Mentoring the Educational Leader by Strike Kimberly T.;Nickelsen John;

Author:Strike, Kimberly T.;Nickelsen, John;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Education
Published: 2011-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Taking Care of Yourself

There are some ways that you can take care of yourself. First, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If possible, delegate some of your responsibilities. Second, have a discussion with your supervisor. Be open with the overload of responsibilities and ask for assistance with prioritizing. Last, learn to take care of yourself.

Delegating responsibility gives employees challenges and the chance to grow. When delegating, think about people who have the skill set or interest in that area where they could handle the responsibility with little direct contact. You will be there for support, but you do not want to share the responsibility and then micromanage the person. You chose him or her because you knew he or she could handle the task. It improves your relationship with your staff because you demonstrate trust in their abilities. In the meantime, it takes some of the pressure and load off of you.

Having a discussion with your supervisor will take some preparation prior to your meeting. Take the time to make a list of what needs to be done, time lines and time commitment of each, and the order you feel they need to be done. If you hope to delegate the responsibility, list the person(s) and why you have them in mind for this particular task. Armed with this information, you demonstrate the time and thought you have put into the preparation. With the legwork done, you can have a candid discussion with your supervisor on prioritizing the tasks and delegating some of the projects.

Take care of yourself and learn to manage your stress. Three critical areas of managing in a high-stress environment are self-awareness, self-renewal, and self-management. Self-awareness is looking at current practices, reflecting, and changing as necessary. Self-renewal is finding ways to rejuvenate. Self-management is the search for strategies to deal with the demands of life.

Some people find refuge in individual activities such as jogging or walking, while others find group activities such as bowling or volleyball meet their needs. Some people are social and like to quilt or work on scrapbooks, cars, or other projects while others find solace in a quiet walk.

Taking a ride to get off-campus, taking a lunch, or calling a colleague on the phone are all ways to regroup. Sometimes people like to use breathing or counting exercises to relax. Focusing on the relaxation technique instead of the stress will prove more effective, and provide higher quality, more productive work. Decide how much anxiety a problem is worth, and refuse to give it more. Insomnia is not an option.

Sometimes administrators get into the mindset that they cannot take time off. One sign of a good leader is that staff can perform in the administrator’s absence, so take it as a compliment that your staff doesn’t need you there all of the time.

The school or office will run without you. It may run a little differently, but the reality is that life in the office will go on if we take a vacation, and unfinished projects will remain on our desk until our return.

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