Thursday, February 20, 2014

6 Quick Leadership Takeaways From A Flight Through The Fog | Connected Principals

6 Quick Leadership Takeaways From A Flight Through The Fog | Connected Principals:



6 Quick Leadership Takeaways From A Flight Through The Fog

Two weeks ago I attended the NASSP Ignite Conference in Dallas, Texas.
flying_blind_across_the_ocean-460x307
On my flight home, the pilot informed us that we would encounter heavy fog at the Tulsa airport. As we began descending, we were shrouded in it. I kept looking out the windows, and all I could see was the faint blinking lights on the plane’s wing.
Then for just an instant, I caught sight of land, and with a thud, the plane’s wheels hit ground. A lady in front of me screamed. As the plane jostled to a safe landing, there was collective sigh of relief, and we safely taxied to our gate.
That moment had me thinking about how pilots manage such landings. As I thought about it, I also began to ask myself how school leaders help our students and teachers as we travel through the rough patches of a school year.
So here are six take-aways for school leaders from my flight through the fog:
1. Remember your flight plan.
When you lead any group of people on a journey, you need to remember what is the ultimate destination of your journey together. Remind yourself of the goals you set at the start of school and refocus your energy that direction.
2. Know your instruments.
When you start to lose sight of your most important outcomes, hold onto the routines, procedures, accountability measures, and policies that guide your school practices. Being consistent with written policies, for instance, is what