A few months ago, I had a conversation with another leader who listened to some of my frustrations on how the school year was taking place. This school year is unique because we have just opened a new building with more than 450 students in kindergarten in the eighth year, consolidating three different elementary campuses of different districts of New York. Although there are always challenges in leadership, the opening of a new installation brings its own set of twists and turns.
In this conversation, I shared that I was frustrated by the culture and morale of our staff. In the middle of the consolidation and changes in our school structure, we have known several employees. We often discuss the negative impact of the high renewal of teachers on students, but when people leave a school community, everyone feels it. Staff should fill the gaps, and managers must offer emergency plans to ensure that students are still receiving instructions. I felt helpless – there were so many factors outside of my control which made it leave that the teachers decide to leave. In response, she said something so simple that deeply changed my thought at that time: their morale is your moral.
At first, I thought, obviously. But when she surveyed me on what was at the origin of what I felt – and my own feelings about work – I did not know why I felt what I felt. So, we sat together and noted all the things I felt embarrassed to be able to turn things in a different direction for my school on a whiteboard. Some of the materials of the program we have bought had not yet been delivered. Our school level systems, such as arrival and dismissal, had to adapt now that we had spent a few weeks in our new building. We were too rooted by nearly 100 students. Some problems were technical challenges that we already worked to resolve, and others had less apparent solutions.
Once I finally felt that I had written everything, she asked me what was the greatest thing that has an impact on my own feelings about work. I scanned the list and finally landed on something that caused a bump in my throat. I knew what made me feel the worst, but I didn’t want to admit it. He had trouble doing anything for the morale of the staff when my morale took a blow because of the turnover. I didn’t want to seem weak or emotional. But I also knew that it would be unproductive to sit in my feelings of defeat rather than reaching the root of my challenges.
I grew up in a faulty public school district. I had teachers who seemed distant and unprepared. I also had teachers who established relations with us as a student, have brought us to high expectations and built a joy of learning. I know How a mediocre teacher can be devastating For the future of a child and the power of an excellent teacher. There is a saying that I believe with regard to hiring: there is nothing like a unicorn. No person you hire will never be perfect or a miracle solution for a difficult situation, and it is unfair to expect it. But when I hire someone, it is because I believe that this person has a contribution to making our community and our children. I do not believe in someone’s hiring to be a warm body in a classroom.
Circumstances independent of my will
It is easy as a leader to move away from your team’s resignations. I have seen countless memes and concise linked messages that advance the story that people do not leave organizations; They left the leaders. I felt like I was failing my students and staff as a leader because teachers left. I felt defensive about this. When people started to leave, I felt like I was not doing a good job – or maybe I didn’t work hard enough.
The unhappy truth is that, in addition to the unique challenges with which my schools were faced, we are also dealing with a shortage In the education sector. It is difficult to find good people. Sometimes people are simply not aligned with the vision of the school. Sometimes people have circumstances of life that lead them in a different direction in their careers. These are the things we say when we face resignation, and although they are true, they did not collapse the bite of the difficult transitions of teachers. In the days and weeks that followed our conversation, I continued to ruminate why these resignations touched me so much.
Despite what it can sometimes look like those we direct, as directors, there are many things that are not in our immediate control. So why do I feel so injured or frustrated by facing a high turnover? Because even if there are a lot of things that I cannot control, I always have a responsibility. I feel the responsibility to put the right person in front of the children every day.
Front failure
The truth is that I do not have all the answers, and I am not the only director – or the leader, moreover – to have challenges with the retention of the staff. Some business leaders followed the so-called “great resignation” Back almost a decade, even before the pandemic. This test does not concern if I agree with this principle or why people resign. No, it is a question of how difficult it is to face the shame of living resignations and the way I learn to face moments of failure in leadership.
My colleague was favorable and understanding. As school leaders, we are going through this. She pushed me not to be so hard with myself, which I am known. I learn from this experience that it is important to have a balance. It is normal to admit that a transition to your team is disappointing. The reason why failure seems so difficult to accept in this work is because of its importance and its staff. Without recognizing the moments when I am below my own expectations, I refuse the opportunity to grow and improve. My work as a school manager is to create the conditions so that my students and teachers can achieve every day while doing my best to navigate in the circumstances that are out of my control. To do this, I cannot dwell on shame or failure for too long because it distracts me from my wider vision. I have to focus on what is in my place of control and align with my goal as a leader, which is to work to build excellent schools for my students.
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