Adopting the Right Mindset

President's Corner

In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins discusses the Stockdale Paradox and its companion construct, Confront the Brutal Facts, as key components to surviving difficult times and continuing to grow and achieve in challenging circumstances.

According to Collins, to flourish, “you must maintain unwavering faith that you can and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties, and at the same time, have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

Bestselling author Daniel Pink reinforced these sentiments when he addressed the Buckeye Association of School Superintendents last fall.

We are approaching the second anniversary of COVID-19’s disruption of education — and life — as we knew it. Throughout the past two years, I often remarked to friends and colleagues that things will be better “when we get to summer” or “after the next break.” I was wrong each time. Not only was I wrong, but I was also approaching navigation of the pandemic with the wrong mindset.

Navigating the difficult times is not about waiting for them to be over. It’s about understanding that we have to adjust to the difficult times. In other words, the pandemic will not change — we have to change and realize we are living in different times.

This mindset is both sobering and freeing. It’s sobering because we must accept the reality that we will never get back to the good old days. It’s freeing because it allows us to actively seek new opportunities for change and growth that are evident if we just take the time to look.

The new year is an excellent time to take stock of all the lessons we have learned since March 2020 and determine how to use those lessons to lead our schools forward in a positive and productive way. I recommend three purposeful steps in that journey forward: focusing on the people, practicing empathy and looking for growth opportunities.

People are hurting — our students, our staff, our parents and our communities. One of our most critical roles as superintendents is to lead with a people-first mindset. Everyone needs our patience and our understanding as we continue to deal with the implications of the pandemic. We also must continue to share our hope for the future. That belief is powerful, and it is contagious.

We also must practice empathy — now more than ever. We have witnessed a continuing erosion of civility in the public discourse over the past few years, and our public schools often have been at the center of this incivility. As leaders, we must not contribute to the animosity.

I was raised to turn the other cheek and to never return negativity with negativity. This doesn’t mean we can’t defend our schools and the excellent work happening there. It does mean we do so from a position of positivity and empathy. We have more in common than we may realize. If we recognize this fact, we are in a better position to respond constructively. 

Finally, we must take advantage of all the lessons we have learned these past two years to ensure our students continue to learn and grow as we strive to fulfill our mission of challenging and supporting every student in our care. I invite you to visit the Learning 2025 link on the AASA website for many excellent resources as you plan for the future.

Thank you for your continued leadership and service. I know that 2022 will be our greatest year ever because of your commitment and dedication. Happy New Year!