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Monthly Newsletter
May, 2010
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Dear ,
I've always loved the last month of school, despite the  harried pace and the rush to the end. The sun is shining and the students have grown immeasurably in mind and body. Some are leaving to go onto their next adventure and we can celebrate their many achievements. Others will be back next fall, and we will be happy to see them, taller and refreshed. While we might all be a bit worn down as we head into May, there is much to enjoy and to relish.
The May SFLC Newsletter provides a few words of wisdom, seven to be exact, from Dr. Gruber around the area of Competent Leadership. We share a few highlights from our April Leadership Seminar. And we suggest two not-so-new, summer reads that we hope you will add to your long book list, The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley and Learning by Heart, by Roland Barth.
May this next month bring you joy in what you do, even through the frenzy of the final days of classes.
And while it might be almost impossible to think to next fall during this busy month, we at SFLC are already planning for the next Leadership Seminar in November. Registration is open. La Fonda is poised to take reservations. Click here for details and for registration information.
Happy May and see you soon in Santa Fe!
Gary Gruber Timothy McIntire Carla Silver
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The Seven Cs of Competent Leadership
Gary Gruber
 1. Communication that is clear, concise, accurate, timely and compelling. Staying in touch with constituents with information that keeps them up to date, connected and
contributing goes a long way toward strengthening a school community.
2. Collaboration with colleagues that is supportive and encouraging. It may take a little more time, effort and energy but in the long run everyone gets more done when a team is working together openly and smoothly.
3. Confidence that inspires trust, respect and the open sharing of information. Self-knowledge about one's assets and liabilities helps to lead others and fill in with talented associates where most needed.
4. Courage to take on the difficult challenges and find workable solutions, solve a problem and move forward. Stepping up to the big issues requires a willing spirit as well as a body and a mind in healthy condition.
5. Compassion that demonstrates care for the well-being of individuals and the working environment. A visible and genuine sensitivity to the needs of colleagues individually and the institution as a whole is greatly appreciated and the benefits help everyone.
6. Commitment to agreed upon goals and plans and to ensuring the completion
of tasks and projects in a timely fashion. Following through on the details lays the ground work, attitude and atmosphere for the next project.
7. Character that reflects integrity, honesty, empathy, genuineness and warmth.
Modeling desirable behaviors sets the tone for others and enriches the community as a whole.
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Registration is now open for the November Leadership
Seminar!
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Registration is limited. Click here to learn more and to register.
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| Click here to read and respond to the SFLC blog, Lead On! |
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April Seminar Highlights
Contrary
to the dim and slightly blurry image below, the April 2010 Leadership
Seminar participants shone brightly and were sharp and focused
throughout our time together. Tim, Gary and I could not have been m ore
delighted with the individual and collective work and wisdom of this
cohort. What they shared was a clear passion and commitment to leading
their schools, and it was evident that they also found common joy in
their time together in Santa Fe. One participant remarked that he
hoped to bring that joy back to his school community and the work he
does each day.
Highlights for us included one-on-one meetings
with participants; our lovely dinner together with featured speaker,
architect Greg Papay from the San Antonio firm of Lake Flato; the
competitive nature with which teams attacked our Project Runway
challenge; watching group members wrestle with compelling case studies
from their own experiences, and engaging in lively discussions around
school, creativity, group dynamics, personal mission and vision, and
future goals.
One of the aspects of this particular leadership
seminar that distinguishes it from other professional development
opportunities is the wide range of roles and years of experience the
participants represent. The energy that came from integrating career
school heads with several participants entering their first positions
of real authority and everything in between was as electrifying as the
New Mexico lighting storms we witnessed that week.
We list the
cohort members below, most importantly, to recognize and honor their
wholehearted participation, but also to showcase the tremendous
diversity (of school size, region, roles, and tenure) that participants
brought. If you are wondering who should attend the leadership seminar in November, the answer is simply "yes."
SFLC April 2010 Cohort
Peter Branch, Head of School, Georgetown Day School, Washington DC
Paula Carreiro, Head of School, Beauvoir School, DC
Trey Cassidy, Upper School Head, University Liggett School, MI
Nat Damon, Assistant Head of School, John Thomas Dye School, CA
Maureen Devlin, Assistant Head of School, Rio Grande School, NM
Eric Hanson, Director of Technology, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, NY
Scott Hicks, Assistant Head of School, Aspen Country Day School, CO
Eden Maisel, Director of High School Placement, Hillbrook School, CA
Ann McCollum, Risk Management Consultant, NM
Sharon Mensing, Assistant Head of School, Tuxedo Park School, NY
Luis Ottley, Middle School Head, Ethical Culture Fieldston School
Greg Papay, Partner, Lake Flato Architects, TX (Guest Speaker)
John Richer, Assistant Principal for Student Life, Ethical Culture Fieldston School
Patrick Roberts, Head of School, St. James Episcopal School, TX
Terry Smith, Lower School Head, The Harley School, NY
Paul Wenninger, Head of School, New Gate School, FL
Doug Wine, Principal, East Mountain High School, NM
Thanks
again to this remarkable group.
We look forward to a new cohort joining us
November 14-17 at La Fonda on the Plaza. Registration is now open and
we anticipate a full seminar, so register early to secure your spot. Click here for details or to register.
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Summer Reading Part II
Carla Robbins Silver
. . .continued from the April Newsletter.
As you continue to build your summer reading lists for your faculty, parents, students and board members, don't forget to include a reading list for yourself! Here are two you might consider reading or re-reading this summer to get inspired to lead with a renewed zeal.
The Art of Innovation, by Tom Kelley with Jonathan Littman
If your school is considering a bold new initiative or even tweaking a current program that needs reinvigorating, then you'll want to read this book written in 2001 by Tom Kelley, the general manager of the Silicon Valley-based design firm IDEO. Kelley's book argues for an approach to work and organizational culture that values creativity above all else when it comes to developing products and services that create high demand and customer loyalty. What does a company that designs state-of-the-art shopping carts, the Apple mouse, and other high-tech products have to do with schools and education? Tom Kelley would say that the IDEO approach works in all organizations, schools included, because creativity and innovation should be integral and imperative qualities.
Kelley's book is filled with captivating stories of innovation and entrepreneurship all set in the Silicon Valley and through which he offers pages of practical advice and strategies for making your new or retooled initiative successful by using a creative process. He provides his readers with the IDEO method for designing a product, which includes some very basic but crucial tenets: understand the market, the client and the perceived constraints; observe real people in real-life situations; visualize the new-to-the-world product concerns and the customers who will use them; evaluate and refine using prototypes; implement the new concept. Kelley also shares how IDEO creates a space that is truly conducive to creativity and collaboration. He provides "dos and don'ts" of productive brainstorming - something we all think we do well but don't. First rule of brainstorming he says: don't let the boss speak first, as it completely destroys a good brainstorming session. For optimal brainstorming he suggests, "sending the boss out for coffee. Or doughnuts."
Kelley talks about avoiding "feature creep" with products you are refining or updating. Sound familiar? How often do schools add program after program without really examining the need or questioning how a feature will benefit or burden the school in the long run? Still, schools can take risks, and Kelley whole-heartedly encourages risk-taking, rule-breaking, and even suggests you can "fail your way to success." Scary? Of course it is, because schools do not usually have venture capital funding backing experiments and risks like Silicon Valley companies. But Kelley suggests that by developing and testing prototypes first, micro-failures can lead to major successes.
Most importantly, Kelley's book is about developing a culture of innovation (harder for some schools than others). Kelley believes we are all capable of individual and organizational creativity. As he advises, "Innovation isn't about perfection. You've got to shank a few before your swing smooths out. Get out there and observe the market , your customers, and products. Brainstorm like crazy and prototype in bursts. . . The next time you are knee deep in a challenging project, don't forget the true spirit of innovation. That's right, Have some serious fun."
I finished this book pondering how to get a job at IDEO, but realizing that I don't have to; I can bring this spirit and the IDEO method to my work at the SFLC.
Learning by Heart, by Roland Barth 
This book is one we include on our SFLC "Works that Matter" list - a growing reference list of books, articles, and other media that generate insight and inspiration around leadership. Email Carla Silver if you are interested in a copy. Learning by Heart was published in 2001. By asking one key question: "How do we make our schools better?" Roland Barth addresses the fundamental obstacles to change in schools and provides a simple strategy - learn and lead from the heart and soul.
Barth asks his audience "what evidence of enduring intellectual passion" do you see in your students? If there is not that quality in every classroom, then the school is failing to do its job. He questions traditional pedagogy and leadership models, especially the "transmission of knowledge model" that most schools employ as teachers pass along their knowledge of a subject to their passive-recipient students. Barth calls for a culture change and he empowers the teacher-leaders to be the culture changers in their schools. He also suggests that every school person can become the "architects, engineers and designers" of a better school.
This book remains on my shelf for regular inspiration and reflection. Regardless of where you are in your career, read this book and take time to digest it.
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About Us
We are excited to meet you. We are the Santa Fe Leadership Center team, Gary Gruber, Timothy McIntire and Carla Silver. Click here to read more about our careers and leadership experiences.
Please visit the Santa Fe Leadership Center to learn more about our programs and our other leadership services and opportunities.
Santa Fe Leadership Center
17 Camino Redondo, Placitas, NM 87043
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