As a former Air Force squadron commander and Vice Commandant of the U.S. Air Force Academy, believe me, I had already been through a lifetime's worth of leadership training when I moved into the civilian sector as a K–12 school superintendent in 2002. Looking back, however, I must admit that the most challenging leadership issues I have ever faced easily occurred in the last decade.
In the military, discipline and the chain of command are understood from Day One, period. If there is to be any loosening of the reins, it can only be initiated from the top. By comparison, managing/leading educators—especially when some personnel may be tenured—requires a much more collaborative style. I liked this change, but in the K–12 community it takes 3–4 times as long to reach consensus than the old top-down military style. In the end it results in a much better path forward and more buy-in from the heart.
Even so, my blended experience has taught me that leadership success in both arenas is largely dependent