The School Culture Wheel

 As he got up and began to climb on the desk, I was not sure whether I should stand up to catch him if he fell or just sit and see what happened next. The scene will never leave my mind- Thomas Sergiovanni my professor and mentor began to talk about how culture is one of the most challenging aspects of leadership... "It is like trying to get an amoeba to cross the street. You push on one side and the other parts ooze back around you. He spoke of doing our best to build relationships and lead through a common vision and connection.

I have spent many years working on my growth as a cultural leader. Not all my learning has come through getting things right- I have learned much from the mistakes along the way. 

As I am in interviews and often have been asked about the cultural aspects of leadership I thought I would reflect a little. Please let me know what you think after reading this post.

HONOR: In my college days the professor imprinted this concept during my cross cultural communications class... honor is much more a part of communication than you give it credit for. There are countries where it is everything. So how can having an attitude of honor impact leadership? It means we respect all. It means we learn to listen with empathy. It means we reflect before making decisions... have we heard from everyone? 

It means we embrace diversity. We look for opinions that do not match the majority opinion. It means we reach out and find new perspectives and voices- learn from different opinions.

It means we are aware of the effort and accomplishments of ALL those in our organization and we have created routines and systems to pull recognition and celebration to the center of what we do as a group.

CONNECTION: What unites our group? Have we spent time building things that unite us? Relationships where we know our teams, we know the individuals that make up our group. We care about the individual. Their passions, their unique styles, and even their quirks. We love them. 

Shared vision can be so powerful. Mission, Vision, and Values are the true leader in any place. As a school principal I serve that and that means I serve the people who make up this organization since they crafted this vision. It is so important to bring this vision mission and all the values into your gut and lead with these as your guide.

Fun is essential to build connection. Laughter and food, enjoying each other's company... it all becomes a context for super cultural energy. I love being in a group where laughter is flowing. And since life is short... this is where meaning comes into our life...

COMMUNICATION: The capillaries and veins carry so much throughout our body and we need clean, clear, and consistent informations systems. Clarity removes anxiety and we can do so much to have an organization happy kind of like a liver can remove the toxins from the blood creating a cleaner and more vibrant bloodstream.

As a leader part of the communication process is being aware of what the needs are so you can provide what is needed- nothing more and nothing less. 

CONFLICT & RESTORATION FOCUS: How we recognize this element in culture and set up for it is crucial. We must find ways to maximize the POTENTIAL ENERGY conflict brings. It is electric- it is something that has the potential to unite like no other phase of culture... When we pull our efforts into the long term picture of why we exist and what our coming together provides for the students ow and the students to come... it can help us listen to other perspectives with openness. 

In addition, being aware that there are conflict patterns that wound a culture. We must come together on how to be loyal to the absent and eliminate the toxic behaviors that hurt us. Behaviors like gossip, slander, indirect and passive aggressive communication. This seems to be a challenge wherever you go. So perhaps there are trainings or mentoring relationships that can help a community mature in the conflicting process.

Finally- forgiveness needs to be a big part of an organizations' culture and we will all mess up at times. We must begin to embrace each other even when our flaws are apparent.

TRADITIONS AND STORY: Part of what draws me to visiting countries around the world is to experience the power of the traditions there and hear their Oral Traditions. I love seeing how a group of people unite around dance, food, events, or anniversary. I believe every unique school has its own story and traditions. There is something rich about being still and experiencing the local flavor.

Wherever life leads me, I am so excited about the culture and opportunities that await, similar to when you are about to backpack in Europe or visit Honduras, Australia, or Romania... life is short and culture is one of the things that make it powerful!