Access online at  · Galileo for Superintendents and District Level Administrators galileoforsuperintendents.com C oac hingT eB rd Coaching Principals Moral purpose is the highest

September 2017

Volume 25Number 1

SEPTEMBER

The Next 30 DaysTHE CHECKLIST THAT PREPARESYOU FOR THE NEXT MONTH.

• Monitor school-level reviewsof student code of conductand appropriate board policies.

• Develop summer schoolreport.

• Develop summer professionaldevelopment workshop statusreport.

• Develop kindergarten/firstgrade early admissions report.

• Facilitate board evaluation ofinternal school board operations.

• Plan board reception for newemployees.

• Review summer work completed in buildings or onsites.

• Review educational servicesannual priorities report.

• Prepare K-12 enrollmentreport.

• Finalize staff directory.

• Review guidelines for national/state meeting attendance. ■

SEPTEMBER

Great Superintendents Don’t HaveFollowers: They Collaborate BY JEFFREY J. SMITH, ED.D.

If you ask people who they consider tobe great leaders, they will likely cite exam-ples of individuals who have overcomegreat difficulties to achieve breakthroughsuccess. These leaders singlehandedlyinspired others in the face of adversity andcourageously faced challenges on their own. This style of power and controlleadership has its origin from a militaryparadigm. This is an age-old model ofleadership, focused on a solitary,authoritative individual. In fact, history isreplete with leaders who were the mostintelligent and decisive, those who shaped adream and then marketed the vision toothers. Being a strong leader is importantbut there is more to the enduring greatnessof organizations than the heroics of oneperson. Don Tapscott, Fellow with the MartinProsperity Institute, describes a higher levelof leadership; “These times require deepinnovation and transformation, and thatmeans leadership. However, leadership ischanging too. Today, the leader is acollective, networked, virtual force and nolonger necessarily embodied in a singleindividual.”

Here are three ways Tapscott suggests toapproach leadership in a connected world:

1. Collaborative Leadership MeansLeading for Learning

Author Jim Collins coined the phrase “Goodis the Enemy of Great.” In his study oforganizations that showed enduring success,he found leaders who were unwilling toaccept the status quo by constantly lookingfor ways to improve as individuals and asorganizations. These leaders proved that toshow sustainable growth is to overcomewhat Peter Senge describes as“organizational learning disabilities.”School systems, like private sectororganizations, can no longer depend on asingle individual at the top to have all theanswers. A higher form of leadershiputilizes collaborative decision making.

2. Collaborative Leadership CompoundsLeadership

Shared leadership is generated in teamsthrough the collective action of individualsworking to build a shared vision.Leadership is not simply achieved throughone inspiring person but the combinedaction of everyone in the organization.Consider the amazing mathematics problemthat asks you to guess whether you’d havemore money at the end of the month if youreceived $3 million on the first day of amonth or if you received a penny on dayone and the amount doubles each daythereafter for a month. Most people wouldnever guess that to choose the penny wouldactually earn $10,737,418.24! That’s thepower of compounding your leadership col-lectively with others.

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Leading with Moral CourageOur society honors and even reveres physicalcourage. Taking physical risk, persevering withpain, and competing despite long odds are atthe heart of our fascination with extremesports and reality shows. However, moralcourage, standing up against injustice, speakingtruth to power, defending the defenseless, andasking difficult – but important – questions canbe equally daunting. These are important ele-ments of courage for leaders, but they may notbe as revered or even accepted. This issue willexamine the nature of moral courage and itsrole in purpose-driven leadership.

Monthly Theme Overview:

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The Coaching Corner

2Galileo for Superintendents and District Level Administrators

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Coaching PrincipalsCoaching The Board

Moral purpose is the highest impera-tive of the superintendency. It calls uponus to make sure all students have equi-table opportunities and supports to flour-ish; it requires us to provide school expe-riences that elevate students and humani-ty. Moral leaders are crusaders with adeep passion for what they do.Breakthrough thinking is used to resolveethical dilemmas that cast a shadow ontheir work. But how can superintendents remaingrounded in this work? How do we navi-gate the pressures, politics and policiesthat inundate our organization? How dowe gain a clear understanding of who weare and which values are non-negotiable?And most of all, how do we lay our headson our pillow each night with a clear con-science? As a young man, Benjamin Franklincoined 13 precepts to obtain moral perfec-tion. University of Chicago BusinessSchool professor, John Rollert, asks stu-dents to read Franklin’s autobiographyand develop moral precepts of their own.

Consider five favorites to bring outthe best human experiences possible inyour district:

1. Put a face on it. It’s easy to engage inquestionable behavior when the personbeing affected is invisible. If you can’tmeet with a parent, employee, or con-stituent in person, use social media pro-files, yearbook photos, student databas-es, or other means to know what thatindividual looks like. Having a face infront of us – rather than an email, tele-phone, or text - reminds us that ouractions affect a real person.

2. Know your boundaries. By definition,a boundary is anything that marks alimit. But moral boundaries are hard todefine. While everyone maintains corevalues, moral leaders have an acutesense of the differences in the valuespeople hold. They also recognize that

their own values might conflict withthe “right” decision. We should havesolid reasons to defend our chosencourse of action. At the same time wecannot impose our values on others orjudge them for holding contrary beliefs.

3. Don’t be blinded by past experience.Failing to anticipate something mightgo wrong simply because it’s nevergone wrong before is shortsighted.Experience can trick us into believing“this would never happen to me.”While it’s important to tell compellingstories, strict adherence to a particularnarrative prevents us from sensingproblems that are percolating rightunderneath where we’re standing.

4. Respect the bottom line, but don’tworship it. The pursuit of higher testscores, more academic honors, betterattendance rates, improved school rank-ings, and other ‘bragging rights’ on thesurface aren’t unethical. But, a relent-less focus on academic recognition atany cost produces a single-mindedagenda. Efforts to create systemicchange that alters the way we do schoolwill come up short if we worship thebottom line rather than respect it.

5. Follow the same rules as everyoneelse. Every district has a code of con-duct employees are expected to follow.Yet, sometimes leaders want to skirt therules because it serves their interests orindebtedness. We’ve seen this with hir-ing decisions, vendor selection andother areas where previous relation-ships come into play. When superin-tendents circumvent the rules, it createsa two-tiered system that says to people“power trumps ethics.” ■

Reference:Rollert, J. (2013, March). 5 principles for moralleadership. HuffPost. Retrieved fromhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-paul-rollert/benjamin-franklin-ethics_b_2544857.html

Five Precepts of Moral Leadership BY SUZETTE LOVELY, ED.D.

When ValuesCreate ConflictsBY BRIAN L. BENZEL, PH.D.

We live in a polarized worldwhere personal values are increas-ingly seen as conflicting withorganizational values or even legalobligations. Compounding thischallenge can be the utilization oflimited evidence to make swiftjudgments about people and orga-nizational values. The speed andspread of such determinations isaccelerating due to citizens’ nearlyuniversal access to social media. Recent examples of a grow-ing values clash include educatorswho refuse to limit their personalpolitical views while serving inpublic educational roles. Theseoutlier cases affect the perceptionthat schools are riddled with val-ues conflicts and thwart efforts byschool leaders to portray balancedviews. For example, most publicschools are required to regularlyrecite the Pledge of Allegiance.Some staff may not wish toengage in this activity, but theymust adhere to the administrationof the activity if it is based on alegal requirement. Failure toadhere to this requirement mayresult in personnel actions, butwise school leaders will reconcilethis value difference in a non-dis-ruptive, positive manner. School leaders should clarifythe values of the school system inadvance of conflicts or disagree-ments. They must define sharedpublic values and behavioralnorms for their schools and schoolsystems. For example, theCharacter Counts framework iden-tifies trustworthiness, respect,responsibility, fairness, caring andcitizenship as the six pillars ofcharacter. These characteristics

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It is the job of school leaders tomake decisions. Bold and decisive deci-sion making can be an attractive skill forsuperintendents. Some choices we makeare minor while others have much largerconsequences. A report from ColumbiaUniversity found that on average, peopleare faced with about 70 decisions perday. They cite; “The sheer number ofdecisions we have to make each dayleads to a phenomenon called decisionfatigue, whereby your brain actually tireslike a muscle.” Dr. Travis Bradberry,author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0believes that being inundated with deci-sions can have long lasting conse-quences, “Our days are filled with a con-stant stream of decisions. Most are mun-dane, but some are so important that theycan haunt you for the rest of your life.”As a superintendent, you make literallyhundreds of decisions each day and youwant to know you are doing your bestfor your school system. Is it possible toavoid decisions you may regret the restof your life? Some interesting insights into thisquestion come from Bonnie Ware, pallia-tive care nurse who spent her career get-ting to know people who were near

death. She asked them about theirbiggest regrets. Here are three regretsshe heard over and over. Perhaps super-intendents can learn about good choicesand avoid falling victim to them:

Don’t Make Decisions Based on WhatOther People Think- As superintendent,it is important to have an inner circle oftrusted advisors. Bouncing ideas offother people is a productive way to reachgood decisions for your school.However, when you try to make yourselflook good, you are not being true toyourself. Your real worth comes fromwithin and your dedication to your trueself is what will carry you forward whenyou look back on your career.

Let Your Morals and Ethical ValuesBe Your Guide- It is easy to follow theadvice of others when they agree withyour values, but when you make deci-sions that conflict with your core beliefsit can be agonizing. Watching the after-math of regretful decisions can lead youto believe you may have changed thelives of others negatively. If this happensit was your lack of fidelity to your valuesthat let you down. However, you may

avoid this regret if you are willing toself-examine the conflict you are feelingwhile in the process of making the deci-sion rather than later in retrospect.

Stay in Touch and in Control of YourEmotions- In some cultures, leaders whoshow their emotions can be seen asweak. In other cases, demonstratingemotion can be viewed as dangerous andunpredictable. To channel your emotions,you must stay in touch with your feel-ings and exercise skill in not allowingyour emotions to influence the decisionsyou make. As an example, it can be justas wrong to make a decision based onfeeling sorry for someone as it can be tomake a decision based on anger. In eithercase, setting aside your emotions whenmaking important decisions can make itmore likely you feel pride when youlook back on the choices you made dur-ing your career. ■

Resource:Bradberry, T. (2017, February 13). 5 ChoicesYou’ll Regret Forever. HuffPost. Retrieved fromhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-travis-bradber-ry/5-choices-youll-regret-fo_b_9102098.html?utm_hp_ref=gps-for-the-soul&ir=GPS+for+the+Soul

Avoiding Decisions You’ll Regret ForeverBY JEFFREY J. SMITH, ED.D.

High-Impact Strategies and New Thinking to Help You and Your Learning Community

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reflect values that cross most aspects of society. Building suchcharacteristics into the school system supports diverse cul-tures, religions and ethnicities. Clarity about the school system’s beliefs and values addsclarity to hiring people to fill teaching, administrative andsupport service positions. Using scenarios or case situations in interviews allows the hir-ing person or team to evaluate the degree of alignmentbetween the values of the organization and the individual.This technique requires assessing the candidates’ beliefs andbehaviors. What evidence does the candidate provide that theyshare the organizational values or will behave in alignmentwith their stated beliefs? Asking candidates about the institution’s core valuesthrough such case-based questions will generate interviewknowledge and help with selection. Putting these beliefs intoconsistent practice requires mentoring, monitoring and feed-

back. Effective school systems acknowledge that new hiresneed to be mentored by successful colleagues. Programs thatmake this connection enhance the understanding and imple-mentation of the core values. Principals or supervisors canmodel these values as they observe and monitor the peoplethey lead. Providing staff with specific feedback about theirperformance reinforces the organization’s commitment to itsvalues. Again, modeling trustworthiness, respect, responsibili-ty, fairness, caring and citizenship is a powerful statement forstaff, students and the community. School leaders are bound to follow the law related to theadministration of the school system and the governance ofemployee behavior. Individual values or beliefs that conflictwith legal requirements must be resolved in favor of the legal-ity of the behavior. When school leaders are models of treating others as theythemselves wish to be treated, most clashes of values can bereconciled to the benefit of students. This outcome is the bestpossible rationale for public schools. ■

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Mr. Risen is a popular first year principal. He was a teacherat the same school he now leads and has numerous friends onthe faculty and among the parents. While this aspect of his skillsand assets is positive, Mr. Risen has had a difficult time sortingout his accountabilities. Even though he is now a principal, he seems to view issuesas though he is still in the classroom. This struggle came to lightrecently when after he attended an administrative meeting inwhich he participated in and endorsed a decision to reduce staffpositions across the school district, including three positions athis school. Upon his return to the school, Mr. Risen announcedthe decision, even though it was not yet intended to be public,and pledged to do anything he could to fight “this arbitrary andthoughtless decision.” He suggested that staff start a petition torestore the positions, even though enrollment for next year isprojected to drop enough to reorganize classes and manage theposition reductions. You learn about this situation from a teacher who decidedto bypass the petition and call you directly. Now, you mustdecide how to address the situation with Mr. Risen withoutundermining his leadership and further complicating the protesthe has put into motion.

September 2017 • Volume 25 • Number 1

• The transition from teacher to administrator can besmooth for some educators, but it represents a difficultchallenge for others, especially when the transition iswithin the same school.

• Move quickly to talk with the principal directly. Anydelay can result in the situation becoming worse.

• Your conversation needs to be direct, but understand-ing of Mr. Risen’s dilemma. Still, difficult decisions comeoften in leadership positions. Mr. Risen needs to knowthat while there may be significant discussion before adecision is made, as a member of the team, the deci-sion represents a shared responsibility.

• Be careful to position Mr. Risen to solve the problemrather than stepping to address the situation for him.Doing so risks undermining his leadership and makingthe situation worse.

• Consider offering an experienced mentor among theother principals to provide a “sounding board” andprovide Mr. Risen guidance as needed. A colleaguemight feel like a safer confidant than a supervisor.

• Be prepared to still receive some push back from Mr.Risen’s school community. Some may be skeptical andquestioning of Mr. Risen’s change of position.

• Watch carefully how Mr. Risen reacts and processesthe situation as it continues to unfold. You likely willlearn much about his leadership courage and strengthand potential for success.

(To review the superintendent’s response, please visit our website.)

4 galileoforsuperintendents.comGalileo for Superintendents and District Level Administrators

The Superintendent’s PerspectiveDilemma:

Mr. Risen’s Divided Loyalties

It’s been said that leading in goodtimes has its demands, but outstandingleaders really emerge when times aretough. The leadership litera-ture and practice are repletewith evidence that leader-ship takes courage, integri-ty, vision and values thataspire to the better instinctsof people. Wise leadersapply these character attrib-utes in responsible ways.While experience helps,leaders often face tough times withoutthe benefits of having been through thespecific event previously. Tough times present different cir-cumstances. A health crisis, a shootingor a fire give examples of the need forimmediate action. Certainly, takingaction ahead of time to rehearseresponses helps, but the actual condi-tions are not likely to replicate those ofa drill. When the issue is evolving moreslowly, as may be the case with a

declining economy or a pending loss ofa major revenue source to the schooldistrict, a more deliberate process will

achieve the bestresults.

What is itabout the chal-lenge of toughtimes thatschool leadersneed to do tosucceed?First, move

quickly to identify the situation. Wiseleaders certainly know and understandtheir business. Superintendents willhave seen many different situations inschools and communities that may pro-vide parallel experiences to what theysee in real time. Don’t delay.Demonstrate your understanding byclearly and quickly defining the prob-lem. Being courageous by speaking outearly will help others define the issues,too.

Secondly, act to address the situa-tion. If it is an economic issue, takeclear steps to remedy the growth of thefiscal problem. If it is a personnel issue,take steps to remove the peopleinvolved from their immediate roles,provide capable replacements and con-duct a rapid investigation into the factsof the case. Boldly moving towardaddressing the problems in specificways will energize the school districtand create focus for addressing thethings that are within your sphere ofinfluence. Stay alert for changes in con-ditions and adapt as quickly as possibleto emerging data, actions of others andnew information. Finally, stay true to your core val-ues and always speak and act withintegrity. Confront bad news withouttrying to avoid or minimize it. Boldlyaddressing the issue and taking values-based actions to address it builds credi-bility and advances your organizationtoward an improved condition. ■

Leading in Tough Times BY BRIAN L. BENZEL, PH.D.

Key Considerations:

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Conflicting expectations and diverse community valuespresent many complex situations for school administrators.Whether the question is how to support nontraditional studentsin advanced placement or honors courses, ensure the physicaland emotional safety of transgender students in the school envi-ronment, or transparently present achievement data revealinglarge achievement gaps by race and disability, knowing what isright doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right. How can an administrator successfully navigate complexdilemmas? Attention to several concepts can assist leaders to actwith moral courage. Moral courage is generally thought of as doing the rightthing even in the face of fear, adversity, or at your own risk.Rushworth M. Kidder, the noted author of “Moral Courage,”said it is the readiness to endure danger for the sake of principle.According to Kidder, moral courage is found at the intersectionof three points: action based on core values, plus awareness ofthe risks, plus willingness to endure necessary hardship. Notevery issue is one to “die for.” Knowing which situations toaddress or defend requires a clear understanding of the mission,purpose and core beliefs of the organization, context regardingthe issue as well as an analysis of the cost benefit of potentialactions. Decisions which are about “right versus wrong” or “legalversus illegal” are not the ones that weigh most heavily on anadministrator’s mind or require moral courage. While they maybe difficult and require strength, tenacity and perseverance, it isthe “right versus right” ethical dilemmas that beg for moral

courage. To assist leaders to recognize them, Kidder categorizedthese decisions into four paradigms of choices including ‘indi-vidual versus community,’ ‘truth verses loyalty,’ ‘short term ver-sus long term,’ and ‘justice versus mercy.’ These paradigms areuseful for analyzing the dilemma, identifying sources of conflict,and evaluating implications of potential actions. While moral courage is needed for the “big” issues such asredistricting school attendance lines to achieve socioeconomicdiversity, moral courage is not something we put on and take offlike a piece of clothing we wear. Moral courage is what we mustlive, breathe and model, each and every day, with unwaveringfocus. The single greatest thing a leader can do is to have themoral fortitude to stay on point to create a systemic culture ofrespect, engagement, transparency, results orientation andintegrity. Every word and every action, as well as every inactionof the leader, sets the tone and creates the culture. How theleader connects people to the mission, promotes the develop-ment of capacity among staff, leads change, addresses perform-ance issues, seeks feedback, and ensures results, matters. Aleader who is political, distracted, lacks integrity, takes shortcuts or turns the eye away from high standards misses theopportunity to raise up the organization to all it can be. If we believe that true leaders create more leaders, thenmoral courage is not just about finding our own courage. Rather,moral courage is about establishing the culture that promotesmoral fortitude and courageous actions throughout the organiza-tion. Through the courage of the leader, the spines of others arestiffened. ■

Leading with Moral CourageBY KATHLEEN M. COOKE, PH.D.

Throughout my tenure as a leader, both as a superintend-ent and as a university vice president, my colleagues weretrusted advisers upon whom I relied for guidance and support.We built trust by being open and clear with each other and bydoing what we said we would do. Simply put, we all tried totreat each other as we sought to be treated. Guiding principles helped us deal with complex, dynamicissues that often could not be handled by a policy or a prescrip-tion. We need to exercise judgment based on emerging condi-tions, events and facts. The most powerful guiding principlewe adhered to can be summed up in the phrase “tell me what Ineed to know, not what you think I want to hear.” As the top-level leader, adherence to such guidance isvital. None of us can know everything. It’s best, in fact, if wesurround ourselves with people who have expertise we don’tpossess. When leaders ask their direct reports to frankly tellthem what they need to know, they invite honest input thatsometimes may go counter to what is comfortable. It is whensuch counsel is offered and it isn’t pleasant news that the truetest of the guiding principle arises. Will I accept the news orinput that is counter to my pre-conceived idea, or will I punishthe messenger?

As the leader, it is my duty to respond appropriately whenthis choice arises. If I punish the messenger, I signal an end oftrust and honesty. Who else on my leadership team will countermy views if the result is punishment by ignoring the counsel,criticizing the adviser or simply ignoring them in the future?No other adviser will likely try to tell me what I need to knowand results will falter through poor ideas or incompetent imple-mentation of the intended action. If, on the other hand, I honor the counsel, explore itsmeaning and perhaps counter it with logic and new or modifiedinformation, the team sees that the counterpoint improves thequality of the work, avoids a potential error or crisis and pre-serves credibility. Trust grows and flourishes in such an envi-ronment. The duty of the chief executive is to build a culture ofexcellence by being open to inputs that may run counter to theexecutive’s perceptions. Such leaders are valued and respectedby the people with whom they work. Will you be such a leaderin such a time as this? The choice is yours to make. ■

High-Impact Strategies and New Thinking to Help You and Your Learning Community

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Loyalty Requires Truthfulness BY BRIAN L. BENZEL, PH.D.

September 2017 • Volume 25 • Number 1

Just months into his new position, a school superintendentuncovers a practice that he believes is unethical and compro-mises the integrity of the school district. He acts immediatelyand boldly. After watching his actions and their consequences, I askedhim why he acted the way he did. His words were clear anduncompromising. When one begins a new superintendency, everyone iswatching to see how the new leader willrespond. When it comes to matters of integri-ty, a new leader gets only one opportunity. IfI had not acted, those who knew of the prac-tice would assume that I did not have thecourage to act, and my credibility would begone. When a leader becomes aware of anissue of ethics or integrity, you have oneopportunity to act. What is moral courage, and what are theunderpinnings of moral courage? What role do ethics and stan-dards of conduct play in preparing us to act with moralcourage? Further, how does a superintendent or other schoolleader “teach” ethics to principals and other staff by example,policy, and the conduct of school affairs?

First, what is moral courage? According to The Oxford English Dictionary, moralcourage is “the kind of courage which enables a person toremain firm in the face of odium or contempt, rather thandepart from what he or she deems the right course.” The dic-tionary attributes the first use of the term to English authorSamuel Taylor Coleridge. A half century later, American authorMark Twain observed “It is curious that physical courageshould be so common in the world and moral courage sorare.”

Second, as school leaders, what establishes the foundationfor our decisions? For example, do we base decisions and judgments only onwhat is legally required by federal, state, and local laws, know-ing that if we act in opposition, there will be negative conse-quences for our schools our districts, and potentially for our-selves?

Third, how do ethics and other standards of conduct affectour decisions? Most professions, including teachers and administrators,are governed by “codes of conduct” which are generally under-stood to be ethical standards. These codes of conduct may beexpressly part of state law, or rules or standards of conductbased on law, perhaps developed by members of the profes-sion.

One difference between law and ethics is that ethical stan-dards of conduct contain moral and aspirational statements thathelp us navigate difficult decisions when the law is silent or theapplication of law ambiguous. Such standards of conduct aredeveloped over time, drawing on law, religious values, and his-tory. As an administrator, it is essential to know and obey thelaws that affect schools in your state or province. It is also

imperative to know and understand anycodes of conduct that apply to school admin-istrators in your jurisdiction. For example, alldistrict leaders should be familiar withAASA’s Code of Ethics, titled “AASA’s state-ment of Ethics for Educational Leaders.”(www.aasa.org). This code is a good place tobegin, but know the common and uniquethemes of those codes of conduct coveringyour school board, principals and other

administrators, and teachers. What specific actions can a leader take to influence or“teach” ethics to principals and other staff by example, policy,and the conduct of school affairs?

First, your personal and professional conduct is watched. What you do, what you say, and what you write sets a tonefor your schools. Consider those leaders we admire for theirmoral courage. For example, what ethical standards and moralcode gave President Lincoln the will to announce theEmancipation Proclamation in 1863? Or two years later,courage to speak the words “with malice toward none, withcharity for all…” in his second inaugural address, advocatingmercy and healing at a time that many wanted revenge?

Second, policies and procedures, statement of beliefs, andcore values are the foundation of your work in yourschools. Do your policies cover only what is legally required, or doyou go beyond basic requirements of law to create a culturethat is governed by higher moral and ethical standards?

Third, conduct school affairs considering both law and eth-ical standards. How do you respond to challenging circumstances in yourschool district? Examples might include a school district prac-tice or policy that disadvantages some students; or you mayfind yourself faced with a conflict between current district poli-cies or practices and what you believe is an ethical issue.

Will you, in the dictionary definition of moral courage,possess “the kind of courage which enables a person to remainfirm in the face of odium or contempt, rather than depart fromwhat he or she deems the right course”? ■

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Ethics, Law, and Moral CourageBY MICHAEL J. LOVETT, PH.D.

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When a new or difficult issue pres-ents itself to the school board, forminganother committee isa frequent reaction.As districts grapplewith moving highschool start times laterin the morning,changing grade con-figurations of schools,altering attendanceboundaries or design-ing capital facilityproposals for voterconsideration, theneed for board-appointed committeesmay be appropriate. Too often, forming a committee toaddress complex district decisions resultsin failure due to an unclear focus andpurpose for the committee. Uncertaintycauses the public and school staff to seepronouncements for another committeeas an avoidance or delay tactic.Five factors will build credibility fordetermining a future course of action andhelp avoid the cynicism and mistrust thatmay greet the idea of a newly appointedcommittee.

Determine Necessity Since superintendents provide valu-able direction to this board work, a firstaction is to determine the committee isnecessary. Assess whether the work canbe accomplished within the existingstructure of the board and its administra-tive team.

Outline Task Second, clearly outline the task forthe committee. Clarification of its pur-pose and how that purpose aligns withthe district’s strategic priorities will helpthe board establish the committee’s pur-pose. Such clarification must affirm thatthe committee is being established toengage experts, the community and theboard in a necessary decision. Processesto reach decisions should be establishedat the outset of the work. Be clear thatthe committee is advisory to the boardand the superintendent and does not

replace the board’s responsibility foradopting or revising the committee’s rec-ommendations.

Establish Timeframe Third, the board must definewhether the committee is to be a perma-nent part of the district’s structure or if itis to expire at the completion of a specif-ic task. Permanent committees must havedefined rationale; a temporary committeemust have a set timeline for completionof its work. Set defined reporting timesto the board of directors for the status ofthe committee’s work.

Define Membership Fourth, define the membership ofthe committee and how such membersare selected. Membership must reflectthe nature of the topic being examinedby the committee. Careful attention towho and how the membership is selectedbuilds credibility and support for thecommittee’s ultimate recommendations.

Provide Support Fifth, assess the capacity of theadministrative workload that the com-mittee will generate. Providing adequatesupport for the committee’s work is nec-essary. Also, board-appointed commit-tees may be covered by public disclosure

laws. The transparency of the board’swork must be evaluated as the commit-tee is structured and formed.

Thoughtful attention to these issueshelps constituents see the district asproactively addressing complex issues.Usually, such efforts allow time for gath-ering data, assessing consequences andthoughtfully evaluating the risks andrewards associated with decisions. Effective leaders will use commit-tees to build understanding and knowl-edge about major decisions facing theschool district. They will prepare mem-bers of the public to understand schooldistrict operations and how decisions aremade. Such service generates a capabili-ty for community members to test theirinterest in future service as a schoolboard candidate. Wise superintendentswill be attentive to this important earlylook at potential future board members. Properly designed and effectivelyled, school board committees willexpand the reach of the board and buildpublic trust. ■

Note: The content of this article parallels the con-tent of The Board titled, “Before You FormAnother Sub-Committee,” Volume 41, Number 10.The Board is a semi-monthly publication for schoolboard members produced by THE MASTERTEACHER. View a sample issue of The Board orsubscribe at www.masterteacher.com/board.

Before You Form Another CommitteeBY BRIAN L. BENZEL, PH.D.

High-Impact Strategies and New Thinking to Help You and Your Learning Community

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3. Collaborative Leadership Is an OpportunityAs superintendent, you are in a position to do more than manage your schoolsystem, you can transform it. This is your opportunity to build enduring greatnessthat can last long beyond your tenure. You have the choice to use your skills,knowledge, and experience to contribute actively to the transformation, or you canpassively observe it. Either way your school system is growing and changing. Youraim is to generate powerful collective action through collaborative leadership. Thisinvolves growing and learning along with the people who are doing the work.Remember, your opinion will always be important because you are thesuperintendent, but it will never be the only one that matters. ■

Reference:Tapscott, D. (2016, August 10). Great Leaders Don’t Have Followers: They Collaborate. HuffPost.Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/don-tapscott/great-leaders-dont-have-followers-they-collaborate_b_7966856.html

Great Superintendents Don’t Have Followers: They Collaborate(continued from page 1)

September 2017 • Volume 25 • Number 1

8 Galileo for Superintendents and District Level Administrators

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www.galileoforsuperintendents.comVolume 25, Number 1 September 2017A service of THE MASTERTEACHER, INC.Executive EditorAngie Sutton

Managing EditorMegan Channer

Content EditorsRobert L. DeBruynTracey H. DeBruynJames R. Rickabaugh, Ph.D.Jeffrey J. Smith, Ed.D.

Galileo CadreBrian L. Benzel, Ph.D.Doug ConwellRobert L. DeBruynTracey H. DeBruynMary E. Devin, Ph.D.Suzette D. Lovely, Ed.D.James R. Rickabaugh, Ph.D.Tweed W. Ross, Ed.D.Jeffrey J. Smith, Ed.D.

Galileo for SuperintendentsPublished monthly by THE MASTERTEACHER, INC., Leadership Lane,Manhattan, Kansas 66502. No advertising accepted. Subscription price:$104.00 annually. Copyright 2017 by THE MASTERTEACHER, INC. All rightsreserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permissionis strictly prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to THE MASTER TEACHER®, Leadership Lane, P.O. Box1207, Manhattan, Kansas 66505-1207.

You’ve undoubtedly heard some onyour staff say, “We cannot handle anothernew curriculum, or a new technology, or anew program; too much is changing tooquickly.” Thomas L. Friedman’s book,Thank You for Being Late, doesn’t solvethis challenge, but it provides valuableinsight into why change is accelerating.Additionally, Friedman’s work shareswise counsel for ways to cope with thepace of change. Friedman uses multiple expertsources to describe why “when fast getsreally fast, slower to adapt makes youreally slow – and disoriented.” Heexplains how Moore’s Law (the process-ing power of the microchip doubles everytwo years) has significantly advanced thespeed of computing. Technological devel-opments have accelerated the implemen-tation of scientific creations and increasedthe speed of access to communication,money, ideas and awareness. Perhaps Friedman’s best descriptionof these merging events is the explanationhe shares from Eric “Astro” Teller, theCEO of Google’s X research and develop-ment lab. Teller uses a simple line graphto represent the exponential growth of sci-entific and technological progress overtime. It has grown at increasingly rapidrates. For example, the rate at which thetelegraph was introduced was relatively

slow compared to the rate at whichtoday’s technology is assimilated into ourpractices. Teller uses a second line that startsabove the scientific and technologicalprogress line and is flatter. It representsthe more modest pace at which humanbeings and our governance and socialinstitutions respond and adapt to scientificand technological changes. Teller claimsthat the scientific and technological linecrossed above the human adaptation linesometime in 2007. Friedman notes it takes 10-to-15years to adapt laws, regulations and proto-cols to safeguard society from such“progress.” Because technology becomesintegrated into usage within five or sevenyears, people feel they are slow or behind.Friedman suggests that the acceleratingnature of climate change, some of whichis the result of human activity, and theexpanded global market place add to peo-ple’s disorientation from rapid change. Friedman provides valuable insight

into various ways our world must adapt tothis relentlessly faster pace of changedriven by innovation. Chief among hisrecommendations is the demand forpreparing young people for lifelong learn-ing. Schools and educators must simulta-neously model lifelong learning and pre-pare every child for living with it. He fur-ther advocates that embracing the benefitsof diversity will allow people to moreeffectively cope with acceleration.Personal ownership of responsibility toembrace these factors, being entrepreneur-ial and decentralized in our structures arevital elements of thriving in a world ofaccelerations. This book provides superintendents,school board members and other educa-tional leaders with valuable insight intothe interconnected nature of challengesfacing our world. Friedman aptly notesthat this challenge is “…probably themost important governance challengeacross the globe.” ■

Book Review

Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide toThriving in the Age of Accelerations by Thomas L. FriedmanREVIEWED BY: BRIAN L. BENZEL, PH.D

Dine Discuss&We know that discussing issues and topics of interest can build shared understandingand support leadership development. Each month we will provide questions you canuse to guide discussion, reflection, and action with your team. You might find sometime over lunch, use a portion of your leadership team meetings, or gather at the endof the day when staff and students have departed. Regardless, we wish to help younurture and support those whose leadership you want to develop.

GreatSuperintendents Don’t Have Followers:They CollaborateBY JEFFREY J. SMITH, ED.D 1. Why might reliance on a single, great

leader as the answer fall short intoday’s world? What examples canyou cite?

2. What strategies do effective leadersemploy to build success throughshared learning?

3. What does it mean to “compound”leadership? What would be an exam-ple?

4. What are the most important oppor-tunities that accompany leadership?

Leading with Moral CourageBY KATHLEEN M. COOKE, PH.D.1. What is the difference between physi-

cal courage and moral courage? Is thesource of both types of courage thesame? If not, why not?

2. Why might it be that physical courageoften is applauded while moral courageoften makes others uncomfortable?

3. What is an example of a “right versusright” dilemma you have faced? Howdid you resolve it? Which of the fourframes did you employ?

4. How do you encourage and supportmoral courage within your organiza-tion? ■