tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7234797530568570882024-03-18T20:34:05.156-07:00Leading Successful and Dynamic Schools- Superintendent Scott TaylorSuperintendent Scott Taylor shares his learning from his mistakes and successes as an experienced educational leader.Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-55192635903498533132019-08-08T19:14:00.004-07:002022-11-06T04:51:29.533-08:00Failure is in all of us so Let's be Real About It<h3 style="text-align: left;">Lincoln...he's flawed...shows weakness...shows humanity</h3><div><br /></div><div>Abraham Lincoln ranks as our greatest president according to C-SPAN's perennial evaluation by 90 historians who use 10 criteria (https://www.c-span.org/thePresidents). Yet, Elizabeth Brown, in her highly respected and thoroughly researched book "Six Encounters With Lincoln" (https://amzn.to/2YDMnxK) explains that something compelled Lincoln to shrink from exercising crisp authority from time to time, and his erratic leadership sometimes led directly to battlefield losses. He's flawed...shows weakness...shows humanity. As mythical a character as he is, firsthand testimony attests to the "...hazard of [Lincoln's] good nature... the fallibility of a man irresolute but of kind intentions."</div>
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So, the greatest president is flawed. Turns out that the C-SPAN historian cadre identified weaknesses in every one of the 43 presidents (did you know that Washington was a poor military strategist?). Like most educational leaders I’ve met, I strive for perfection... all the time. I also know I harbor plenty of “grows;” I’d go so far as to state that I have more flaws than strengths. Why is it then that the professionals around me fall out of my favor when I realize their weaknesses? I don’t react this way to my family’s foibles. I realized my wife isn’t perfect after the initial rush of love, and I came to accept her imperfections (just as she has accepted mine) because I realized that relationships lean on compromise to thrive. Shouldn’t this “rule” of relationships apply to our professional connections as well?<div><br /><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">A leader is responsible for promoting positive culture</h3><div><br /></div>
My learning curve is steep, which accounts for the time it took me to come to this realization. There's little doubt that continuity of leadership is requisite to institutionalizing change. You're responsible for promoting positive culture, you work with your team to cultivate that culture, and now you have to depend upon that team to continue fostering the culture.<br />
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I’m not pronouncing anything new when I point out that continuty of leadership at all levels (supervisor, principal, etc.) is integral to realizing culture change goals. The continuty will come if those with whom we’ve surrounded ourselves give us high yield even if they’re not perfect (and nobody’s perfect)<span style="display: inline; font-size: 12pt;">. How about we all give each other a break and roll with the downsides?</span></div></div>Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-51383697916555680602018-04-23T13:20:00.002-07:002018-04-23T13:21:37.469-07:00Middle Schooler for a Day- Lessons Learned Walking in the Shoes of a Sixth Grader<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmzPUt3vTzS1XuomKTBlPiFyGfj5m2donLSnFUJssEcle3wxTiPyDzRD0W-Sd457MWEoDEXHlZD7i-Z-shjtslwiu0mXUWpXf_FTeeEdQf50l3sVgM31JF7HYjuKBurRrgGkvcPWa8XnI/s1600/IMG_2094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmzPUt3vTzS1XuomKTBlPiFyGfj5m2donLSnFUJssEcle3wxTiPyDzRD0W-Sd457MWEoDEXHlZD7i-Z-shjtslwiu0mXUWpXf_FTeeEdQf50l3sVgM31JF7HYjuKBurRrgGkvcPWa8XnI/s320/IMG_2094.jpg" width="240" /></a>What's it like to be a middle-schooler? There is no better way than to spend a day in the shoes of such an adolescent, which is what I did last week. From social studies to science to math to lunch to Spanish I went. Here is what I learned!<br />
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1. It's hard to switch gears from one subject to another within minutes of each other. I moved from social studies to science and to math in the span of two hours and fifteen minutes. It’s not easy being an adolescent having to focus on completely different subjects in such a short period of time!
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2. Certain instructional best practices are so important. I was told to complete a do now activity in one class and really wanted to know why were doing it. The objective for the class was written on the board, but I only knew it because I looked around the room for the statement. Understanding a teacher’s objective for why I should be doing certain things is so important.
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I really appreciate when a teacher doesn’t just give me the answer to something with which I have a problem. It’s more helpful when he/she asks me questions about my thinking, guides me to the answer, and then shares her feedback about what I said.</div>
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3. For the most part, kids seem really nice to each other. We hear so many difficult stories about fights and negative interactions among students. It was nice to see the sixth graders in my classes treating each other respectfully and helpfully.
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4. I need to find a way to put the Rutgers tutoring program back in the budget. My math class was wonderfully flexible and differentiated. My student table-mates were really helpful answering my questions, but they got stuck on a few of my problems. The teacher was great, but she had a lot of students in the class and had to help someone else when I needed help.
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5. We know this already, but I must reiterate- a teacher’s personality can make or break the lesson! I really enjoyed the classes in which the teachers were jovial, warm, etc. It made such a difference to my experience!
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6. The lunch food really isn’t all that bad!
Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-76348974602026962762018-03-18T14:06:00.004-07:002018-03-18T14:06:48.853-07:00Cash in the Security Guards and Invest in What will Really Prevent School ViolenceA lot of kids are coming to school angry, and I’m convinced this is the source of much of the violence we’re witnessing. Children seem disconnected to their school community, and now is the time for educators to recommit efforts to fostering a culture that ties the binds kids have with the adults who care for them 10 months of the calendar year. Let’s use a multi-prong approach to rebuilding the bridge between students and their schools by doing three things.<br />
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First, let’s shift away from a punitive discipline mindset and more towards a restorative practices approach to fostering a stronger sense of belonging. We should face the truth- Kids aren’t “scared” of being punished by disciplinarians as was the case in the old days. They need behavioral and mental health support, and they need the tools to make better social and emotional decisions. Reach out to organizations like Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility (morningsidecenter.org) and The International Institute for Restorative Practices (iirp.edu) to build togetherness and to restore kids to their school community who would otherwise have been shut out and isolated after serving suspension time. It’ll take three years, but if the research-proven payoff comes to fruition, the school will evolve to become closer-knit.<br />
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Second, lets help kids feel more confident about themselves, strengthen their interpersonal skills, and encourage them to have strong and healthy relationships with their peers. Build a Responsive Classroom environment in the elementary grades (responsiveclassroom.org), and pair it with a Social-Emotional Decision-Making Lab (tinyurl.com/yb4txdge) so kids learn how to relate to each other on deeply personal levels in the age of social media. Launch Sources of Strength (sourcesofstrength.org) in the upper grades so disenfranchised adolescents assume meaningful ownership of providing support for their peers who are contemplating self-harm.<br />
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Third, enhance school adults’ awareness and attitude about the different cultural traits kids bring to school. Understanding hidden biases, recognizing how we may inadvertently “microaggress” and identifying the influence of dominant “narratives” that may suppress kids’ identity are vital learnings in which we must continue to engage if we are to truly wrap our arms around all of our students so they feel a sense of belonging to the school community.<br />
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An all-in attitude to safeguarding kids has as much to do with deepening their connectedness to their school as does staffing buildings with security guards. Being a parent during this time is very difficult, and it is incumbent upon educational leaders to send the clear the message that they are welcoming kids 1,260 hours a year to a nurturing, supportive, and empathetic environment.Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-19975958820532016532017-07-10T13:54:00.000-07:002017-07-11T17:28:03.070-07:00It's Okay to let Your Opinion Develop<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiOEGJd_sMSbRpCiBloCBaWK-EJrzRPJ9bqId13VU7NdwiTTeIDxIor1kJb0BuW2UE_S9RmRFgwq6339tKWtUVvU3hiZU0lAulbHEpui_cNySv5dJHI-jHk5MRHZ_kltVDtDXN1M0pODY/s1600/Emancipation+Proc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1120" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiOEGJd_sMSbRpCiBloCBaWK-EJrzRPJ9bqId13VU7NdwiTTeIDxIor1kJb0BuW2UE_S9RmRFgwq6339tKWtUVvU3hiZU0lAulbHEpui_cNySv5dJHI-jHk5MRHZ_kltVDtDXN1M0pODY/s320/Emancipation+Proc.jpg" width="320" /></a>Hard as it may be for many of us to accept, it's a reality that some opinions take time to change. We shouldn't' let insecurity creep in when we alter course and make a decision that wasn't ours to begin with.<br />
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Abraham Lincoln showed the world that a momentous resolution can take time to develop and it can be exactly the thing not originally intended. His action to emancipate slaves took years to be determined. Lincoln, as Elizabeth Brown Prior points outs in her book titled <i>Six Encounters With Lincoln </i>(2017), "[He] was forced to evolve his thinking [on emancipation] over time, as facts proved his assumptions wrong and popular clamor made his [initial] policies [on emancipation] obsolete."<br />
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Historians have rationalized Lincoln's hesitation to free 19th Century slaves (Brown stakes claim to the idea that Lincoln never latched on to the idea of perfect equality among the races). The more common thread among biographers is that he was a cautious politician who looked upon extreme change as harmful to progress. Regardless of the "why" Lincoln waffled on matters as important as freeing slaves, a modern leader can look to Lincoln's change of heart and take solace knowing some decisions do take time to evolve and they may be contrary to what was first decided.<br />
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I am no Lincoln but can certainly relate to the way his mind thought through the bold idea of emancipation. Like Lincoln, I was compelled to drastically shift my position on a complex matter even though I was introduced to strong opinions to which I was encouraged to prescribe (but rejected) from the outset. I'm referring to the topic of student misbehavior and discipline; it is a discussion into which my school district dove over one year ago from my writing this article. I fostered a conversation about discipline and the use of traditional and punitive responses to behavior problems (detention and suspension among the most common). Some believed a complete rollback of suspensions and a replacement program in their stead was the key to effective behavior change. I thought this idea was too bold (it takes me a while to carry out momentous action as I am more into the gradual and steady approach to promoting change). I also didn't see how doing something so drastic and likely so frowned upon by many would lead to improving the culture change I know is important for the health of the school district.<br />
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For a variety of reasons, including the wisdom that comes from experience and time, I am now understanding the opinion first laid out that could have me make the sweeping change I didn't think I would ever embrace- eliminating the use of suspension to punish students who misbehave. Perhaps I need to recognize that the evolution of thought, opinion, and decision-making is a natural and human process that we must fully accept and not perceive as weakness? It would serve me and other leaders well to heed Nietzsche's point that “The snake which cannot cast its skin has to die. As well the minds which are prevented from changing their opinions; they cease to be mind.”<br />
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<i>This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i>Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-45704651216200812092017-06-22T13:01:00.001-07:002017-06-23T11:29:59.118-07:00The Graduation Speech that Brought Some Parents to Tears (Message to the Class of 2017)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Be happy.<br />
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And a key to happiness is not being so serious. Most of us are way too serious. Just loosen up a little and don’t worry about what somebody else has to say or think about you. I know that seems easier said than done, and I promise it is probably going to take time for you to feel confident enough for this to happen. But when you’re ready for it, it will be an amazing feeling- The idea that you can just be you and not take yourself too seriously because you don’t care what other people think about you.
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I’m not saying there aren’t times when you have to be serious by the way. And here comes a second key to being happy.
There are some serious things we have to deal with. Some of us have health issues. Some of us have (or may have) money problems. Some of us have relationship problems with people around us or people we’d like to love. Some of us have problems with politics. I’m saying that we have to find a way to get outside of our problems because if we get too far sucked in, we’ll stay in an unhappy place.<br />
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“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened” so said Mark Twain.<br />
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How many times have you thought about all the problems that may have happened but didn’t...that you thought were about to happen but didn’t...that you think will happen in the future but probably won’t? Listen to Twain- he thought about a great many troubles, but in the end, most of them never happened.<br />
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So just live in the moment. It's really hard not to think into the future or obsess about the past. I struggle with this every day. I think about the things I did wrong in my past. I think about the things that might go wrong in my future. Our thoughts can really control us if we let them. Half the time, the thoughts about our problems are just not real.<br />
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Stop and reflect- We don’t even realize when our mind is taking control of us with bad thoughts. It’s not until we get wrapped up in something we totally enjoy, like watching a great movie, going to an awesome concert, that we recognize how the negative energy in our head has control of us a lot of the time.<br />
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What were to happen if you simply said to yourself after tonight, “Hey- I’m not going to obsess about the past or the future; I’m just going to think a lot about the things around me, the people I’m with and the things I’m doing right now.”<br />
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I’m straight-talking about two keys to happiness here. First- Taking life too seriously leads to being a stressed out, scared, angry, boring human being in bad health. Second- Stop obsessing about the past and future because it will only drag you into a dark place out of which it will be hard to climb.<br />
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That’s what I have to share tonight. I really care about all of you so my message is coming to you from my heart. Just as much as independence, maturity, and kindness, so do I want you to come back to Highland Park High School to visit in the days ahead filled with happiness. That’s ultimately what I want from you. Don’t be so serious and enjoy life (without hurting anyone in the process).Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-66541175175198187152017-02-26T07:49:00.004-08:002017-02-26T07:49:41.159-08:00Where and how you Meet With People MattersEducational leaders have their share of meetings with support staff, teachers, and peer leaders. Where these meetings occur can set the tone for the discussion. Failures and successes when leading meetings have led me to realize the following:<br />
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1. <b>Post observation conferences are best facilitated in a teacher's classroom.</b> It's helpful to have a discussion about feedback in a "safe" environment. Student chairs, desks, and the teacher's classroom comforts foster a comfortable setting for what can sometimes be a challenging conversation.<br />
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2. <b>Art and music rooms can promote open and engaging discussion</b>. Pictures of artists and musicians on the walls, instruments laying on the floor, and large drawing benches for students can compel meeting participants to feel freer and more creative when brainstorming solutions to tough problems.<br />
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3. <b>Where you sit matters</b>. People performing at high developmental levels benefit from collaboration. Sitting side by side when providing evaluation feedback or sharing in the decision making process sends a visual message that you and the individual are professional partners. I am very careful not sit at the head of a conference table when managing meetings. I want participants to recognize me as one of the collaborators helping make the decisions.<br />
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<br />Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-73743287928797879232016-10-30T05:01:00.007-07:002016-10-30T05:02:50.558-07:00Getting Past Those who Would Subvert- Focus on the Idea, not the Man<span style="font-family: inherit;">Leaders who mean well have nevertheless been forced to confront those who work against them for reasons of jealousy, spite, or zealous ambition. It's a difficult reality leaders must face- Some people just hope a leader will fail for the sake of failing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Abraham Lincoln was confronted with tests to his leadership throughout his presidency. His treasury secretary, Salmon Chase, continually challenged Lincoln's capability and worked to subvert him from the start to the finish of his cabinet career. Chase was known to have suffered from a lack of credibility among his friends and colleagues.</span><sup>1</sup><span style="font-family: inherit;"> In the last months of 1862, he played a major role in precipitating crises that twice threatened the fragile stability of Lincoln’s cabinet as a result of his ambition and attempts to overcome the need to build his reputation.<sup>2 </sup></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">He was, Goodwin points out in her acclaimed work, "Forever brooding on a station in life not yet reached"</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;"> </sup><span style="font-family: inherit;">and Lincoln had the misfortune of having to manage his secretary's personal weaknesses despite the treasurer's great capabilities.<sup>3</sup></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lincoln kept his attention on Chase's treasury initiatives despite the distractions his secretary threw at him, and sometimes contested these strategies if he felt they were wrong. Lincoln </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">“[Focused] on the ideas [and] not the man” when dealing with Chase.<sup>4</sup> Concentrating on his insecure cabinet secretary's professional work allowed Lincoln to rise above the pettiness of Chase's social-emotional foibles and keep the treasurer's agitation in check for three years during the height of the civil war. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Educational leaders face the struggle against those who would see them fail. It would be wise to keep the fight about the ideas and not about the personalities at play. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1. The Lehrman Institute, Abraham Lincoln and Salmon P. Chase, <i>Abraham Lincoln's Classroom</i>. Retrieved from http://www.abrahamlincolnsclassroom.org/abraham-lincolns-contemporaries/abraham-lincoln-and-salmon-p-chase/</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2. Beard, R. (2014). The rise and fall (and rise) of Salmon P. Chase. <i>The New York Times</i>. Retrieved from http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/02/the-rise-and-fall-and-rise-of-salmon-p-chase/?_r=0</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3. Goodwin, </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">D.K. (2006).</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Team of rivals: The political genius of Abraham Lincoln. New York: </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Simon & Schuster.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4. Signer, M. (2015). Becoming Madison. New York: Public Affairs</span></span><br />
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Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-91255093505725842782016-06-03T06:10:00.000-07:002016-10-30T04:42:59.299-07:00Social Emotional Learning is not Just Something you Hope Sticks on the Wall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of my greatest flaws as an educational leader was my compulsion to promote new initiatives without considering how they would be institutionalized in the school and sustained over time. I helped my faculty "throw" wonderful ideas on the "wall" but didn't lead them to think about how these ideas would "stick" for the long term.<br />
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There are terrific social emotional learning programs on the market. Responsive Classroom, Peace Circles and Tools of the Mind immediately come to mind (CASEL provides <a href="http://www.casel.org/guide/programs/" target="_blank">a wonderful resource page</a> that describes 23 of these strategies), but elevating these programs to school culture status is as important as bringing them to light from the start.<br />
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My failures and success have taught me how important it is to weave social emotional learning into the cultural fabric of the school (i.e. institutionalize). This can be done by:<br />
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<li>Installing rituals and routines (Deal and Peterson extensively researched the importance of doing so in their 2009 work)<sup>1</sup><br /><br /><i>For example</i>- Create a routine at the elementary school that would have children and school personnel engage in a regular community activity at the start of every school day.<br /><i><br />For example</i>- Schedule one middle-high school class period per week dedicated to team building activities and small group personal discussion.</li>
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<li>Repeat, repeat, and repeat- Don't let much get in the way of consistency and carry on the rituals and routines regardless of intrusions and distractions.</li>
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<li>Weave new “language” in everything that is said- Create mantras and make those mantras highly visible by posting them on the walls, video monitors, and publications distributed to the school community.</li>
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Carrying the culture forward calls for sustainability. This can be done in part by creating easy-to-read, small, go-to protocol books (social emotional learning “bibles”) that codify strategies. I've sometimes forgotten the importance of documenting those things I want to have passed down the generations. Knowing the culture-change I helped facilitate is memorialized makes gives me a sense of confidence that my successor will recognize the importance of sustaining the culture and will have a guide to help him or her do so.<br />
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I've also learned from experience the importance of assigning culture maintenance responsibilities to assigned positions in the school (as opposed to delegating these responsibilities to certain people who may have helped me change the culture from the start). This ensures longevity despite the potential turnover of personnel.</div>
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There's no problem with presenting an idea and gauging the reaction. Brainstorming proposals is a good way to get social emotional learning ideas rolling but think of longevity as being as important as the start-up process. "[Make] a single day's work an achievement for eternity" (actress Helen Hayes) and think of the kids who years and years from the present who should reap the rewards of the wonderful culture fostered from the outset.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">1. Deal, T. E., & Peterson, K. D. (2009). Shaping school culture: Pitfalls, paradoxes, and promises. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.</span>Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-8775993377866396172016-02-21T03:51:00.000-08:002016-02-21T03:55:07.994-08:00Embrace the ValleysI take to this quote from Michael Signer's work on James Madison (2015) whenever I hit the rough patch in my educational leadership work:<br />
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“Public life is a journey through peaks and valleys. All public leaders find their apotheosis at one time or another; very few can sustain the same achievement, or image, or theme, from one month to the next…” </blockquote>
Solace in knowing not even the greatest figure heads in history hit the low points as well as the high!<br />
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<i>This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i>Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-32534209084535053272016-01-16T05:10:00.002-08:002016-01-31T06:48:52.716-08:00Speak Like Miles and ColtraneI've been speaking in front of large crowds of all kinds of people (students, faculty, parents, peer-leaders, members of communities and others) for 18 years and to this day I cannot bring myself to script a speech. I don't memorize my "lines" either (one of my intelligences is surely not the capacity to memorize big chunks of information) or spend a lot of time preparing what I'm specifically going to say.<br />
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What's my problem? Maybe I'm too insecure about my incapacity for memorization and this stymies me from preparing talks for large crowds. It could be laziness. Whatever the malady, I'm resigned to thinking "big picture" about what I will say when I have to speak formally in front of a throng of people; I let the details follow.<br />
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Pastor Mike (the Reverend Michael A. Walrond of the famed First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem) does the same thing I do, and he thinks of it like this, "I don't write them [sermons]. For me, the construction takes place in the pulpit. I think about the jazz improvisation. For Miles Davis or Coltrane to do improvisation, they knew the instrument, they knew the chords, they knew the keys. For me, it's the same thing..."<br />
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You can engage your audience if you know your stuff and have a passion for what you're talking about. This might be the way to effective speech making without formal preparation.<br />
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<br />Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-38499158180431277052015-11-08T04:43:00.000-08:002015-11-08T04:44:49.373-08:00I Sometimes Lose Sight of the Current State of Affairs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9VxlkUIKQn269ZNqFbS6mgJWJIDFKuGUPt8NSDLDF29CHMOsEg1qByDxFSA-YhI6gby2hMDpNKkwnTLdTU6JKwX5Bq6HUb8uNV6FeCmweheG_gdXUEb3DIwiU4f3W_TH1O9B9F5VMpe5/s1600/MTIwNjA4NjM0MDEyOTkzMDM2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9VxlkUIKQn269ZNqFbS6mgJWJIDFKuGUPt8NSDLDF29CHMOsEg1qByDxFSA-YhI6gby2hMDpNKkwnTLdTU6JKwX5Bq6HUb8uNV6FeCmweheG_gdXUEb3DIwiU4f3W_TH1O9B9F5VMpe5/s200/MTIwNjA4NjM0MDEyOTkzMDM2.jpg" width="200" /></a>Woodrow Wilson said, "The successful leader ought not to keep too far in advance of the mass he is seeking to lead, for he will soon lose contact with them."<br />
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This is a timely reminder to me that I must always keep track of what currently ails my school district community. I sometimes keep my eye too fixed on my broad vision and lose sight of the day to day crises that could be chipping away at the school culture I am trying to foster. Too laser-like a focus on the big picture while neglecting the current state of affairs can greatly diminish the effectiveness of a leader's vision.<br />
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<i>This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i></div>
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<br />Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-74927439573833397952015-06-30T15:48:00.002-07:002015-06-30T15:48:59.456-07:00Test Performance Does not an Educational Leader Make!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8OqFskYxeuUUPlnDRW0bfajj2ZdrH6cvLHZI28ClM2WdDBK8Y95GJJHN-V1YxDuCcXLXxVMseSOGI16vsOi26vHuIVo9O8HHczO1e_sC3nbY9gyGlxP1S4uchDuLkPjhKJUg0Xzt38i-/s1600/standardized-test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8OqFskYxeuUUPlnDRW0bfajj2ZdrH6cvLHZI28ClM2WdDBK8Y95GJJHN-V1YxDuCcXLXxVMseSOGI16vsOi26vHuIVo9O8HHczO1e_sC3nbY9gyGlxP1S4uchDuLkPjhKJUg0Xzt38i-/s1600/standardized-test.jpg" width="320" /></a>It's too easy to measure an educational leader’s success by looking myopically at students’ performance on test scores. It seems like policymakers and education laypeople take the easy way out when they look to what they believe is the most concrete measure of student achievement and consider success based on standardized test scores.<br />
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I have been struggling to reconcile my core belief that standardized test scores are a poor measure of school and teacher success with the way society looks at me as an educational leader. I work hard to help my teachers, principals, and supervisors support student preparation for standardized tests because I know we will all be judged by assessment results. But why should my success be based mostly on how well my students do on the tests and perceivably how well the teachers have prepared the students for those tests? The PARCC and other standardized assessments are validly one measure of a child's progress, but many distinguished educational scholars rightly make a compelling case for the high value of using multiple measures to judge student progress (read senior research associate in the School of Education at Duquesne University Susan Brookhart's excellent ASCD article about this subject by clicking <a href="http://taylorleadership.net/Brookhart.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
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I want to be measured by other means. Perhaps my ability to address the needs of all learners by creating specialized programs is something people could use to measure me? Maybe my work to communicate with all the stakeholders should be an indication of my success? Shouldn't the myriad ways I engage members of the local community in the decision-making process be considered an example of my ability to lead effectively?<br />
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Educational leadership is not a "black and white" enterprise- it is a craft that requires an individual to see the world in myriad "colors" that calls for all kinds of creative solutions to problems and different approaches to relating to people with divergent personalities and attitudes. Leaders should be judged according to their ability to effectively help the community they serve grow socially, emotionally, and academically and not only by their capability to get their students to perform well on tests.</div>
Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-22601562480329021012015-03-14T06:25:00.004-07:002015-11-08T04:44:00.166-08:00Isolation Won't Make the Problem go Away<div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I agree with New York Times opinion editor Maureen Dowd when she says President Obama has remained isolated during times of conflict with others and his party and those who oppose him. She talks about the president's leadership in a January 24, 2015 article that immediately followed his State of the Union address (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/opinion/sunday/maureen-dowd-running-for-daylight-obama-not-brady.html?_r=0" target="_blank">click</a> to read Dowd's piece).</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Learning from the experiences of a sitting leader has compelled me to reflect on my own relationships with those who may present obstacles to my efforts for reforming school programs. The lesson learned here- don't stay apart from the fray. Embrace conflict, maintain lines of communication always, and most of all, don't let anger corrupt your true nature and focus on the real deal, which is doing right by kids.</span><br />
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<i>This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i></div>
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Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-91942105799646418392015-02-14T09:24:00.000-08:002015-02-15T04:50:06.775-08:00It Takes Courage to Stop Staying Angry<div style="text-align: justify;">
Educational leaders are emotional people just like everyone else. I’m happy when I see a teacher taking a risk with a playful lesson and having fun with her kids. I’m sad when a child comes to school tired, unfed, and unkempt because his parents were up arguing all night on the verge of a bitter separation. I get angry some days too, but it was a recent set of challenging circumstances that really made me angry. This was anger that became all-consuming.</div>
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And this is unfortunate because I don’t remember being so angry in my 23-year career. I wasn’t getting anywhere in solving my challenges and being as upset as I was just made me grumpy every day. This being new to me, I had to come up with a new attitude…a new way to be a leader if I was going to continue doing my job with at least some bit of effectiveness. </div>
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It was a passage from Scott Berg's biography of Woodrow Wilson that suddenly redirected me and the jarring quote was this, "The man who has courage is marked for distinction; the man who has not is marked for extinction, and deserves submission." In a moment of open-mindedness (it was only after two weeks that my anger released its grip on my ability to be open-minded) I equated courage with my predicament and it dawned on me that I would have to be fearless in attacking my emotions if I was going to move forward. I was taking the easy path (maybe even a selfish path?) by staying in my angry "place." It was easy for me to "sit" on my anger and let it fester, but it would take strength and boldness to look past my irritation, come back to my "default" attitude (I try to be a nurturing and collaborative leader) and move on. </div>
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Drumming up courage paid off in two ways. I felt emotionally healthier than I had in weeks, which in turn made for better sleep, eating habits, and helped me be sharper on the job. Just as important, I was able to address my challenges head-on without letting them get the best of me or my school district.</div>
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Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-22531746006045799712015-01-31T11:11:00.001-08:002015-01-31T11:11:14.903-08:00The Leader's "Trifecta" for LongevityThere's no shortage of articles about New England Patriot's Quarterback Tom Brady heading into the 2015 Super Bowl. The New York Times Magazine's spread on his relationship with trainer Alex Guerrero (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/01/magazine/tom-brady-cannot-stop.html?_r=0" target="_blank">click</a> for the full article) shed interesting light on the underlying reason for Brady's success and, what I think should most be emphasized, longevity.<br />
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Brady's "trifecta" for durability? First, be physically fit. Second, be emotionally stable. Third, be spiritually sound. Could this be the bedrock of resilience for leaders? I felt compelled to "audit" my own place among these three qualities, an especially important exercise since I work in a high-pressured, stress-inducing job (school superintendent). Turns out I am striving to be these things that Brady preaches are the reason he's able to continue to be so successful at age 37.<br />
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I tend to believe what Brady is preaching. Long suffering from Crohn's Disease, I have not had a bout of the illness for as many years as I have taken the helm of my school district. I took up endurance racing (physical fitness), resolved I would not let my mistakes and failures keep me down (emotional stability), and drew more love from my family, after developing a greater appreciation for two daughters and wife.<br />
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I'm not professing allegiance to a particular NFL franchise here, but I have no problem learning from a successful leader in his field who has found a way to hang in there over time.<br />
<br />Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-18146462412869326992015-01-22T02:50:00.002-08:002015-01-22T02:50:14.540-08:00Inspiration Does not Have to Come From Lofty Rhetoric<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdB4XObE-WXM0scrT1zgmsKPMK1mDJz49vUH0JvQvcemqrMai5Eozc6JoAANysWDMC_9TpvCauzJ1K69UG5kfc4tYiu-HiTnOWpKhslCrCy-mQynaFaHlgfWsKExcuNmL4GFYqLg9cif0/s1600/wilson_speech.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdB4XObE-WXM0scrT1zgmsKPMK1mDJz49vUH0JvQvcemqrMai5Eozc6JoAANysWDMC_9TpvCauzJ1K69UG5kfc4tYiu-HiTnOWpKhslCrCy-mQynaFaHlgfWsKExcuNmL4GFYqLg9cif0/s1600/wilson_speech.jpg" height="320" width="272" /></a>Woodrow Wilson believed the role of a leader was not to dictate but to inspire. I heartily agree, but decades of professional experience have taught me that I cannot inspire people with grandiose speech like Wilson and countless other leaders (Lincoln, King, and Kennedy come to mind). I know my weaknesses, and one such area in which I don't shine is the ability to persuade people with halftime locker room-like speeches. How then have I managed to inspire those around me?<br />
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My three keys to inspiring others have become: 1. Modeling the expectations to which I hold my subordinates. I work hard to "walk" the talk day in, day out. 2. Empowering my constituents to help me make the important decisions. 3. Showing my subordinates that I am human, have the same problems in personal and professional life, and am willing to acknowledge my mistakes.</div>
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Those who take to this form of inspiration invest themselves in what's good for the organization. I'll bet the majority of leaders don't have the eloquence and force of an oratory giant, but there are no prerequisites to having the willingness to role model, empower, and self-reflect.<br />
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<i>This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i></div>
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Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-81629121164400769982014-10-14T02:34:00.000-07:002014-10-14T02:34:48.049-07:00Humility has Been one of my Keys to Success<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMrDOkKOuH_k1bOsvqjdCFdlumeBqku3aBgCutAsOCxME6L2G0UsfL-RB8KxiNJY05zSZ4pPEGc0_BTfEVPF-xCvWgRA_cs8J3zshmvVft08HZRDQ9xxuubtk7Qqn7n7cMx1jPnH9vj-T/s1600/chinese_symbols_for_humility_7803_2_20.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMrDOkKOuH_k1bOsvqjdCFdlumeBqku3aBgCutAsOCxME6L2G0UsfL-RB8KxiNJY05zSZ4pPEGc0_BTfEVPF-xCvWgRA_cs8J3zshmvVft08HZRDQ9xxuubtk7Qqn7n7cMx1jPnH9vj-T/s1600/chinese_symbols_for_humility_7803_2_20.png" height="157" width="320" /></a>It was validating to learn that one of Dwight Eisenhower's key character traits was his perceived humility. Michael Korda, in his biography <i>IKE: An American Hero</i> points out:<br />
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It was part of Dwight Eisenhower's genius that he never wanted to appear 'to know more than the other fellow,' or embarrass anyone if it could be avoided.</blockquote>
My wife used to chide me for talking too much about myself, what I knew, what I did...I took my cues from her early on and internalized the notion that most people appreciate those who don't "show off" and who apply themselves to helping others when necessary. I've gained more respect over time by applying my knowledge and skills only when needed and only when called upon.<br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i>Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-88545452010566166282014-08-14T14:35:00.000-07:002014-10-14T02:35:03.024-07:00Use Talking Points to Keep the Complicated SimpleI've been struggling to make sense of all the state and federal mandates thrown my district's way. I help lead a small system of three schools and 1,400 students so accountability is left to a small team of principals, supervisors, and central office administrators.<br />
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Early failures as an inexperienced leader taught me that complicating already complicated issues didn't help anyone. In fact, I did more harm than good and wasted others' time and energy. I've taken to simplifying matters now. It should not be seen as coincidence that some of our greatest leaders in business (Steve Jobs comes to mind) and the military (Eisenhower) rose to success by whittling down the complex to the simple. <br />
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Michael Korda recognizes Dwight Eisenhower's rise to Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe in his work <i>IKE: An American Hero:</i><br />
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One of IKE's greatest strengths as a senior officer [was] his ability to produce a simpler solution than anybody else's to a difficult problem.</blockquote>
I help my leadership team communicate simple solutions by having them repeat a mantra each year (what I refer to as no more than three "talking points"). I fashion the mantra out of what I know will be our core needs for a given school year. The talking points keep the mishmash of mandates and new initiatives simple so the problems with which the whole school community must confront are tackled slowly, surely, and simply. <br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i>Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-90065233340873692542014-07-29T02:54:00.001-07:002014-10-14T02:35:17.731-07:00Be Neither Dreamer or Dictator: Influence Others to Believe in Your Vision<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thomas Jefferson, despite any of his faults, was considered in a recent biography by Pulitzer Prize winning author Jon Meacham (Thomas Jefferson, The art of Power), a leader able to "articulate national aspirations yet master the mechanics of influence and know when to depart from dogma." He was able to "move men, to balance the inspirational and the pragmatic [as he] realized his vision [through] compromise and improvisation."<br />
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I don't profess to have all the answers when I share my vision with stakeholders in my learning community, and I do not present absolutes, pretending to have the solutions to everyone's challenges. The themes of my messages are clear and forthright- I recognize my community's needs and lay out processes by which everyone can collaboratively engage to come up with solutions together. In doing this, I have had success engendering sincere ownership among the faculty/staff, parents, and students in moving the community forward, rather than trying to convince them I can fix the problems with which we're faced.<br />
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<i style="line-height: 20px;">This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i></div>
Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-10579631594592259212014-03-23T14:46:00.001-07:002014-10-14T02:35:31.532-07:00The Test of Leadership: Leaving Your World in a Better Place<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fxVwyNCJYNmWEQakh6R-j4o5tJoOOdAxU35po5OmYisWC61ZuyFWdbqh6fqFOmLA4Ra07ET0tnxizw4RtbY1EFa3dufds66SI6c40y_k2SlOUTe4tlh1uTvw98Rii3f67wkGqavqE9Fm/s3200/Thomas-Jefferson-9353715-1-402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fxVwyNCJYNmWEQakh6R-j4o5tJoOOdAxU35po5OmYisWC61ZuyFWdbqh6fqFOmLA4Ra07ET0tnxizw4RtbY1EFa3dufds66SI6c40y_k2SlOUTe4tlh1uTvw98Rii3f67wkGqavqE9Fm/s3200/Thomas-Jefferson-9353715-1-402.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>I've come to grips with my weaknesses and took solace in Pulitzer Prize winning author Jon Meacham's assessment of Thomas Jefferson (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jefferson-The-Art-Power/dp/0812979486/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395610835&sr=8-1&keywords=Thomas+Jefferson%3A+The+art+of+Power" target="_blank">Thomas Jefferson: The art of Power</a>). He says:<br />
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We sense his greatness because we know that perfection in politics is not possible but that Jefferson passed the fundamental test of leadership: despite all his shortcomings and all the inevitable disappointments and mistakes and dreams deferred, he left America, and the world, in a better place than it had been when he first entered the arena of public life.</blockquote>
Don't obsess over your foibles. Can you say you changed your world?<br />
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<i style="line-height: 20px;">This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i></div>
<br />Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-90457916909792471282014-03-12T03:08:00.000-07:002014-03-12T03:08:31.593-07:00Harness Your Presentation Strengths to Sway the CrowdI'm not a very charismatic speaker when I get in front of large audiences. I can articulate my points, move around the room, and make eye contact with my audience, but I don't hold sway over people like many powerful speakers (I'm thinking of people like Harry Wong and Sir Ken Robinson).<br />
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Instead, I've come to rely on the two strengths that after 22 years of speaking in front of crowds (and that includes kids) I've finally recognized: 1. I am passionate about the things about which I speak. 2. I have a knack for being able to use striking media that resonantly illustrates my ideas.</div>
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I am expressive in different ways when I speak to teachers, parents, or kids. I'll use hand gestures, drastic intonation, and movement around a room to show my sincerity and excitement about my points. No one can deny my passion, but I follow-up my talk (and it's usually brief talk) with a short video or series of pictures and images that "speak" to my points. I like using movie clips or inspirational videos that resonate the theme of my talk. </div>
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Find your presentation strengths. Don't try to be the speaker you're not. Hold sway over the crowd however you can, and you'll get your point across just as well.</div>
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Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-25796581751612701062014-02-18T06:57:00.002-08:002014-10-14T02:35:45.830-07:00Confrontation Hardly Helps a LeaderConfrontation hardly helps a leader.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqJKokG36bxWXwE5oUqLSDZQ4EImvDlAs44ex5eSf0TBeXDFwkrpSLssXwl50u7AW2h2krxICKjb8PwYl38X5pvoVfyOZpltO1atLJH0hCzr5bf48-F8RsxqnhrsMvPyWfFz-5PQDnpeu/s1600/discussion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqJKokG36bxWXwE5oUqLSDZQ4EImvDlAs44ex5eSf0TBeXDFwkrpSLssXwl50u7AW2h2krxICKjb8PwYl38X5pvoVfyOZpltO1atLJH0hCzr5bf48-F8RsxqnhrsMvPyWfFz-5PQDnpeu/s1600/discussion.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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Here are the words of Thomas Jefferson who determined that direct conflict was unproductive and ineffective:</div>
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I never yet saw an instance of one of two disputants convincing the other by argument. Conviction is the effect of our dispassionate reasoning, either in solitude, or weighing within ourselves dispassionately what we hear from others standing uncommitted in argument ourselves. </blockquote>
I expend a lot of energy trying to convince other people to see things my way. Instead, I acknowledge the other person's points and recognize their validity (everyone is entitled to opinions). Then, I move on and consider both sides of the argument. To my subordinates I make known my decision. To my colleagues I declare my final stance and work hard to compromise so I can see my vision realized.<br />
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<i style="line-height: 20px;">This post is part of my "Leadership Lessons From American Presidents" series.</i><br />
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Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-12917865891996743682014-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:002014-02-03T11:46:51.754-08:00Promulgate a Standard of What is Expected From Your LeadersLou Cannon's 1991 account of President Ronald Reagan (President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime) speaks much about the president's perceivable "hands-off" policy when he dealt with his appointees (members of cabinet, policy advisors, etc.). Cannon goes so far as to claim Reagan's lack of influence on the people he trusted to aid in his decision-making led to an ugly spate of allegations of their misconduct toward the end of his presidency.<br />
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I take away from Cannon's consideration of Reagan's flaw a lesson in leadership- leaders must establish standards by which they hold their subordinates accountable. I have an approach to leading schools I believe has worked effectively (only after having failed more times than I've succeeded in leading) and should expect my leadership team to follow suit. I'll do this by engaging the team in book studies that illustrate my expectations, feedback via evaluations of their performance, and consistent reminders to them about the way I expect them to lead. In these ways I will subtly but surely promulgate the standard of what I expect from those with whom I trust to help me make the important decisions.Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-13842879939226005932013-12-31T05:04:00.000-08:002014-02-01T04:36:10.316-08:00Communicating Swiftly and Surely is key to Staying on top of Problems<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLmwOHKMOqFwmt2PioFywV3Gt3eme49PmwfQzi_qM9MpIx5_4VAJEU-mH9qBwRsPtDZEfJRrXYN3-4i4-to_ylV8TP1-meBce9_L9ea7IS2QFL3-Nc_owylS8vOem2_cyQ8R9Fb7LStvG/s1600/communication226x154.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLmwOHKMOqFwmt2PioFywV3Gt3eme49PmwfQzi_qM9MpIx5_4VAJEU-mH9qBwRsPtDZEfJRrXYN3-4i4-to_ylV8TP1-meBce9_L9ea7IS2QFL3-Nc_owylS8vOem2_cyQ8R9Fb7LStvG/s1600/communication226x154.png" /></a>“We live in a media age of instant reaction and instant analysis" was a remark made by a political strategist when discussing President Obama's need to work social media and other communication tools swiftly in order to get ahead of damaging problems (at the time I write he is having to address issues regarding the Affordable Care Act website and NSA spying on foreign leaders). </div>
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Educational leaders should take a cue- use tools like Honeywell's Instant Alert system and social media applications such as Twitter and Facebook to broadcast information instantaneously. A crisis calls for an immediate response in this age of the cell-phone. Leaders need to stay a step ahead of students and teachers during a lock-down or evacuation by controlling the message as soon as possible. I take to having all of my communication tools set up in one area of my cell phone and iPad with all passwords previously set so I can send out notes on the go in a flash. I rather be the person (as opposed to others "broadcasting" from the scene of the crisis) who dictates the information and response during a critical time.</div>
Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723479753056857088.post-35235117738728790842013-11-01T04:33:00.003-07:002013-11-01T04:34:21.300-07:00Love and Care for Your FacultyI was inspired by a <a href="http://tinyurl.com/oe4kudf" target="_blank">story in the New York Times</a> (September 19, 2013) about the Cleveland Indians baseball team’s new manager- Terry Francona. Turning the ball club around during the 2013 season, Francona has been praised for the hard work he’s put forth developing relationships with his players. In fact, the headline of the Times article reads, “Francona’s Approach Draws Raves in Cleveland.” Turns out, Francona finishes his game-day preparation early in the day and before his players arrive at the park so he can devote his time to bonding with them.<br />
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I’ll take my cues from this successful leader and dedicate my early morning and late night hours tending to paperwork so I can be available to my teachers and leadership team during the school day. I hope my school district’s faculty will say the same about me that Cleveland’s ball players have said about Terry Francona- “[Terry] has this unbelievable care and love for his players…[he] reconfirms to to me that you can have that relationship and be successful.”<br />
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My teachers, principals, and supervisors are the players responsible for driving my school system to “world class” status. I’ll give them my love and support so they have a strong emotional foundation on which to get there.<br />
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<br />Dr. Scott Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04229789330985855411noreply@blogger.com0