Teacher Leader Coach

  "Be You" was printed in large font on former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy's play sheet. Many people discuss how they need to be "authentic." I often write about making decisions and taking actions through core values. If our strengths and values have gotten us to pinnacles of success, then those are our "tiger stripes." And as the saying goes, a tiger doesn’t change its stripes. From an evolutionary standpoint, tigers' stripes make perfect sense. They allow the tiger to blend in with their habitat's dense vegetation as it stalks its next prey. However, if a tiger is placed in a different environment, its stripes can become a liability. In that case, it would make sense for the tiger to try to change its stripes or find a new environment. We also fall into these circumstances. Some environments allow us to thrive based on our personalities, beliefs, values, and strengths. And others where we fail or are miserable.  When our environment d...

In sports, most great coaches have the great fortune of having great players. Phil Jackson won 11 NBA championships, 6 with Michael Jordan and 5 with Kobe Bryant. He won none in his other 8 years as an NBA head coach without Michael or Kobe. As a head coach, Bill Belichick won 6 Super Bowls with Tom Brady. Before then, he was the failed coach of the Cleveland Browns and had a few miserable years after Brady left for Tampa Bay (and another Super Bowl title). These two brilliant minds understand how to coach the game and their players, and having stars on their team should not diminish their achievements. But without stars, even they could not win. Many other great coaches have never won anything significant. Besides star power, what do great coaches do in preparation for and during games? Adapt. All head coaches (insert the generic term leader here) have a game plan and a system they want to execute. The success or failure of the game plan depends on the players’ execution. There have l...

Accountability and Grace. Two dichotomous words that are necessary for growth. These two concepts are paradoxes for leaders to grapple with. By leader, I mean anyone responsible for overseeing the growth and development of another. That’s a loose definition that applies to bosses, teachers, parents, and coaches, among others. Accountability means holding others to the standards and commitments of their role. Ensure they complete satisfactory work and make corrections when necessary. Grace means showing understanding when those being led do not fulfill their responsibilities. This dichotomy is a balancing act for leaders. Leaders need those around them to complete their work well, and most are trying to do their job at a high level. It isn't out of spite or a lack of caring when they struggle. They didn't understand what they were supposed to have done, were too busy or distracted to do it properly, or hadn't yet gained the ability to. A leader can resort straight to anger, ...

I have no hard numbers behind my upcoming statement, only a basis in my experience. Poor, late, or intentionally dishonest/demeaning communication leads to 90% of arguments. I made that number up, but try to disprove me! Communication is a root of evil, just like money. While I don’t consider the people I lead subordinate to me, I will use that term as a general one for those being led by someone else. Subordinates here could be students to teachers, teachers and coaches to direct supervisors, principals to superintendents, superintendents to the board, or the board to voters. Poor Communication When a complaint reaches me about some perceived injustice (real or not), I want them to feel heard and validated. The first question I ask is about the communication they received regarding expectations and outcomes. If the expectations and outcomes were made clear, and the consequences are not illegal or immoral, then the person complaining to me does not have a leg to stand on. They have the...