Avoiding the Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim Syndrome

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide." Tough decisions require courage and conviction.  Often these tough decisions are not popular. Principals must keep in mind that good leadership is not a popularity contest. Your job as a leader is not to make all the adults happy, hold hands, and sing Kumbaya. General Colin Powell once said, "Being a great leader means sometimes pissing people off." Powell also said, "Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity. You'll avoid making tough decisions, you'll avoid confronting the people who need to be confronted."

As principals there are times that we have to communicate directly without mincing words that someone's performance is under par. We just CAN'T hope that someone's performance is going to get better. Hope is not a plan! I've seen principals avoid these tough conversations. What do they do instead? They arrange professional learning experiences for everyone that is really only meant for one or two faculty members. Cowardly principals send emails to the entire faculty and staff instead of having a tough one-on-one conversation with the person. This is my least favorite because it causes your good people to be paranoid. Everyone knows it's meant for someone, but which one? That's crazy! Just deal with the one person behind closed doors!

I'm not suggesting that you tick people off just for the sake of it. That's just wrong. However, ticking people off goes with the principalship if you are the kind of leader that deals directly and honestly with your people. As a principal you must have a vision and a standard of excellence of what is right and wrong in your school. If someone is not living up to your vision and standards in how to teach and treat children then what are you waiting for? Leaders are tempted to delay or avoid tough decisions and difficult conversations. T. Boone Pickens once said, "Don't fall victim to what I call the ready-aim-aim-aim-aim syndrome. You must be willing to fire." DECIDE. ACT. That's your job as a principal.
I can think of no better way to summarize this article than by sharing the advice of award-winning principal, Salome Thomas-El (Principal El). Check it out.