The morning breaks on the beach as the national anthem plays. There are two thousand plus racers standing, hands over their heart, looking out into the distance. Each person thinks of the journey ahead of them on this day. I always take a moment to reflect on this amazing moment and think, “Good Lord, that’s a lot of Lycra.” Yep, two thousand people walking around with nothing between their naked bodies and the cool morning air but a skin-tight piece of spandex. No one ever tells you about this when you first start out in the triathlon, swimming, or cycling. People will tell you about the amount of time spent training and share war stories about their races. You will hear tales of the latest fad diet and how important it is to carb load prior to a race. They will never tell you about the experience of squeezing your butt into bike shorts and walking around in public. Unless you have -2% body fat, you are destined to walk around looking like a can of busted biscuits.
These suits hide nothing. They are made to be aero dynamic and are designed by experts in physiological warfare. They expose every physical weakness and are a crusher of self-confidence. Athletes who wear these suits can’t hide from who they are. The suit is a test in ultimate honesty. This is who you are and your athletic potential. Every athlete looks around and sizes up their competition. This is not to judge, because almost everyone looks terrible. We are looking for those who we will have to really push hard to beat. The lycra never lies, until it does.
Later that day, I will be riding or running and a blur will inevitably whiz by me. It will be a lycra-clad guy who is considerably overweight absolutely killing it on the course. It is like a cheetah and a hippo had a child. There is always a guy who is fat, fast, and flying. I always have the same thought, “How is this guy passing me? I should be blowing by him easily.” I’ll admit it, I judged the book by its’ cover. This guy is a real athlete, though he may not look like it.
In schools, we are surround by individuals with different personalities and talents. Often times, those talents are hidden from plain sight. It is easy and lazy to assume, as a school leader, that you understand your staff and their place in the group by doing a couple of evaluations. More often than not, you are just sizing the person up. Test scores can be another pitfall and an exercise in sizing up your staff. All you are getting is quantitative data, a number. That just isn’t enough if you want to win the race. That number in no way tells what a teacher is good at or where they can help your school grow in a way that really matters.
We work in a profession that is currently being driven by test scores and other hard numbers. The truth is, schools must work towards the development of the whole child. This includes behaviors, interpersonal interactions, kindness, and countless other unmeasurable skills. As leaders, we must look at our staff beyond the obvious and not rush to judge. We have to look for the individual teachers’ strength and leverage it for the benefit of the students. There are some teachers that may be “average” in classroom instruction but are wizards with working with at-risk kids. Is this what your school needs? If it is important to school needs, I will take that “average” teacher over a “high level” teacher who can’t work with kids with behaviors any day. Everyone has worked with the rock star teacher who can’t get along with their own shadow. We all know the one that can’t help but to ask EVERY question imaginable in a faculty meeting but has high test scores. I know I have had thoughts of taping a few mouths shut in my career.
This process can be difficult, slow, and exhausting. I have learned not to listen to every Negative Nancy out there. Collect your own data and don’t rely on others opinion in this process. It amazes me that people will gladly say any number of negative things about a person before uttering a compliment. Build those relationships! I love to talk to my staff, not always about school. We may talk about family, problems, and funny stories are always my favorite (obviously). I like to walk around the school and watch, not observe. I strategically plot out areas that can strike up an impromptu conversation (the copy machine is awesome for this). I will peek in the window to see what is going on or stand outside a classroom to listen to a lesson. I take mental notes of those who are always working after school, volunteering for projects, or organizing events versus those that make a dash for the door at 3 o’clock. I see how teachers interact with students and staff in a natural situation. They may be a natural leader or a cancer to your staff. This process is never done. You can always find hidden talent if you look hard enough.
Once you gain an understanding of your staff’s talents, this is when you use their strengths to build the group’s vision. Focus on the strengths and minimize the weakness. Figure out who fits the culture and who doesn’t. Put people where they will succeed and be happy. This will not only impact your school goals but build a positive culture.
Sometimes things change and people get off tack. My large friend that passed me by may have been a talented cyclist who was getting back in shape. His talent wasn’t obvious but it was in there. All he needed was an opportunity to show it. Look around your building, is there a colleague who has been at it for 20 years that has gotten off track? I guarantee there is talent there, they just need an opportunity to showcase it. It is our job to see the potential and not focus on the surface. I challenge you to look beyond the Lycra and see the talent within your organization.
Next week - The Fear of a DNF!!!
Stay Sharp,
Dr. S