As a part of the responsibility of being the President of UASSP, is to develop the yearly theme for the Association. The theme I chose was, "Elite Educational Leadership." The article describing the theme is to follow. i hope you enjoy it, and please make comments.
Elite Educational
Leadership
The path I took leading to principalship was not the
traditional teach in the classroom for an extended period, and then get the
administrative certificate and job.
After graduating with a master’s degree and teaching one year in an Ohio
public school, I spent the next 13 years coaching basketball at a junior
college, a Division I college, and in the NBA.
It was during my seven year NBA stint, coaching and observing some of
the greatest athletes in the world, that I asked myself, “What makes the great
ones great?” In a world where every
participant is considered the best at what they do, what qualities made Larry
Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, Jason Kid, Buck Williams, Karl
Malone, John Stockton, among others, not only stellar players, but the best teammates,
the best leaders, and champions? What
qualities make these men the best?
Being able to coach these people from very close proximity,
I was able to observe the characteristics which made these players the ultimate
performers within their profession, and I believe these qualities transfer to
the abilities desired in an elite leader of an educational team. The first thing I realized was the talent
level between these players and their teammates was not significantly different. They could all shoot, dribble, pass, run, and
jump very well. So what sets the elite
apart from the rest, and how can we apply this to our professional duties in
order for us to become elite educational leaders?
After spending some time observing and pondering the habits,
or characteristics each of these players exhibited, I came up with five common
traits leading to what I considered the reasons why these men were at the top
of their profession. I do believe these qualities are what can make the
difference between a good educational leader and a great one.
Each of these players always had clearly defined and
discernable goals. One thing I noticed
about this attribute was each player did not set more than one or two goals designed
for self-improvement, nor did they set an overwhelming number of goals for
their team’s performance. Their personal
goals all centered on off season improvements they perceived as a weakness, and
their team goal was always to simply win a championship. It is very difficult,
if not impossible to attain great leadership within our schools if we do not
have clear and discernable goals set for our own performance, and for the
performance of our school as a whole.
Take a close look at yourself and find one or two areas you think need
to be addressed, and spend the better part of the “off season” improving. When setting a goal for your overall school,
consider only one goal, and keeping a laser like focus throughout the year.
Simply win the championship.
The next quality makes the setting of the improvement goal a
success. That is an insatiable desire or
drive to succeed and be the best. It is
all good and well to set an improvement goal for the off season, but if we do
not do everything in our power to work on the goal, we will not make it. After Jason Kid’s rookie season, he set a goal
to improve shooting off the dribble. He
was at the gym every morning for two hours just shooting off the dribble. This was not enough, so he spent another two
hours in the evening. This took place five
days a week for the entire off season.
Whatever goal you set, you need to be willing to put in the time to make
yourself elite.
A willingness and ability to make their teammates better is
the next ability shown by these exclusive athletes. This means not just helping on defense, or
making the pass for a better shot attempt.
It means setting the example for the work attitude necessary to get
better, and a willingness to help others improve. Michael Jordan was renowned for setting a
tone in practice of always working to be the best. If a teammate was not
performing at a high level, Michael would make sure they were on the same team,
and would will the teammate to compete at a level needed for improvement. As educational leaders, we must seek out the
teammates who need our help to improve their performance. We must be willing to make sure they are on
our team and we do everything possible to help them become the best.
Furthermore each of these elite athletes had a complete disregard
for a fear of failure. Everyone of them
was willing to take the big shot and willing to take the criticism of
attempting and failing. I truly believe
nothing great can ever be accomplished if we are so afraid of failing we do not
try. Make sure we attack the goals we
set with tenacity, and if we encounter setbacks, attack them again and again
until we break through.
The final characteristic common with all these elite players
is an easily discernable self-confidence.
An example of this was when Larry Bird entered the locker room for the
three-point contest at an All-star game. He said to all the other competitors,
“I can’t believe they are going to pay me all this money to shoot three-point
shots; which one of you guys is going to come in second?” He then proceeded to win the shooting
contest. When we stand up in front of
our staff at the beginning of the year, it is imperative they sense a leader
with an easily discernable self-confidence.
Clearly defined goals, a resolute drive to improve, a
complete disregard of a fear of failure, a willingness to make others better,
and a strong self-confidence are some of the notable characteristics exhibited
by the greatest athletic leaders with whom I have associated. Check your inventory relative to these
attributes and make yourself the elite educational leader your students and
staff need and deserve.
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