Islands of Excellence in a Sea of MediocrityDr. John DraperCLAS Executive Directorwww.clasleaders.org

A Story of Discovery! A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost in southwestern Ohio. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit and shouted, Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend

I would meet him an hour ago, but I dont know where I am. The woman replied, Youre in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. Youre between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude.You must be an accountant, said the balloonist.

I am, replied the woman, How did you know?

Well, answered the balloonist, everything you told me is technically correct but Ive no idea what to make of your information and Im still lost. Frankly, youve not been much help at all. If anything youve delayed my trip.

The woman below responded, You must be in Management.I am, replied the balloonist, but how did you know?Well, said the woman, you dont know where you are or where youre going. You have risen to your position due to a large quantity of hot air.

You made a promise, which youve no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, its my fault!

William L. Bainbridge

Principals are . . .ParadigmsBeliefsPrioritiesDecisionsActions

You walk out of your office and . . .Your 10:00 appointment with a member of the Board of Education is waiting.Your secretary says Billys mom and dad are here and would like to talk with you.A student comes breathless into the office and says, Coach Brown needs you in the gym right now!The volunteer mom answering the phone says, The superintendent is on line 3 for you.Its raining and the weather alert goes off.

These are all important. . . But which are the most important?

Board Members?Parents?Teachers?Superintendent?Students?

You walk out of your office and . . .Your 10:00 appointment with a member of the Board of Education is waiting.Your secretary says Billys mom and dad are here and would like to talk with you.A student comes breathless into the office and says, Coach Brown needs you in the gym right now!The volunteer mom answering the phone says, The superintendent is on line 3 for you.Its raining and the weather alert goes off.

The higher you go--the tougher the decisions.

What if there is no clear answer?When there are pros and cons on both sides but a decision must be made. . . Which group gets a priority?

Which group should be the principals priority?ParentsTeachersBoard MembersStudentsSuperintendent (Supervisor)

Billingsley (1995) found that . . .Most teachers formed perceptions about principal priorities, not based on direct discussions, but rather on the teachers interpretations of administrative decisions and/or actions over time!

What you do shouts so loudly in my ears that I cannot hear what you say!

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Decisions are based on PrioritiesPriorities are based on BeliefsBeliefs are based on Paradigms

What are the correct priorities for principals? Those which result in increased student achievement!

Which principal priority produces the highest student achievement?ParentsTeachersBoard MembersStudentsSuperintendent (Supervisor)

What does the research say?Priority Time StudiesLeadership vs. Management Focus StudiesLeadership Style Studies

The ResearchSystematic sample of 100 Alabama schoolsOnly veteran principals with a minimum three years of experience were used Focus groups provided qualitative analysisSAT scores used to measure achievementANOVA used to determine significance

What were the results?71 were veteran principals48 ranked students first (68%)15 ranked superintendents first (21%)8 ranked teachers first (11%)

Student First Focus GroupPutting students first is the right thing to doIt is my job to put students firstI am the best one to make student-first decisions at my school

Superintendent First Focus GroupYou are supposed to be loyal to the superintendentThe superintendent makes the final decisionshe is the bossIf you expect teachers to respect the chain of commandthen you have to do the same

Teacher First Focus GroupTeachers are almost always rightProtecting teachers from outside interference is part of my job as the principalPutting teachers first is the best way for me to get teachers to put students first

How did the SAT scores compare?Superintendent First Group45.53Student First Group55.40Teacher First Group60.63

Why put Teachers first?If you dont feed the teachers theyll eat the kids, said one Teacher-First Principal!

Consider this finding. . .Heck & Marcoulides (1993) found that principals from high achieving schools protected their teachers from outside interference by parents and central office.

Why Teachers First? Studies indicate the most effective principals are the ones who most highly value teachers, their time and their input; and clearly establish that priority in timely managerial and instructional decisions.

So do you let teachers vote on every decision?Marshall (1991) found that the strongest predictor of principals who were characterized by teachers as shared decision makers was being comfortable taking responsibility for making decisions!

What does it all mean?It means that higher achieving schools are led by principals who put teachers first. . . As long as their teachers put students first!

Does it work for all stakeholders?

Supervisors put principals first as long as . . .Principals put teachers first as long as . . .Teachers put students first?!

So how do we measure teachers?

Principals should measure and evaluate teachers based on two factors:Teachers first prioritystudents Student learning

Implications for Policy makersEffective principals rank teachers as their first priorityEffective principals communicate high expectations for allEffective principals protect teachers from outside interference

Treat Everyone with Respect, Every Day, All the Time!

Parable of the Lost Sheep

The little, lost, lonely lamb?An Attention Deficit, Hyperactive, Disrespectful, Loud, Unruly,Oppositionally Defiant Disordered,Seventh Grade Ram, Who Had Run Away Ten TimesIn the Last Month!

What Does it Mean for Principals?Filter Every Interaction with Lens of Positivity!Avoid Blanket Memos!MBWASet up BVDsMake Every Decision Based on Your Best!RTTET

What does it mean forCentral Office Supervisors?Build better schools by helping principals change/eliminate teachers who dont keep students as the main focusBuild better schools by filtering every non-essential task from federal, state and board directives

Use your greatest toolAs leaders, the greatest power we have is to control the conversation!

The best academic model isBoardSupervisor Central Office PrincipalTeacher

All practicing servant leadership for their primary responsibility!

How do you make it happen?Tipping PointMalcolm GladwellNew York CrimeBroken Window Theory212 DegreesSuccess is not a single decision but a progression of small ones!

Good to Great for theSocial Sectors!

We must reject the idea-well intentioned, but dead wrongthat the primary path to greatness in schools is to become more like a business.Jim CollinsGood to Great

Whats Great?!?Measure outputs not inputsNYPD Police Commissionerwere not report takers, were the police!Cleveland OrchestraBHAG of being the top three in the worldBe trial lawyer or lab scientist

Good to GreatLevel 5 Leadershipambition for the organization firstLess executive powermore legislative powerTrue leadership is getting people to follow when they dont have to!

Level 5 Leadership is being clever for the greater goodmaking the right decisions happen, even if they are unpopular!

Possibly thegreatest powereducational leaders possess is the power to control the conversation.

First Who. . .Then What!Islands of ExcellenceWeak administratorRoger Briggs, science departmentGetting the right people on/offChange the default on Tenure!There is no magic wand for hiringbut work speaks for itself!

Wendy KoppGraduated with an ideaGreat teachers for Americas worst classroomsLow pay, terrible conditions500 applicants in the first yearIn 2005, 97,000 applicants for 14,100 positions

Teach for AmericaThe more selective the process the more attractive it becomesPeople desperately desire to make a differenceDedicated, disciplined people are magnets for dedicated disciplined people

Hedgehog ConceptThe essence of a Hedgehog Concept is to obtain piercing clarity about how to produce the best long-term results, and then exercise the relentless discipline to say no, thank you to opportunities that fail the hedgehog test.

Hedgehog ConceptThree Circles overlapWhat are you passionate about?At what can you be the best in the world?What drives your economic (resource) engine????

At what can you be the Best in the World?About what are you Passionate!?What drives your Resource Engine?

What is our passion?Student LearningGrowth and developmentSecurity and safetyLet the children come to me. . . and he took them in his arms. . . and blessed them!

The Best in the World!?Teaching, inspiring, and protecting the students in our classrooms!

Our EconomicEngine?Money is not an output for educatorsbut is in an input!How can we sustain our resource engine?Political skill PUBLIC SUPPORT

Hedgehog ConceptThe essence of a Hedgehog Concept is to obtain piercing clarity about how to produce the best long-term results, and then exercise the relentless discipline to say no, thank you to opportunities that fail the hedgehog test.

The FlywheelIn building a great institution, there is no single defining action, no grand program, no solitary lucky break, no miracle moment. Rather, it is like pushing a flywheel.

The FlywheelDont stopFocus on outputsDont stopStay on your hedgehog conceptDont stopChoose great people

The FlywheelDont stop Build a culture of disciplineDont stopBrand your departmentDont stopExpect greatness

Cleveland OrchestraTuesday, Sept. 11th, 2001Thursdays concert dilemmaMahlers Fifth Symphony begins with a desolate funeral march announced by a solo trumpet, joined by cataclysmic onslaughts from the full orchestra, and ends 65 minutes later with a celebration of birth and renewal.

Tonights concertwill beginwith a moment of silence.

What really matters

Is that we build islands of excellence in a sea of mediocrity!

Islands of Excellence in a Sea of MediocrityDr. John DraperCLAS Executive Directorjohn@clasleaders.org