New Position? Bring Your Own Shoes

We are nearing the end of summer vacation. In schools everywhere, new people are being hired to replace those who have left. Every business experiences transition. How does the new hire approach the new position, especially if the shoes left vacant are large?  

I am reminded of how a particular pastor handled this situation. I had known him when he was first starting his ministry and was one of several clergy at a large church. Over the years, his career blossomed, and he found himself appointed to lead the largest church of that denomination in the United States. His parishioners included George and Barbara Bush. Furthermore, he was following a very popular predecessor. How would he fill such gigantic shoes?

This church's website included links to past sermons, and so I listened with great interest to the first sermon my acquaintance from many years ago delivered to his new congregation. What would he say? How would he begin to follow someone as respected and beloved as his predecessor? How would he, an outsider, step in and lead this large congregation. That sermon answered my questions.

The sermon began with the new minister acknowledging he realized the congregation was grieving over the retirement of its beloved former minister. He went on to point out the importance of that person's ministry in his own life.

Don’t worry about trying to fill anyone’s shoes, because you need to bring your own. Then, he began to relay advice offered in a phone call from an older and very wise minister. “Let me give you the most helpful advice I received... Someone said to me, ‘Don’t worry about trying to fill anyone’s shoes, because you need to bring your own.’" The new minister followed by asking his congregation, "If I can, let me ask you to let me bring my own."

Six years have passed since that first sermon. In short, the church has flourished under the leadership which began that day.

This summer sees new leadership in schools, school systems, bands, athletic teams, classrooms, and in business of all types all across our country. Many of us have been in those positions. We were perhaps uneasy about how we would handle the transition and how well those we lead would accept us. The transition is made more difficult when the shoes to fill are big. The advice given to this minister may be good advice for us as well.

About to fill some big shoes? Don't try. Instead, bring your own.

Best Books for the New Principal

Recently, an avid reader of this blog contacted me as follows:

"...I've been appointed a principal for a K-12 school effective this July. I need your help and support. What tips/books/recommendations/magazines/articles do you suggest that I read....that I urgently need to read ??"

This newly-appointed principal has the right idea. He realizes that the word "urgent" is going to be ever-present during that first year. He also realizes he does not have to re-invent the wheel. Many have gone down this same path, and they have left tracks. His question, which prompted this post, is particularly timely. In schools across the globe, new principals are being named and will begin important work.

Reading professional literature will never end. As a starting point, here are a few of the gems:

 

What Great Principals Do Differently (Dr. Todd Whitaker) This book is the second edition of a best-seller. It's a easy read that gets to the heart of what really makes a difference.

Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College (Doug Lemov) So much of the principalship involves developing outstanding teachers. This book is the best I have ever read for addressing teaching strategies. The accompanying DVD allows you to see the techniques in action.

The Daily Disciplines of Leadership: How to Improve Student Achievement, Staff Motivation, and Personal Organization (Dr. Doug Reeves) Anyone who thinks research has to be dull has never read or heard Doug Reeves. The book is nuts-and-bolts and centers on the three topics addressed in the title.

What They Don't Tell You in Schools of Education about School Administration (John A. Black & Fenwick W. English) Probably my all-time favorite, this book provides an irreverent, but on-the-money look at the many sides of school administration.

Don't Teach the Canaries Not to Sing (Robert D. Ramsey) I had the opportunity to review this work when it was in manuscript form, and loved it. When it comes to building school culture, this book is the one to read.

The Essential 55 (Ron Clark) Here is a review I wrote on the book for Principal magazine back in 2004. The book would make an excellent book study for the faculty.

Of course, I would suggest my own book,  Get Organized! Time Management for School Leaders. Every good thing we do for our students, our teachers, our community, our family, and ourselves is accomplished through the dimension of time. Organizing your time and surroundings makes everything else possible.

For online professional development, check out The Principal Center. The site serves as a global think tank for professional practice in K-12 school leadership. You will find forums for collaboration, online professional development, and a rich variety of resources.


The literature is filled with quality books for the principal. Dr. Sara Womack, who happens to be one of my former students, created an excellent post which provides a library for the school leader.

What about you? What are your suggestions for books, articles, blogs, for a new principal to read now?

A Look at Harry Truman

A fine line separates the topics of time management and leadership. Leadership requires a mastery of one's time. In the blog All Things Leadership, Kerry Palmer discusses the leadership style of President Harry S. Truman. I think you will find the series of four posts enjoyable reading.



Be an Early Riser
Dress for Success
Read Voraciously
When at Work, Work Hard

Setting the Tone for Student Success: What Can Principals Do?

Eye on Education has asked several of its authors to weigh in on what principals can do to set the tone for the new school year. My response centered around the initials "VIP."

To read the post on Eye on Education's blog, click here.

What things do readers suggest that principals can do in those first few days to set the tone for the year?

Bring Your Own Shoes

We are almost upon that time in the school year when retirements happen and shoes must be filled by other people. The events of the past week have reminded me of how those entering new positions can handle this situation, especially when the shoes left vacant are large.  

In my last post, I wrote about a recent trip to St. Martin's Episcopal Church and the many coincidences that exist between me and that Houston church. The story, however, goes a little further.

When I moved the Birmingham area in 1985, I attended the Cathedral Church of the Advent, under the leadership of The Very Rev. Larry Gipson. Gipson was a seasoned and powerful figure in the pulpit. Several years later, I found myself at St. Luke's, another large parish in a Birmingham suburb. At that time, one member of the clergy was Russell Levenson, a young and enthusiastic minister with a thirst for knowledge.

Fast forward several more years, and we see Larry Gipson receive the call to become Rector of St. Martin's, at that time the 3rd largest Episcopal Church in United States. That was the first I had ever heard of that parish. Over the years, St. Martin's became the largest Episcopal Church in America through the leadership of the one I had known at Advent. Around this same time, the much younger Levenson also moved to lead churches of his own.

It was about two years ago that I visited St. Martin's website and learned quite by accident that Larry Gipson had retired. His successor was none other than Russell Levenson, the young minister I had known 20 years earlier. "How in the world could anyone follow Larry Gipson?" I thought.

I found recordings at the website of past sermons and came upon Russell's first sermon to the St. Martin's congregation. What would he say? How would be begin to follow someone of the stature of Larry Gipson? That sermon answered my questions.

In the sermon, Russell Levenson acknowledged openly that he realized the congregation was grieving over the retirement of Larry Gipson after 13 years at the helm of St. Martin's. He went on to point out the importance of Gipson's ministry to his own life.

Then, he turned to advice offered in a phone call from a bishop and former Rector of St. Martin's. “Russell, let me give you the most helpful advice I received when I came to St. Martin’s. Someone said to me, ‘Don’t worry about trying to fill anyone’s shoes, because you need to bring your own.’" Levenson followed by asking the congregation, "If I can, let me ask you to let me bring my own."

This summer will see new leadership in schools, school systems, bands, athletic teams, classrooms, and many other activities across our country. Many of us have been in those positions and been uneasy about how we would handle the transition and how well those we lead would accept us. I would encourage anyone who is about to fill some big shoes to listen carefully to Russell Levenson's words in that first sermon to his congregation. It can be found here. I think it provides a thoughtful approach that bridges the past to the present, and charts the beginnings of a successful course towards the future.

About to fill some big shoes? Don't try. Instead, bring your own shoes.