If Not Now, When?

The Worthington Kilbourne High School football coach, Vince Trombetti, invited me to speak to the team before their game Friday night.  As the principal of the high school, I think about leadership constantly.  And, to put it mildly, there are many things to lead in a high school and in a football program.  Coach Trombetti leads a program devoted to the development of young men.  He must lead practices, off-season workouts, team management, a dozen assistant coaches, and the list goes on.  He and I both have a similar need in our positions.  We both need talented leaders.

Coach Trombetti needs his players to step up and lead their peers.  Leaders to get on one another when they are not focused or they may not be hustling from drill to drill.  They need to pick one another up after they are knocked down, both figuratively and literally.  But most importantly, he needs leaders to set the tone from the first whistle.  They need to be mentally and physically prepared for all obstacles and barriers in the way of their success.

Likewise, I need teachers to step up and lead their peers.  Teacher leaders need to provide advice, mentoring, and instructional coaching.  They must set the tone at every meeting, each Monday morning, and in the classroom in front of their students.  They need to pick one another up after a tough day, and like Coach's players, they need to be physically and mentally prepared for all obstacles and barriers in the way of their students' successes.

How do we cultivate a culture that will create a team of leaders?  And, when do we do it?

First, we need to be explicit with those under our leadership.  They need to know the desired outcomes, the work that it will take to get to those outcomes, and we need to stress the importance of leaders stepping up to help carry the load.

Second, we need to meet the leaders at the point of their abilities.  We cannot hope they lead the way we see it.  We need to recognize their abilities and inabilities and help put them in situations in which they can win.  We wouldn't ask someone to speak in front of the staff if they were not ready, but we may work up to that to help develop their leadership.

Finally, we need to give continual feedback.  In football, it happens physically in every drill and down every Friday night.  Coaches follow up with film and give mental feedback after a practice or game.  In education, we need to provide opportunities for teachers to lead and follow up with them after a PD session or department meeting.

When should this happen?  Why not now?