As educational leaders (at all levels), we all make the same mistake. We present some THING to our staff and let the staff know that we want the THING implemented. Then we go back to doing our vital and important leadership tasks. 

A little later, we circle back to see how the THING is going. What we find is one (or a very few) of the staff is doing the THING.  We immediately give ourselves credit for the person or people doing the THING. Look! Objective proof that I’m a good leader!

We also immediately bemoan the fact that we are saddled with a bunch of marginal staff, that obviously are (insert negative descriptor here). 

Since no one who works for us will actually tell us this, I will. Our analysis of the observed situation is… WRONG. 

All of us are lucky enough to have a handful of staff that can see or hear some THING once and then go out and do that THING, with a decent level of competence. These people are magical unicorns that we don’t get to take credit for. It’s what they do. 

It is actually what all the non-unicorns are doing that is the accurate reflection of our leadership abilities.

The best indicator of the quality of our leadership is…. Implementation at scale. If essentially no one is not doing the THING, sadly, that’s on us.

But if almost is everyone is doing the THING, HOORAY, that’s also is on us. 

Unicorns are just fortunate anomalies.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…

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