Many of you know that in the summer I get-away to a small cottage on a lake in Pennsylvania that has been in my wife’s family for decades. There, amidst the still water and unplugged silence, each day seems the revitalizing equivalent of three most anywhere else. Over the summer I wanted to do some thinking on the continuing economic stressors that are affecting independent schools, and just about everyone else.
I’ve been fortunate enough at Derryfield to be surrounded by many people who seem to be surfing – actually enjoying themselves - in these treacherous times, while so many others get disoriented from waves crashing over them. I wanted to spend some time describing the characteristics of people who are thriving in this environment. I talked about five characteristics at an opening administrative retreat, and the team helped me sharpen them further. Yesterday I talked about these characteristics at the opening faculty and staff meeting, and people seemed to appreciate the attempt – here are my notes:
1) Have a Joy strategy.
It is no longer enough to say “I get recharged with family time” or “working in education brings me satisfaction.” You should be able to answer the question “What am I doing, in my work life and my personal life, that specifically and consciously connects me to joy? Am I staying connected to the energy that brought me into this field in the first place?” Derryfield employees have heard me say that the best thing I learned when I ran the New York Marathon (besides that I am not a runner) is “If you wait until you are thirsty to drink it is too late.”
The recession has made working in education measurably more challenging. The world needs educators. You need a plan to keep at it over the long-term.
2) Find Energy in the Mission.
Can you say what it is about the mission of the school that is energizing? No doubt you can list things that have changed the last few years, but can you still identify what is eternal in the purpose, and what will never change as long as the place exists?
If you can’t answer this question, you are in danger of getting disoriented in the storm.
3) See Change as Revitalizing.
Folks have heard me say I find it exhilarating that the Supreme Court writes 5-4 decisions. Reasonable people can and do disagree. Unity is terrific, yet it is maddening to expect it. But do you accept the change and continue forward, bringing your best effort at all times?
Otherwise, you run the risk of marginalizing yourself and your talent as the institution moves on.
4) Work at Teamwork.
Do you enjoy, and are you sustained by, teamwork? If not, the new economy is likely to leave you behind as information flourishes, expectations of connectivity mushroom, and no one person can have all the answers. Teamwork acknowledges that we cannot survive alone and has the added benefit, in the field of education, of keeping us connected to our students.
5) Find Time to Reflect.
How else to know if you are succeeding at the other four?
CNS
