By: Charlie Kyte
The short article below was sent out to the MASA first year Superintendents yesterday. We realized the 'tips' included apply for all of us, so we pass the article along to all who lead organizations.
STAYING POSITIVE WHILE SETTING BUDGETS:
Many Superintendents are in the middle of deficit reducing processes as they are setting the 2006-07 budgets. Of course you feel the push back from staff, students and community members. This is a high stress time for you. Be careful to listen politely and try to understand the positions of others. Be willing to make some adjustments as alternative options are brought forward as long as you can maintain the overall budget goals.
Especially refrain from getting angry and saying something that you would hope to take back later. Words are like toothpaste. It is very hard to get back into the tube.
HANDLING STAFFING DECISIONS WITH SENSITIVITY:
You may have occasion to discontinue a persons job this spring either because of cut-backs or for performance reasons. For the sake of the institution you must make the hard decisions. However, for the individual, the loss of position is very threatening. They are losing a job, but even more so they are losing a dream of success. Remember that they must go back to family and friends and share what has happened to them.
In cases where one of your people is to receive bad news do it with sensitivity. Let them be the first to know (if possible let them see it coming), do the notification in person and be as discreet as possible. Always look for a way for the persons life being effected to save as much face as possible. At times like this no one is going to complement you, but your actions will be noticed. If done with caring and style, the respect for you will grow.
LOOKING FOR NEW STAFF--USE THE JOBSITE:
Over 180 school districts subscribe to the MASA Online Jobsite. The subscription rates are low, the number of job seekers coming to the site is very large and the system is easy to use. The MDE Department of Licensing even identifies a listing on our site as a sufficiently wide advertisement as to qualify the district for a teaching variance if necessary.
If you are not a subscriber, just call Jeanna Quinn at MASA (651-645-6272).
CREATING A HIGH PERFORMING LEADERSHIP TEAM:
Part of creating a high performance team of administrators and lead teachers is to help them make successful presentations to the School Board. Often a Principal or other lead person only has one or two chances to present to the school board in a year. The quality of their presentation is translated by the board, and citizens, into the effectiveness of the person in their wider duties. Thus you helping another member of your team to be successful in their presentations is important.
Here are a few tips for you to convey:
- Share both the practical and the emotional context of their presentation. Is this a HOT topic? Will the board make a decision based on this presentation? Do some board members already have established opinions on the topic? '
- Help the presenter to know what should be presented. Who is affected by a subsequent decision? What are the capacity issues (financial impact, staffing resources, training, time, etc).
- They need the board to understand: What is the good. For Whom. At what cost.
- Make sure they keep the presentation SHORT AND SNAPPY. Often inexperienced presenters want the 'dump the whole turnip truck load' on the board at once. This is almost always a mistake.
- Encourage presenters to check the meeting room ahead of time and to be sure all the visual aids are in place and working.
- Encourage the presenters to 'speak', not 'read from a script.'
- Be sure that the presenter does not use acronyms such as AYP, NCLB, LEP, LEA. Ask them to speak in a user friendly manner, not in 'education jargon.
Finally, give a presenter feedback privately after their presentation. Encourage them, but always strive for them to improve.
Be sure you are a good role model!
Comments