Leadership Matters August 2014

and letting them fully utilize their leadership skills and talents to reach the district’s goals. If someone is not an effective leader on your team, they will suck the energy out of you and detract from the mission and vision of your organization. Invite them to find other opportunities if coaching, mentoring and clear expectations for performance are not options. In addition, your team must have a clear road map of the journey you are on in your school district. This vision starts from the top down with effective, impactful leaders in the organization. Care for yourself You can only perform your job at a level that is proportionate to the level of your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.

(Continued from page 8)

For the seasoned superintendents reading this, please know how valuable, appreciated and important it is to call someone new and welcome them to the region, area, city, etc. It feels great to be included and recognized and know that someone has reached out to you. A personal invitation to a local meeting is helpful as many superintendents relocate to areas where they might not have an established network. I am grateful for the efforts made by my colleagues in the Central Illinois Valley region to welcome me when I started in Morton. Putting out fires vs. long-term planning In looking back at her former position as an assistant superintendent, Cremascoli characterized much of that work as dealing with the day-to-day operations of the district, large projects and initiatives. “My work now is

“I find that while my professional time is more flexible as a superintendent, I have also found that I am always working, thinking, planning, coordinating… always ‘ON’,” observed Cremascoli. It can be a challenge carving out time for exercise, spending time with family, and engaging in hobbies and interests not related to work. However, it is essential to care for yourself as a superintendent so that you are a healthy and vibrant leader, a good role model for your employees and students, and, most

“You will feel as though you are drinking from the

focused much more on the overall vision, mission and strategic plan of the district. Long-term planning consumes my time, as well as working to align the vision and initiatives of the district,” she said. As a former junior high and high school principal and assistant superintendent, I wholeheartedly

proverbial fire hose from the first day on the job (a question for our more veteran colleagues: does that ever end??), but you must schedule time to confer and network with your superintendent friends and peers. Remember, unlike many other positions in a school district, there is only one superintendent.”

- Dr. Lindsey Hall, Morton Comm 709, talking about the importance of networking.

importantly, there for your family. In closing, Cremasoli offered three valuable pieces of advice for those entering the superintendent’s position. First, she counseled to “Be patient. Be patient as you learn, with yourself and with those around you -- especially in planning new initiatives and improvements.” She went on to say that getting to know your community and your school district and learning about the nuances and culture of the place you are now leading are also all vitally important. Finally, the third and likely the piece of advice with the most importance was to “always do what’s best for kids. If you always do this, then rest of the things that keep us up at night -- the worries, the policies, the politics and the day-to-day decisions will all be right.”

agree with Cremascoli. I can look back upon those former positions and realize a good portion of my time was spent putting out fires on an hourly and daily basis. While that might occur occasionally in the superintendency depending upon the size of the district, being the top instructional leader is much more about long-term planning, goal setting, having a vision for your organization and working to focus your board on the same journey through contact and communication. This shift in thinking -- short term to longer term -- was a big adjustment for me

personally. Be prepared for that change. Surround yourself with good people

No one can do this job alone. Surround yourself with other excellent leaders, then support those leaders in their specific positions by standing back

9