attention of others in satisfying ways.
Coaches. Those who give instruction and helps others develop new competencies.
Persuasive evangelists. Those whose zeal for their causes convince others to reconsider their own perspectives.
There are a lot of good (and bad) leadership books out there, with the (3, 6, 9, 24) secrets of leadership in untold numbers of pages of text. The list above has its merits, even if I might tend to refer my clients to sources like Primal Leadership and Resonant Leadership by the EQ gang.
Regardless, good principals, good leaders, they're all very much the same -- committed, somewhat complex, and able to effectively shift into different roles depending on circumstances.
It's that leadership thing again, and the roles are as varied for principals at schools as in corporations and large institutions. The article states:
"Principals also have to be politicians, crisis managers, cheerleaders, legal experts, disciplinarians, entertainers, coaches and persuasive evangelists for their school's educational mission."
Indulge me in a little exploration of these terms.
Politicians. Those skilled in the administration of government, active in politics and policy-making, and able to make things work out to their advantage.
Crisis managers. Those able to conceive of and take appropriate measures required to resolve hostile situations.
Cheerleaders. Those who are professional enthusiasts, both vocal and very public in supporting their teams.
Legal experts. Those who know the boundaries created by law (and how close to get to the edges when pursuing change of any kind).
Disciplinarians. Those who seek to produce specific character and behaviors through training and self-control (interestingly, the word "discipline" comes from the word "disciple" and the concept is inherently linked to teaching).
Entertainers. Those who can hold the attention of others in satisfying ways.
Coaches. Those who give instruction and helps others develop new competencies.
Persuasive evangelists. Those whose zeal for their causes convince others to reconsider their own perspectives.
There are a lot of good (and bad) leadership books out there, with the (3, 6, 9, 24) secrets of leadership in untold numbers of pages of text. The list above has its merits, even if I might tend to refer my clients to sources like Primal Leadership and Resonant Leadership by the EQ gang.
Regardless, good principals, good leaders, they're all very much the same -- committed, somewhat complex, and able to effectively shift into different roles depending on circumstances.
Friday, June 22, 2007
From Coaching to Learning
I was working with one of my favorite clients on Wednesday. My client took a call. I said something about "another one of his fans," and he did a subtle double-take and asked "are you one of my fans?" I replied, "Yes, one of your very biggest fans."
It's funny. You start out coaching a client, helping them grow in some area or another. You start out in service of a bigger goal, whether it's business or personal. And, without fail, I find that each and every client becomes a teacher in their own right.
When I was on faculty at my coaching school, we would always emphasize what a privilege it is to be invited into our clients' worlds. We can never emphasize that enough.
While I have things I bring to my clients, they bring me as much. When they're struggling, they remind me that my own struggles are never so far off. When they break through a place of being stuck and move toward a personal vision for their own future, they underscore how, with hope and commitment, new possibilities keep opening.
I'll admit it. At times, I find myself mesmerized by the creativity, capacity, and courage in my clients -- all of them. And, when they want to "bet the ranch" on what they believe in, when they want to leave a legacy, which is not about personal glory, but about leaving the world in a little better shape than when they started, well, it's easy to be mesmerized -- and, incredibly grateful to be part of their journeys.
It's Friday. It's been a big couple of weeks. And, I'm feeling humbled by the amazing people with whom I work -- clients and colleagues alike.
It's funny. You start out coaching a client, helping them grow in some area or another. You start out in service of a bigger goal, whether it's business or personal. And, without fail, I find that each and every client becomes a teacher in their own right.
When I was on faculty at my coaching school, we would always emphasize what a privilege it is to be invited into our clients' worlds. We can never emphasize that enough.
While I have things I bring to my clients, they bring me as much. When they're struggling, they remind me that my own struggles are never so far off. When they break through a place of being stuck and move toward a personal vision for their own future, they underscore how, with hope and commitment, new possibilities keep opening.
I'll admit it. At times, I find myself mesmerized by the creativity, capacity, and courage in my clients -- all of them. And, when they want to "bet the ranch" on what they believe in, when they want to leave a legacy, which is not about personal glory, but about leaving the world in a little better shape than when they started, well, it's easy to be mesmerized -- and, incredibly grateful to be part of their journeys.
It's Friday. It's been a big couple of weeks. And, I'm feeling humbled by the amazing people with whom I work -- clients and colleagues alike.
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