CONNECTIONS: The Humble Leader
“Level 5 leaders embody a paradoxical mix of personal humility and professional will. They are ambitious, to be sure, but ambitious first and foremost for the company,
not themselves.”
Jim Collins
We know a pastor whose sermons are masterful; he often opens them with a bit of humor. One Sunday, he let the congregation know that the topic of his sermon was going to be “humility.” He went on to explain that he had spoken on the topic many times, written about the topic often, and researched the topic at great length. Then, after an appropriate dramatic pause, he added, “In fact, you might say I’m an expert on the topic of humility.” After an appreciative chuckle from those in attendance, he added, “I’m even thinking of calling my next book: Humility--and How I Achieved It,” eliciting another collective laugh. After this humorous opening, he went on to extol the virtues of living a humble life. This reminds us that the very best educational leaders we know--whether they are district superintendents, school principals, or classroom teachers--all exhibit this admirable trait known as personal humility. They are able to lead the children and colleagues with whom they interact, in part, because of what Jim Collins calls their “professional will,” but even more importantly, it seems, because of their genuine and consistent displays of “personal humility.”
By now, we suspect that almost anyone reading this blog post has also read Collins’s book, Good To Great and is familiar with his characteristics of the very best leaders in the corporate world, people he labels, “Level 5 Leaders.” A key characteristic of such leaders is their somewhat paradoxical blend of professional will and personal humility. In reflecting on the best and most successful teachers and administrators with whom we have worked over the past few decades, we are struck by how true this is in the world of education as well as the business world. The very best teachers and administrators we know are humble people. Because they are consistently excellent, they are often recognized for their successes, yet they never seek such recognition nor wallow in it for very long, if at all. One specific behavior these excellent leaders do exhibit consistently is aligned to what Collins calls: The Window and the Mirror:
When things go well, our best educators point out the window, giving credit to factors other than themselves; they shine a light on other people (including students, parents, and colleagues) who contributed to success and take little credit themselves. Yet when things go awry, they do not blame circumstances or other people for setbacks and failures; they point in the mirror and say, “I’m responsible; that’s on me.” If they cannot find a specific event or person to give credit to when they succeed, they credit good luck, yet they never cite “bad luck” or external factors when things go poorly.
Can you think of any educators you perceive to be humble leaders who practice--knowingly or not--the window and the mirror model of leadership? We immediately thought of three excellent leaders we consider exemplars in this area:
Joe Sanfelippo is a superintendent in Fall Creek, Wisconsin. Although the district is tiny, he has put it on the national map through his outstanding work the past few years. Of course, he will never take any credit himself for the district's many successes. We have never been around Joe without hearing him rave about the amazing students, teachers, parents, and board members in his district. However, when problems arise in Fall Creek--which, like everywhere else in the world, they do--that is when you will hear Joe step up and take responsibility.
Sanee Bell is an administrator in Katy, Texas. We have yet to meet a person who knows Sanee who has not also told us what a fantastic leader she is. Her work ethic, personal integrity, intellect, and genuine compassion have earned her the respect and affection of all who know her and success in every role in which she has served. Of course, when you ask Sanee what her secret sauce of success is, be prepared for her to start pointing out the window and crediting any number of people, yet taking no credit herself.
Kirk Humphreys is a middle grades math teacher in Deerfield, Illinois, whose students consistently perform well above grade level and consistently credit him for serving as an inspiring, caring, energetic, and fun mentor. Of course, if you ever ask Kirk the secret to his success, he will simply talk about his amazing kids and unbelievable parent support.
We admire these three leaders for many reasons, including their personal humility; humble leaders like them make us want to be a better--and more humble--leaders ourselves. Although we are confident you can think of others who immediately come to mind as examples of humble educators/leaders, we also fear you can just as quickly think of those who fall into the exact opposite category: leaders who are quick to take credit for every successful outcome they had a connection to, but who, at the first sign of trouble, are even quicker at assigning blame to any and everyone involved – except themselves, of course. Working with leaders who behave thusly is simply deflating and crushes the culture of the school.
It is natural to want to receive praise and avoid blame. Although it may be natural, it is also wrong and counterproductive to our success as leaders. The concept of the window and the mirror is simple to understand, but may not be natural and, therefore, may even require practice. Fortunately, in schools we have plenty of opportunities to practice our skills in this area, giving credit where credit is due--to students, staff, parents, and community members--while also holding ourselves accountable for negative outcomes, which are, unfortunately, every bit as inevitable as our successes. Serving as a strong leader while consistently exhibiting personal humility helps build trust within your team and builds credibility for yourself as a leader as well as your classroom, school, or district. It is also another way we create a positive and productive culture in our schools.
Thanks to all educators reading this for the amazing work you are doing during these challenging times. As always, Teach and Lead with Passion...
Jeff and Jimmy
DAILY INSPIRATION EDUCATOR
(Please let us know about an inspiring educator you think we should highlight in a future newsletter by completing this brief form!)
COMING SOON
Educator Reflection Tips Volume II: Refining Our Practice by Jami Fowler-White
We are so excited to announce that our newest book will be in print in March! The Educator Reflection Tips book series is designed to deepen the knowledge and increase the skill set of professional educators. Each book in this series includes a multitude of resources, along with probing reflection questions designed to provoke readers to think deeply about their classroom experiences, past and present, and to take specific actions aimed at refining and improving their craft which will enhance teaching and learning in our schools. After reading this book, you will begin to take charge of your own professional growth. No longer will you depend solely on the traditional method of waiting on feedback from administrators and colleagues. You will be equipped with instruments to routinely consider where you are on the self-reflection continuum and use the tools provided to take action steps for improvement. Volume II in the series takes readers on a deep dive to determine habits of effectiveness in these critical areas:
Classroom Competence
Critical Literacy
Cyber Connection
Classroom Culture
The ten reflection tips highlighted in Volume II invite readers to embark upon a journey of contemplation, heightened awareness, and action-oriented transformation. Each Reflection Tip is uniquely crafted to empower educators to think critically about key factors which influence student outcomes. Look for this book to be in stock on Amazon and at connected.org on or around March 20!
FEATURED BOOK
Pause. Breathe. Flourish: Living Your Best Life as an Educator by William D. Parker.
In this book, Parker explores the habits, practices, and mindset necessary for growth as both an educator and a person. This book is grounded in the belief that when you invest in better care of yourself, you can better serve and lead others. Applying those insights is the challenge. Each chapter begins with a mental image and unpacks specific areas for cultivating personal or professional growth. Chapters end with reflection questions to help you take immediate actions for thoughtful application and improved outcomes. Do yourself a favor, and read ahead to pause, breathe, and flourish! Check out more here
CONNECTEDD’S TAKEAWAYS
Thought for the Day: “Teaching is not about us being brilliant; it is about students being brilliant.” Tom Newkirk
Teaching Technique to Try: Color, Symbol, Image: This strategy invites students to reflect on ideas in nonverbal ways and encourages them to think metaphorically. Students first focus on something they’ve just read and think about the most important theme, idea, or emotion that surfaced for them. Then they reflect on how they can communicate the essence of what they’ve read using a color, a symbol, and an image. Use this strategy to vary the ways you invite students to respond to ideas in order to appeal to the strengths of a variety of thinking and learning styles. Check out this link from Facing History and Ourselves for a step-by-step process for using this technique.
Eyes On Culture: We believe that culture is a true difference maker in any classroom, school, district, or organization. As a result, we focus much of the work we do on creating and maintaining positive and productive cultures. Culture Focus: Developing Leaders from Within. In high performing schools with strong cultures, all staff are also viewed as leaders and are encouraged, empowered, and expected to lead in one or more ways. These schools and districts provide leadership training opportunities for interested staff members and intentionally identify staff members to lead in certain areas based on their passion, expertise, and aspirations.
Please share your thoughts about culture via Twitter: @ConnectEDDBooks We would love to hear from you!