Steadfast Classical Christian School Leadership: Team Building
In leadership studies, theories, surveys, and the like, there are various models about the importance of and efficacy of team building. To wade through the books, websites, emails, and associated materials is at times a full-time job in and of itself. As a school leader, the building of a team serves not the interest of the leader himself, but the mission of the school.
Whether a school leader names the team an executive team, leadership team, academic team, or any combination of these or other educationally minded jargon, the key aspect is to ensure you have the right people in the right place for the right goal.
Ronald Reagan was known for his strength in surrounding himself with leaders and experts who provided advice and knowledge in their realms of influence. Reagan once quipped that as a leader one should “Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out.”
How does a leader balance the need to allow their team to grow in their areas with the demands of parents, boards, students, donors, etc.? For a moment, I draw from my experience in the Navy – the captain of a ship is responsible for everything that happens onboard, even if they are not physically there. That does not imply the captain knows what every sailor is doing every moment, but that he trusts the officers and non-commissioned officers who oversee and manage their sailors. He has a system of reporting and accountability that identifies things that are working effectively and where problems exist. The captain also does not fix every problem but guides his juniors and trains them for great leadership and, ultimately, for command. Now, I don’t want to suggest schools start implementing military-style leadership, but there are few organizations where teamwork is fundamentally driven in its importance than our military.
Let us continue discussing the school team considering this example. The school leader, head, or superintendent is responsible for everything that happens at the school – from the academics to the physical building to the well-being of students and employees. In essence, they function as captain and chief executive officer. Most of these leaders, however, typically come from a role as classroom teacher rather than an executive in another organization (there are, of course, exceptions to this). Without that experience, what is the school leader that now finds himself in charge of, well, everything, supposed to do? I offer seven practical tips:
Follow Reagan’s advice. Build a team and delegate while holding your team accountable.
Ensure you are informed. Hold regular team meetings where you are updated on the progress, problems, and issues facing each member of the team.
Measure results. Determine with your team what the results are and work towards those goals. In schools, much of what we do is not quantifiable (though some things certainly are) but we still move towards goals whether they are qualitative of quantitative.
Don’t have meetings simply to have a meeting. Ensure they have a purpose, goal, and a regular cadence to them.
Read. I suggest biographies or autobiographies of leaders you admire. One of my favorites is It Doesn’t Take a Hero by Norman Schwarzkopf. Another author that greatly impacted both me and my team is Patrick Lencioni and his series of books on teams and leadership.
Get Help. Find a mentor – and eventually become one. Use the resources of larger organizations in your state, region, or national groups. Reach out to the Beza Institute and other groups that desire to help.
Pray. This should, of course, be the first thing you do and one you do constantly.
So, as a school leader, you are called to be all things for all of the people in and around your school – and you cannot be that. So, build a team in which you are focused on your school’s mission and on glorifying God in the calling He has given you – and then ask for help when you need it, which you will.
