Each day brings new data and information that heightens the level of concern. Meanwhile, you have to maintain engagement with your board, faculty, parents, students, donors, and community in order to sustain some level of mindshare and momentum.
Effective leadership through the fear and chaos of a pandemic requires adjustments. You've faced lots of challenges in your school leadership, but this is a whole new level. Now is the time for leaders to lead!
Your stakeholders are dispersed, especially faculty who are teaching from home using new tools and techniques for online instruction. Their stress level is even higher at a time of the year when it's already difficult. Parents are likewise feeling very anxious. They are all counting on you to lead them through this mess!
As you evaluate the best options to sustain your organization, consider these three priorities to stay on track even through such difficult times. CLICK HERE to watch the video webinars that provide more detailed guidance.
Building and sustaining relationships has become even more important and more complicated for school leaders with social distancing and everyone off campus. Effective planning and communication are vital for sustaining your culture and achieving your enrollment goals.
Communication is even more critical during a time of decentralized leadership and instruction. Your challenge is to manage a complex ecosystem of relationships (or what we call your grapevine) that is now spread throughout your community.
Consistency in the Sequence of your messages is a huge advantage because it builds confidence with each stakeholder group and enables you to refine your message for greater accuracy and effectiveness. Remind them about your mission and core values, and make them feel like they're part of the team.
Teachers and staff are wise to not allow themselves to be isolated from the their peers and administrators. Without frequent conversations and affirmations of progress, trust and engagement tend to decline. Talk, share, and track your work, and make sure you provide updates to your leadership.
CLICK HERE to learn more about how to avoid the headaches of miscommunication and to build greater trust using The Laws of the Grapevine.
The real value of your school is in your people. Knowing that you cannot have a great school with a disciplined team of educators who share common beliefs and commitments, use this time to advance your Discipline of Talent.
Review your Performance Rubric to clarify your core values and expectations, and then develop your talent plan for 2020-21. The impact on your school (and on your own quality of life) will be worth this investment of your time and energy while enduring the current situation.