Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way by Ramsey Robert D.;

Author:Ramsey, Robert D.; [Ramsey, Robert D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 1993538
Publisher: Corwin Press
Published: 2005-07-14T00:00:00+00:00

7

Dealing With Setbacks

Leadership isn’t just a series of successes. If it were, a lot more people would sign up. Unfortunately, even great leaders make mistakes, encounter failures, make poor judgment calls, run into unforeseen obstacles, or come face to face with Murphy’s Law (anything that can go wrong, will). It’s what happens next that marks a genuine leader. Circumstances don’t create leaders, they reveal them.

SETBACKS HAPPEN

Somebody screws up. Computer systems crash. A bond issue fails. Test scores plummet. Budgets are cut. Plans backfire. Deals fall through. Setbacks happen. That’s why schools need leaders.

Every school and school system experiences its share of goof-ups and disappointments. They happen to everyone. Some organizations, however, can bounce back from setbacks or crises and be better off for the experience. Others can’t. The difference lies with the leader.

When things are OK, any leader will do. It’s when things start to unravel that the organization finds out if it has a real leader or a lightweight at the helm.

Avoiding setbacks isn’t the measure of an effective leader. That’s an unrealistic expectation. It’s how they respond to setbacks that sets superior leaders apart. When things go wrong, principals and superintendents can make the most of a bad situation or make matters worse.

In tough times, some administrators merely sulk and lick their wounds. Others pick up the pieces and press fiercely forward. Guess who the real leaders are? If you want to stick around very long as a leader, it pays to know what to do and what not to do when setbacks occur.

Of course, the best thing to do about setbacks is to prevent them in the first place. A good offense is still the best defense.

Most seasoned observers agree that school administrators, like managers in all fields, are often their own worst enemies when it comes to causing setbacks. Many reversals stem from the classic “six deadly sins” of management: pride, sloth (laziness), envy, greed, anger, and pessimism. (Sometimes, the seventh sin—bad luck—also plays a role.) Anything you can do to squelch these self-destructive forces will keep many setbacks from happening. Maturity, good judgment, grown-up behavior, and common sense are the best forms of setback insurance.

If the leader of the organization doesn’t bring on self-inflicted problems, the people around the leader may. Many setbacks are the result of other people letting the leader down or betraying the leader’s confidence in them. That’s why it’s always wise to hire loyal staff members who are smarter and better than yourself.

Other ways skillful leaders head off setbacks include

• Analyzing past errors to make sure they don’t happen again

• Always giving clear directions and instructions (twice)

• Never assuming anything—checking things out

• Never giving things time to go wrong—starting quality control immediately

• Anticipating all the things that could go wrong and installing safeguards

• Always knowing something can go radically wrong—and never getting caught unprepared

Despite these measures, which are second nature to most leaders, miscues and setbacks still happen. When they do, an ordinary administrator might head for cover. Effective leaders come out swinging.

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