Follow-Up to School CultureA Look at “From Good to Great”

Kenny MolesTitle I School Improvement Coordinator

Essential Question• How do we as administrators help shape our

school or district culture?– List two areas of school culture that you feel are

exceptional at your school– List two areas of concern– What is the district’s role in shaping culture

throughout the school or district?– How do your 4 areas lend themselves to hindering

or helping to improve the academic performance of the students you serve?

The Highly Successful Administrator

Characteristics of Highly

Successful Administrators

Builds Relationships

Exudes a Culture of Discipline

Confronts the Brutal Facts

Has Ambition for the

Success of their School

Has Unwavering

Resolve

Has Compelling

Modesty

Exhibits the Hedgehog Concept

Gets “First Who…Then

What”

Exhibits Professional

Will and Personal Humility

Build Relationships

Highly-Successful Administrators

1. Are part of the family2. Are one of the leaders3. Are truly collaborative4. Build sound, enduring

human relationships

Comparison Administrators1. Are isolated and not a part

of the family2. Converse with a few,

specific set of teachers3. Allow barriers to

relationship building to remain in place

Exhibit Professional Will &

Personal HumilityHighly Successful Administrators

1. Are fearless2. Act as a buffer between

school and external forces3. Voice Priorities4. Are humble5. Are self-effacing6. Are quick to praise others

Comparison Administrators

1. Avoid confrontation2. Relinquish beliefs3. Are resigned to

helplessness4. Are easily & constantly

frustrated5. Are heavy-handed & brash

Compelling Modesty

Highly Successful Administrators

1. Accept blame2. Credit others3. Are charismatic- which is

to be “other-mindedness”4. Minimize themselves5. View personal success as

“luck”6. Establish leaders for the

sustainability of greatness

Comparison Administrators1. Place blame2. Secretly seeks to be

recognized as successful3. Demonstrate self-reliance

on all matters4. Look to others for

affirmation instead of formulation

Has Ambition for the Success of Their School

Highly Successful Administrators

1. Encourage Professionalism and Leadership

2. Value targeted and sustainable staff development

3. Strive to see the school be even greater after they’re gone

Comparison Administrators1. Make decisions in the best

of interest of themselves, not children

2. Promote staff development only as a time filler

3. Promote the accomplishments of their school for resume building purposes

Unwavering Resolve

Highly Successful Administrators1. Are relentless in working

towards the school’s mission and vision

2. Are continuously involved with the primary operations of the school

a) Classroom visitationsb) Committee workc) Grade-level meetings

3. Are persuasive4. Are results oriented and

communicate those results

Comparison Administrators1. Start out as seemingly

driven, but hurdles such as the teachers’ union admonish their drive

“First Who…Then What”

Highly Successful Administrators

1. Clarify their vision and expectations

2. Have difficult, yet professional conversations with “certain” staff members

3. Know that people alone are not the most important aspect, the “right” people are

Comparison Administrators1. Resign themselves to the

status quo2. Allow policies to restrain

their efforts3. Do not articulate or foster

a working climate that would set their school apart

Confront The Brutal Facts

Highly Successful Administrators

1. Study- everything about the school

2. Analyze and report on the data, the good and especially the bad

3. Work through sensitive challenges

4. Show that unwavering resolve to overcome the brutal facts

Comparison Administrators1. Limit thinking to a “inside

the box” mentality2. Fail to let go of the

uncontrollable as excuses3. Tend to stay within their

comfort zone4. Fail to push others outside

of their comfort zones

The Hedgehog Concept

Highly Successful Administrators

1. Know what the school does besto Know what your teachers do

best

2. Know what drives the “educational engine”o Reject programs that detract

from the engine

3. Exude passion for their school’s vision and missiono Model the way

Comparison Administrators1. Fail to stay true to their

passions2. Change directions rapidly

and often3. Fail to identify the best of

their respective schools

A Culture of Discipline

Highly Successful Administrators

1. Build a freedom & responsibility based cultureo Collaboration & Focus

2. Fill the culture with self-disciplined peopleo Establish clear expectationso Provide focused support

3. Adhere consistently to the hedgehog concepto Never forget the 3-circle rule

Comparison Administrators1. Express hope, not certainty2. Allows freedom as a way of

avoiding the brutal facts and not for professional will

3. Consistently stay in various stages of building their culture of disciplineo Changing directions

Questions?