“Dr. Sharp!! Someone spilled water on the gym floor!” This is the call I got at the end of a long day that had ended with a double header basketball game. It is 9:00 pm and the game is over. I am pooped and ready to go home for tacos and the comfort of my couch. People are leaving and off I go, my trusty mop in hand to tend to the small mess on the court. This was nothing new. We have all been there. I wielded my mop like Luke Skywalker wielded a lightsaber and as masterful as Bob Ross stroked a brush. I was in the zone. It was my time to shine. This was what all my training and education prepared me for. It was GAMETIME! WOOOO! Ok, let’s be honest. I was mopping the floor at a snail's pace because I didn’t want someone to fall and get hurt. Not only would they be injured but the school could be liable. I knew the taco and couch defense would be weak in a courtroom during a slip and fall trial. I told myself, “No biggie, it's got to get done. It’s part of the job. Right?!”
As I walked back to the custodian's closet, a parent who was leaving asked, ”so you do janitor work too?” He meant this as a compliment in a joking way. I chimed back, ”You know, this mop handle fits every hand in the building, including mine.” We both chuckled and I went back to cleaning up, not thinking much of it. There was work to be done. The only way to get it done quickly was to roll up my sleeves and help.
Over the next few days, this interaction kept creeping into my mind, especially when running. I was in the process of training (poorly I will admit) for a two-day race that included a half marathon and a marathon. I had gotten into a slump in my training. I had run thousands of miles in the last ten years but gotten to a point I dreaded putting on my running shoes. I was tired and lacked motivation for the workout ahead of me. I had set a goal and knew what I had to do to achieve that goal. I was just too tired and skipped many sessions out of comfort.
On the days I pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone, I found that once I got through the first mile I felt better and the workout got easier. My mind would clear and my focus would improve. I found that I had more positive thoughts running through my mind. I had beaten that voice in my head that wanted me to take a day off. Inevitably, I would finish the session feeling like I could conquer the world. I had overcome my own laziness and fear of discomfort. I was a CHAMPION. I could do ANYTHING. I needed a SHOWER! (I sweat a lot when I run. Seriously, I could irrigate a small farm.)
Something had changed when I got through that first mile, the magic mile. Don't get me wrong, everything leading to and during that first mile stunk. I cursed myself. Gave myself lame excuses to get out of it. I would try bargaining with myself that I would make it up double the next day. I knew, though, if I wanted to get better I had to get to work and get that session done. It was during these sessions when I would start thinking about the interaction I had with the parent and my trusty mop handle.
Schools have countless job and duties that are required daily. If you have been in education for more than five minutes, you probably realize that most jobs are not glamorous. There aren’t many inspirational stories on social media about a teacher taking out the trash in their room or a school secretary stopping a nosebleed. As leaders in a school, we are tasked with numerous issues every day. Some of these issues are mentally overwhelming, physically demanding, or borderline demeaning. All of us have put off that uncomfortable call to a parent about their child. You know the child, the one you call about every week. It may be the code “BROWN” in the restroom you are called to because your custodian is out sick. There are times you may think” Is this really part of my job?” Sometimes the things we do as school leaders stinks, literally.
The reality is once we get into the work, it is normally not as bad as we thought. Picking up the mop to clean the floor is not a huge task but it means a lot to your school. Running a mile isn’t a huge achievement but over time it will make you healthier. Whether anyone notices your work or not doesn’t really matter. You will know. You will know that you have done what you can for your school and yourself. Don’t let yourself be the “not my job!” or “I don’t have time for that!” person. That mindset is a slippery slope and can quickly spread throughout your school.
Being the person to set the example and do what needs to be done doesn’t make you a hero. It makes you a leader. Yes, there are things we all do every day that are not what we envisioned when we became administrators. It is our willingness to put the work in, get through that magic mile, or pick up our mop handle that sets apart leaders and managers. We are the ones that push through the “suck” and are confident that our willingness to do so will help accomplish a greater goal. I have found that as time goes on, that magic mile gets easier. That mop handle fits my hand a little better. You know, I have even found myself enjoying both in some weird way.
Next week, I will be looking at how to “Pace Your Race Towards Change”.
Stay Sharp
Dr. S