No Excuses Leadership

More Than Laughter

As a principal, I’ve been fortunate to congregate with some tremendous leaders.  Over the years, I developed a friendship with one principal in particular who shall remain nameless.  This gentleman was a very professional and capable educator who, while highly successful when it came to getting results, lacked personality when it came to human interaction.  One spring I was throwing a party for my brother Dan who had recently earned his doctorate, and in doing so invited my principal colleague and his family to attend.  From the moment he arrived, both he and his family were nothing but smiles.  He had a wife that was full of joy and four incredible kids with personalities that were hard to contain.  They ate, laughed, interacted, and danced with the others throughout the night.  To say they were a delight would be an understatement.  After they left I found my self scratching my head and asking “Who the hell was that guy and why haven't I seen that side of him before?"

TAKE ACTION

As I encourage school families to participate in laughter and make it mandatory on campus, I’m not really saying they need to laugh out loud every day.  Sure, it would be nice, but it’s pretty unrealistic.  What I’m suggesting is that we need to be having fun with one another.  Laughter comes in many forms.  Sometimes it’s celebrating success.  Sometimes it’s enjoying one another’s company.  And sometimes it’s simply being together. Whatever laughter is to you, be bold enough to display it, publicly as a leader.  Most will agree, it is often our very best side.

BE BOLD

Adobe ends each week with a TGIF happy hour, Patagonia encourages staff members to go skiing and surfing together, and Intel has Foosball and Ping Pong Tables on site. So you might find some of these things impractical or unnaffordable, but what can you do to make your site the most enjoyable school to work at in America?

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