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Good To Great: Becoming A Lutheran Early Childhood Center of Choice
Michigan District
Early Childhood Leadership Institute
June 2015
Choices…Choices…Choices!!!
Now…Make Your Choice!
Grilled Chicken Crispy Chicken
Your Choice!
Pepsi Coca Cola
Your Choice!
Milk Chocolate Dark Chocolate
Your Choice!
Professional Sports College Sports
Your Choice!
Crayola Products Prang Products
Your Choice!
Meat Pizza Veggie Pizza
Your Choice!
Mountain Vacation Beach Vacation
One More Choice…
Early Church Service Late Church Service
Parents Have Choices, Too!
What are some choices parents have today related to care for their children?
It’s so important to know what makes our program special and unique.
Why are parents choosing our program? Or the program down the street? Or…?
Or…???
Think About It…
Is becoming a
Center of Choice
REALLY a CHOICE for our Lutheran Early Childhood
Programs and Classrooms today?
A Lighthouse
We need to be a lighthouse to our
community.
What do we offer?
How do we show everyone we can lead
the way?
Exceptional Quality
What constitutes exceptional quality?
Think about licensing requirements and state standards. Are these something we just try to meet, or do we exceed them?
Do children and families deserve mediocrity?
What Are Families Looking For?
Easy AccessSafety
Special needs assistanceDiversity
TechnologyQuality – as defined by themselves
ValueAdded benefits
Doom & Gloom
Sadly, there are Lutheran EC programs and Elementary schools closing each year.
Why is this happening?
Can it happen to us?
We must be proactive!
If & When It’s Time to Say Goodbye
Make a decision
Make a written plan
Allow time to grieve
Make a timeline of tasks to be completed
Provide some type of closure for parents, staff, and children to adjust to the change
Resources
Is it really enough to be good?
How often have you said “it’s good
enough”?
Let’s take it all to the next level together!
The Spiritual Dimension of Applying “Good to Great”
Concepts to Lutheran Schools
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever
abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
-John 15: 5 ESV
Good is the Enemy of Great
Mediocrity and contentment may seem safe but usually just for the short term but often are deadly in the long term.
“Good enough never is.”
-Jim Greenman
Self AssessmentOf Attitude Concerning
Learning & Change
Level 5 (Servant) Leadership
“A paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.”
Level 5 Leadership“They display the fierce resolve to do whatever needed to be done to
make the organization great.’
The Importance of Having the Right Person on the Bus
And Keeping Them There!
The Hedgehog Principle
You are passionate about it. What can you be the best at? “I love that I get to serve the Lord in this way.”
You can make a living doing it. “I can see myself serving the Lord with this type of ministry.
Don’t compromise for only two of these three circles
You are genetically encoded for it. Become a resource engine to deliver superior performance relative to our mission. “I was just made to serve the Lord with this ministry.
What Can Our Lutheran Early Childhood Center Hedgehogs
Look Like?
Technology in Good to Great Concepts
Technology does not play the principle role in the decline of companies
Technology is important…don’t be lax with it and strive to be great
Technology is not a primary reason for either greatness or decline.
Accelerators to Success
Curriculum Development
ParentalInvolvement
Is It Good To Be Different?
What Makes _____ Different?
What makes your early childhood program different than the others in your community?
What makes your program different from other Lutheran programs?
Most importantly…what makes YOU different than others in the EC field?
It’s Good To Be Different
It sets us apart. We are known…for something good.
Become a legend…
Respect, awe, positive relationships.
What We Don’t Want…
Good teachers
WHAT? Do you think we’re crazy?
We want GREAT TEACHERS!
We want GREAT LEADERS!
How does that happen?
Top-Notch Resources!!!
For Teachers For Leaders
You Are On The Right Track!
You are here today!
One of the challenges of any profession is the ability to self-reflect –
accurately!!!
Unfortunately, many good teachers feel they are doing a good job.
When do you have a chance to reflect? How
often?
How can we be most effective? How can we lead teachers to raise
the bar?
CHANGE???!!!???!!!
Do You Know These People?What else can you share about them?
Mrs. CrabbyNegative, knows it all, “barks” at the
children, says “this class is the worst”, always criticizes but never has a solution
or idea…and the list could continue…
Mrs. HappyA gem! Always smiles – even when
cleaning up vomit, glad to help out in any area, new ideas, kids and parents love
her, Christian example…
People, People, People
How can we create a “culture of happiness”?
It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it.
It’s about the people – kids and parents.
Expectations…but whom?
A Few of the 14 Things That Matter Most…
Behavior tool – prevention!
Consistently strive to improve.
Keep relationships in good repair.
Ignore trivial disturbances.
Plan and purpose for everything.
Ask, what will the best people think?
Know and understand their students.From “What Great Teachers Do Differently” by Todd Whitaker
Now…For YOU, the LEADER
Is this you? Or is this you?
The Million Dollar Questions!
What makes a leader great?
Remember our earlier conversation? Let’s
recap.
How can I move from good to great?
Remember…reflect!
Learn!
Pray!
Think!
Be positive!
It All Begins With YOU!!!
Scary thought, but it’s true!
The best teachers find value in examining and following
the footsteps of great leaders.
What have YOU done recently do grow professionally?
How do we improve our program?
1. Get better teachers.
2. Improve the teachers we have.
Expectations
Great leaders have high expectations…
For others
For themselves
These leaders know the job is hard, but YOU would never know it.
Don’t complain
My church won’t give me the money…
My pastor won’t…
The kids won’t…
The parents won’t…
Helping Teachers Get Better
It always happens…
We hear about bad teachers…or the
previous bad director…
How can we help those we know need help?
Congratulations! You are here today! You want to learn from
others!
Let those “poor” teachers learn from
others, too!
Let them see it with their own eyes!
Hiring Teachers
Don’t hire a good teacher!
Many leaders are willing to settle for a good teacher.
Be a great leader and hire an exceptional teacher.
Staffing…
We talked before about staffing.
We know that we must hire well.
What are some concrete things YOU do to help teachers?
New teachers? Non-degreed teachers?
Teachers from another Christian church?
Leading The Congregation
You are likely THE person to educate the entire congregation about…
Education of young children
Children in worship
Promoting healthy families
Reaching families and the community
Do You Feel Alone?
Many EC leaders feel alone when working
within the congregation.
Ministry left-overs
Children are members, too. They are the future
of the church.
Relationships with pastors…
Children in worship…
Connecting your EC Center families to the
congregation…
Yes, It’s True…
There is sometimes a difference between the
“culture” of the educational
program/school/early childhood center and
that of the congregation.
How can we bridge this gap?
Discuss with those around
you!
The Future…
Where do you honestly see your Early Childhood Program in 10 years?
Are you a risk-taker, a care-taker, or an under-taker?
Sadly, some of our Lutheran programs, centers, and school are struggling.
How can we support those in tough situations?
Gaining New Students
Marketing, Development, Advertising, and Recruitment
How do you currently advertise your program?
What really works? What doesn’t?
Getting The Word Out
Times are changing…Families are changing!
Internet, Internet, Internet!!!
How would a prospective family search for the best childcare/preschool for their child?
Research…we all do it!Hotel reviews, airfares, weather, etc.!!!
Utilize Technology & People!
Positive word-of-mouth advertising
Internet/Website
Community Sites
Don’t just sent our information in the mail!
Don’t just say, “let me know when you can
visit.”
Get them to schedule a visit NOW!
As The Leader…
Ultimately, it’s OUR RESPONSIBILITY to make sure our program runs smoothly and that our program is highly regarded both in
the congregation and community.
What are some specific things WE – THE LEADERS – can do to accomplish this?
As a Lighthouse, YOU are a beacon to the world!
Ounce of Prevention video
Input & Comments from You
