No Excuses Leadership

Work Hard, Play Hard

Growing up, my Dad worked harder than anyone I’ve ever met.  Leaving before the sun came up and coming home long after it had set was a regular occurrence.  Putting food on the table and clothes on our backs was a priority rarely wavered from.  Between he and my mom, they squeezed every penny out of the monthly budget.  They worked hard.  Because of this, they saved enough money to take us on a week long vacation every year.  While on vacation we ate at nice restaurants, participated in fun excursions, and bonded as family through laughter.  While my parents may have been concerned about money 51 weeks out of the year, they never showed it during our vacation.  One year while sitting on a beach watching the sunset, I vividly remember my dad turning to me and saying, “Damen, when it's time to work, work hard.  When it’s time to play, play hard.”  

TAKE ACTION

I walked into the staff lounge of one of my favorite schools the other day and saw a sign that read “The beatings will continue until moral improves.”  This sign, meant to make people laugh, is unfortunately all too real on some campuses across the country.  Poor planning on the part of leadership is to blame.  That’s right, I said “planning”. Laughter and having fun doesn’t just happen organically.  It’s often the result of a leader who knows its value and seeks opportunities to implement it into the daily life of the school community. Clearly, there’s no need to apologize for driving your staff to achieve great results for students. But that hard work must be rewarded along the way with laughter, celebration, and fun.  I’m sure you’re working hard, but are you playing hard too?

BE BOLD