The Cardinal Way
Sharing the Stories of Southport High School
Leading and Learning: EQUIP
The most important process in creating change in any environment is to lead from the heart and love those whom we lead each day. While this level of caring is the first step, it, alone, does not create all the change that is needed. As stated in the past, we must love people first; people must know that we care. After we have established an environment where people feel they are cared for and safe to take the appropriate risks needed to improve, we must then find ways to build skill within those individuals so they can tackle challenges and overcome roadblocks that are standing in the way to the success of all.
“Equip” is a very intentional word in the process of leading with L.E.S.S. and creating positive change that will improve our schools and classrooms. It is about giving people the necessary skills for change, not changing people. You can control your responses to the events of your life, you can strive for new outcomes, you can change yourself. But, you (and only you) can create change in yourself. No one else can do it for you. As leaders, we must remember the people we serve are the only ones that can change themselves. A leader can only equip people with the skills, tools, or clarity to change themselves.
Many leaders attack the change process from the wrong angle. Often, trying to create large scale changes in their school with policies, procedures, strategies, or tactics. These processes only work to create compliance, not sustainable change. To create the sustainable change that will continue to build around you and not just because of you, you must equip people to do it themselves. If the leader is the only one responsible for change, it is a process of compliance which will ultimately fail or stop as leadership changes. If, as a leader, you equip people to handle any situation and create change in their own space, change and betterment will be sustainable. Any change that is created in a school (or any organization for that matter) is done one person at a time. When a large number of people are creating change culture will shift and new norms will be formed.
The pitfall for most leaders in these scenarios aligns to the quote used at the start of this post. Leaders can get hyper-focused on “the change” they are trying to create and forget that the people they serve are the ones that will make that change. These leaders are so sure they know the answer needed to solve the problem, they fail to build the skills in individuals that are needed to attack the real problem at hand. That is often the problem with highly intelligent leaders who do not put “love” first -- they are so sure their assumptions are correct and that they have the right answers, they are blind to the real problems. To create change, we must always remember that people matter most. To create change, we must equip people with the skills needed to address the issues first before we can build a better outcome.
Equip people. Is the next step in leading with L.E.S.S. To improve our buildings or corporations, we must create change, and to create that change we must equip people with the skills needed to change themselves.
Over the next few posts, I will break down the components of what allows us to equip people to improve themselves and handle changes that are coming at a rapid pace in our schools. Here are the ideas that will be shared in the next five posts.
Can We Change?
What You Believe
Build Skill...You Always Have Time
Your Slowest Rower
Realist, Optimist, and Pessimist
I hope you can to follow along as I work through the next steps of leading with L.E.S.S.
Until next time...keep learning; keep growing; keep sharing!
What it takes to #BeACardinal:
- the EL department and Breanna Bierod for helping to brighten up our hallways with a few murals. If you have not been in the 100's hallway recently, you should stop by and check out their work.
- The athletic department for helping to host the Harlem Wizards last night for PTEF.
- Our custodial crew for always being flexible in the set up and tear down of multiple events.
- Kim Roberts for preparing for another Coffee House show tonight.
Grateful Friday Challenge
Testing…. Testing…. Testing….
No, I’m not checking to make sure that this thing is on… just predicting what is going on in everyone’s head as we close out our last full week of April and gear up for the rest of testing season to begin. With ISTEP testing thankfully coming to a close and ILEARN, AP testing and finals looming around the corner, let’s let off a little stress and show some creativity. Today’s #SHSGFC is a yearly favorite so we are bringing it back: You’ve got to really meme it!
Here is a link for making your own memes.
The directions are really easy-
Click
Pick
Really meme it!
Copy the image and add it to this document!
Let’s make some of our own memes to share with students or to share with colleagues about testing or whatever else is on our minds. I am sure we all have something that would make a great meme! Here are some I have created to get you started.
If you are not one of the lucky ones ending testing this week, or a Biology or AP teacher setting up your final lessons you can still get in on the fun. Make a meme about anything you need to laugh about this week and share it out. Today, above all else, show your Cardinal pride, and REALLY MEME IT!
With banners flying as we go! #FlyAsONE
BE A CARDINAL; CHANGE LIVES; PUT A MISSION INTO MOTION!
180 Days of Learning -- #CardsLearn
Cathee Cullison
Missy Schick
NIET Visits SHS
Mary Beth Hanley
Nick Skinner
Educational Humor
Southport High School
Email: bknight@perryschools.org
Website: http://perryschools.org/sh/
Location: 971 E Banta Rd, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Phone: 317-789-4800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SHSCardinals/
Twitter: @SHS_Cardinals