Go to the people.
Learn from them.
Live with them.
Start with what they know.
Build with what they have.
When the best leader’s work is done,
the people will say
“We have done it ourselves.”

Lao Tzu

The first five sentences in this month’s quote say it all. Isn’t this what we want? Isn’t this what we have been saying for three years?

How easy it would have been to “go to the people.” The world of education, by its very nature, should be people-centered. Taking time to meet and listen to the teachers and staff of this district would not only have been cost-effective, but the returns on such an investment could have been unlimited.

How easy it would have been to “learn from them.” Our ranks are filled with those who have the history, the knowledge, the skills, the talents, the desires, the insights, the energy and the dedication to move this district forward. We do not need to be the southern version of an upstate district; what we do need is to be recognized as capable professionals who understand the needs of our students and the community.

How easy it would have been to “live with them.” Had a positive working environment been established that was based on professional respect and trust, had there been a true attempt to get to know us and what we do on a daily basis, we would have no reason to cast doubt or suspicion upon the actions of central administration.

How easy it would have been to “start with what they know.” Had the time been taken to assess the collective knowledge base of our members; to determine what we knew worked and what didn’t work, how much farther along could we have been than where we are now?

How easy it would have been to “build with what they have.” We have been the foundation, the strong foundation, of this district for a multitude of years. Rather than instituting the systematic elimination of programs and positions, how simple it would have been to recognize our strengths and build upon them. A natural outcome would have been the establishment of an environment conducive to a general sense of well-being and partnership. Instead, feelings of fear, distrust, uncertainty and isolation abound.

The method to achieve success seems so simple and yet the last three years have proven to be some of the most difficult in this district’s history. If acted upon, the first five sentences from this month’s quote should be the keys for any leader’s success. When people have been seen, heard, respected, validated, empowered, and given autonomy, everyone benefits. That is success. That is what we want for all. That is what we deserve.