Rilke on Leadership
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was an Austrian poet and novelist. A collection of ten letters, now known as Briefe an einen jungen Dichter (Letters to a Young Poet), was published after his death. This tome speaks to me as an educationalist and educational leader; the first letter in particular is quite powerful, when considering one's leadership journey. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Ruth reads an excerpt of the first letter in the collection, providing a framework for the reading that asks listeners to consider poetry, writing, and a 'work of art' as exemplifying what leadership is all about. In that vein, Rilke's words make us pause and reflect on our journey, irrespective of the stage of our journey. It is the inaugural podcast for [In]Distinct Chatter.
On Rules
One wonders whether our 'school rules' (think: practices and processes) might benefit from updating, in order to keep schools fit for purpose. Let us keep in mind that rules (policies, procedures, processes) were put into place with the current, temporal context in mind: that was the backdrop, and the rules corresponded to it. Rules tend to be designed to address specific issues; the intent behind rule-making is that those rules will apply for years to come. Some rules may indeed stand the test of time (for how long, one wonders?), yet others have lingered beyond their usefulness.
What if ‘Data-Driven’ is the Wrong Approach?
“In practice, making decisions with data often comes down to finding a purpose for the data at hand." This is backward thinking.
Leading Through Radical Uncertainty
When circumstances are in flux, when reliable data points to which we've been accustomed are anything but reliable, when resources are scarce (or appropriately tight), when key stakeholders (faculty and staff, parents, donors, and more) are under pressure, how we respond is the test of our mettle...how we respond to the apparent turbulence that surrounds us.
On Bold Moves
Schools are becoming increasingly ambidextrous organizations (Robert Duncan, 1976), even though they may be unaware of it. Leaders must focus simultaneously on delivering current educational practice while preparing for the future. That being said, really bold schools have decided not just to prepare for the future, they’re moving into it right now. If those shifts become permanent (if there is such a thing…), then it means that certain schools are going through a recalibration, the full extent of which may not be recognized or appreciated for several years.