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What learning is gained when you come to the end of one path and start a new adventure?

Those who know my situation, I hope will appreciate this week’s post. I’m at the end of my contract with the Lemmon School District in South Dakota. Lemmon is where I started my roles in school administration as a Principal and later Superintendent. I was fortunate to be part of a great school district, where teachers loved and supported their students fully. The community rallied around the students and school system to show how one town can support education. I am so proud of my teachers and support staff. We survived a major building project, COVID-19, and a variety of other day to day issues. As a team, we made great strides and improved the view of the district. The Lemmon School District is a great team to be a part of. This week I would like to acknowledge what I learned as a leader and share a few reminders for other leaders.

Knowing that people within an organization need acknowledgement and appreciation is an important understanding for leaders.  Leaders everywhere know that the people of our organizations are on the frontline of the organization. We understand that we must show our people that they are valued. There are a variety of articles and conversations that state people don’t quit an organization, but they quit the leader. Leaders can make small efforts each day to show appreciation, which compounds over time. Our organizations will flourish when the people feel valued; that their work and efforts matter.

Leaders need to trust their people to do their jobs professionally and to the best of their ability. The quickest way to lose support among the people in an organization is by micro-managing their work. When a leader hires for a position they pick the best individual for that role. We must allow that person to do the job they were hired to do. Often leaders want to control too much. Allowing our people to lead can make the goals of the organization achievable. The process can be more efficient and effective when everyone’s ideas are expressed. 

People will fall away or rise at your side when decisions are made. Every individual has an angle, perspective, or belief on how things should be done. The bottom-line is not everyone will agree or support the leader. There will be supporters and critics; some of those individuals we might consider friends or dare I say, enemies. Leaders must understand that who appears to be a friend or critic can and will change. Our friends may fall away because of a decision and someone you assume was an enemy or critic, turns out to be your biggest supporter.

Leaders should always challenge the status quo by asking, what if or why not? It is a good practice to challenge limited beliefs that often plague organizations. Yes, we risk looking too aggressive or ill-prepared if we are unaware of all the angles in a situation. Leaders must be willing to step forward, lead the way, and take risks for the betterment of the organization.

How are you showing support and appreciation for your team’s efforts?           

How do you show that you trust and value the work of your team? 

Are you able to accept the changes in relationships after decisions are made?  

How are you challenging the organization and the people for improvements?

In this season of my life, I was reminded to take a hard look at myself to become a better leader. Leadership is a learning process, and no one has the best procedures or practices. I’m a work in progress. We all are. I am so thankful for the people and experiences I had in Lemmon, South Dakota. You have helped me, guided me, and improved me. My hope is that readers of this post will find the leadership path they seek and grow from it. Thanks for checking in this week, and please leave a comment below that will contribute to the good of this conversation.

Steven C. Bucks- Leading Conversations

~Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member~