TO THOSE WILLING TO LEAD

By now, the school year has settled into a familiar rhythm. Opening-day enthusiasm has given way to tricky decisions, difficult conversations, and the steady demands of leading a school. For some, the honeymoon has ended. For others, a challenging start meant there was never much of one. If that was your experience, I hope things are settling down and the months ahead offer some breathing room, and more good days than difficult ones.

Most readers of our RG175 newsletter have held, or currently hold, leadership responsibilities in schools or other educational organizations. Thank you for stepping into those roles. My partners at RG175 and I know a thing or two about the skills and courage this work requires, especially when expectations are high, and the thank yous are few.

Some of you are now leading communities you first came to know through one of our searches. I hope the work is proving rewarding, even as you discover things that never came up in interviews. Some of you are considering a move or are already applying for new roles. Wherever you are in your career, a few observations from our work with schools and candidates may be useful.

This past year, RG175 helped schools appoint many leaders. It is a pleasure to see those appointments become working relationships. Yet each appointment also means other candidates, often incredibly accomplished educators, received disappointing news. Schools need capable people willing to lead, and finding a role can be discouraging for those very people.

So, let’s lift the hood on the hiring process.

1. Make your experience easy to understand. Committees may review candidates from schools that are different from their own. In your résumé, including a brief description of each school’s size, grade range, and student population helps search committee members understand the scope of your work. Also, explain what you accomplished and your part in it. A school name or job title alone does not tell the whole story.

2. The same applies in interviews. When asked about managing change, walk interviewers through an actual example. What prompted it? Whom did you involve? Where did you encounter resistance? How did you assess the outcome? Those details help a committee understand how you work.

3. Make room for what you are still learning. Candidates often feel pressure to have an answer for everything. Give yourself a little room here. An honest account of a mistake, a difficult hire, or feedback you took seriously can tell a search committee a great deal about your judgment. Practice with someone who will tell you when an answer is unclear, too long, or needs a specific example.

4. Use the search to learn about the school you’re applying to as well. Ask about expectations, working relationships, and the challenges ahead. Listen closely. You will need that information if an offer comes up, and you may occasionally discover that an opportunity is less suitable than you first thought. If so, it is better for everyone to say so sooner rather than later.

5. If you are not selected for the position, be careful about the conclusions you draw. A committee is choosing someone for a particular role at a particular moment. Its decision cannot account for everything you have to offer. Seek feedback where possible, talk with someone you trust, and adjust your approach where it makes sense.

For those of you settling into new roles, I hope you’re finding your footing and people you can count on. For those still searching, keep pursuing the right leadership opportunity and seek support along the way. At RG175, we recognize the challenges and rewards of school leadership. The people who step into these roles carry tremendous responsibility, and they deserve the guidance, encouragement, and support to succeed at every stage of their journey.