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School leaders should make ‘stop doing’ list
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WE are now well into the Year of the Horse. It’s time to take stock. For those in educational administration, this is a time to mull over what worked and what didn’t in the Year of the Snake.
If you haven’t read it yet, a must read for educational leaders is Jim Collins’ “Good to Great,” a critically acclaimed business management narrative about how leaders can propel a good organization to lasting greatness.
According to Collins, as we set goals and plan for the future, we should create “stop doing” lists. This administrative trend bucks traditional wisdom. Rather than scripting what one should start doing in the New Year to foster progress, it advocates, more importantly, that leaders outline behaviors and practices they should purge. Achieving lasting greatness in any institution is more a matter of eliminating deleterious practices than instituting new programs, according to Collins.
Reflecting on my own performance, here are four things I have extrapolated that other educational leaders might do well to consider:
• Stop talking and start listening — talk less, listen more. You will be more respected by the team.
• Stop thinking I have all the answers, or even half of them — value the experience and wisdom of the team, and learn from them. You will gain valuable insights by doing so.
• Stop managing from the rear — descend into the trenches and help. This is the only surefire way to empathize with and appreciate the burden that the team bears.
• Stop sweating trivial bureaucratic details — get out of the office and lead. You will become a more well-rounded administrator.
Creating a “stop doing” list only takes a few minutes. Give it a try. The benefits may be much longer lasting.
(Richard Eaton has served SUIS as a teacher, middle leader, building principal, and group level executive.)
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