Navigating the Inevitable Storms

Social Media

The morning after last November’s elections, a math teacher in a Southern state displays an arguably racist image of President Obama during class. Elsewhere, a large elementary school in the Midwest goes into lockdown on advice from law enforcement, and it takes more than an hour before parents can be properly notified. A standoff between the school board and the teachers’ union in a Canadian province ends in a strike and closes the schools.

These issues — questionable employee behavior, parent communication in a crisis, tense labor relations — are not new in the public education arena. But in the age of social media, these issues have the potential to attract attention from far outside of your school community. And when a social media storm ensues, it can make even the most seasoned school leader want to run for cover.

A lifelong Kansan, I’ve learned there are two types of storms: The ones you know are coming, and the ones that seem to pop up with no warning. Both storms wreak havoc before they move on, and both require a response to minimize damage. Storms on social media are much the same.

Ready or Not

In Eudora, a small city in northeastern Kansas with 1,750 K-12 students, we know certain issues could develop into a storm at any time. These include public criticism of employees, the death or suicide of someone in the school community, and bullying reports and violence — whether real or threatened — in one of our schools. And of course, there’s always something brewing when it comes to transportation, food services or sports.

We also monitor the horizon for storms that might develop based on specific, known conditions. In Eudora, this has included proposed budget cuts, the unexpected non-renewal of a high-profile employee and planning for new lunch menus to meet updated federal guidelines. While these storms vary from year to year, they generally allow us time to plan our communication strategy.

Over the past five years, a handful of storms were not on our radar until they were blowing up on social media. Navigating these storms requires monitoring to be able to adapt and respond quickly, as well as a mindset that, with practice, will work in any crisis.

Building Trust

Winston Churchill said it best: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” A social media storm offers you a distinct opportunity to invest in relationships with your stakeholders and build trust. Your calm leadership mindset is key. In Eudora, parents and community members cried foul when we announced that school would be in session the day of the 2015 World Series parade in Kansas City, unlike most area schools that were closing.

With seemingly endless negative feedback swirling on social media, my superintendent and I paused to regroup. We quickly confirmed that our long-standing belief — that being trusted is more important than being popular — was still intact. Nothing about our decision to keep schools open or the resulting negative feedback eroded trust. We just had to be calm and ride it out.

When a storm hits, your constituents are watching more closely than usual, and your calm voice is your most powerful tool. Consider how you handle an emotional parent phone call or a patron with an angry complaint at a school board meeting. Education leaders are among the best at handling uncomfortable situations when emotions run high.

Although social media is more public than a phone call or a board meeting, the skills are the same. Remain calm. Listen and acknowledge. Engage rather than debate. Apologize with sincerity, when appropriate. Seek to resolve lingering concerns privately. Focus on areas of agreement and the potential for a solution. Be kind.

Despite the uncomfortable noise of a social media storm, each one you navigate — large or small, expected or surprise — benefits you. Your experience and perspective will lead to greater confidence and skill. And most importantly, your community will learn that you can be trusted to listen and lead, no matter how hard the wind might blow.