Colleagues,

We’ve talked a lot about systems this week.
 
Why?
 
Systems either keep us on the treadmill of the urgent, or they help us become more strategic and intentional.
 
Creating strategic systems takes time, but it also takes reflection.
 
It’s Friday. 
 
Please take some time to reflect – it is the only way you are going to grow!

• What is something in your organization that isn’t working?
• What aspect of the job is someone struggling in?
• How are you consistently helping people grow?

 
All of these things are about systems.
 
Two final things…
 
First, please listen to yesterday’s podcast, even if you aren’t an assistant principal or even an educator. It is saturated with inspiring and powerful ideas about leadership. This is the best episode we’ve done so far. It will make you laugh, cry, think, smile, and grow.
 
Second, consider sharing a sticking point with me. That is a place where your processes aren’t working. I’d like to hear where the difficulties are and maybe explore some ways to unstick them.
 
Have a great weekend!
 
Cheers!
 
Frederick

Colleagues,

“Whenever you put a good person in a bad system, the system will always win.” – Dr. Mary Hemphill
 
Strategic leaders build systems that support good people. The work of leaders is the work of aligning system structures, resources, and people to the purpose of the organization. That’s it.
 
One challenging situation is building a system that supports people who are struggling to do their job well. 
 
Strategic leaders don’t hammer – we aren’t blacksmiths.
 
Strategic leaders support – we are servants.
 
Supporting doesn’t mean ignoring accountability, it means developing a process that empowers the person to take responsibility for their own growth.
 
That process will look different based on your context.
 
In today’s episode of The Assistant Principal Podcast, the incomparable Dr. Mary Hemphill shares an example of how to support someone who is struggling, and how to build a better system.
 
Honestly, if you need to be inspired and pick up some great leadership wisdom, regardless of your field or role, listen to today’s episode (releases at 3pm). I guarantee you will be glad you did.
 
Cheers!
 
Frederick

Colleagues,
 
Yesterday I shared our podcast production process, which relies heavily on SOPs.
 
SOP Benefits

1. Increase quality of results
2. Decrease effort and time
3. Decrease stress
4. Ensure compliance with policy
5. Improve safety

 
MVP Process for Writing a Procedure:

1. Name the SOP
2. Identify the priorities. Why write an SOP? How will you know if it is successful?
3. Identify the desired end point (when is the procedure complete?).
4. Identify the first step.
5. Map the A-B steps from the first one to the final outcome.
6. Implement, monitor, and adjust.

 

• Steps 1-5 should take a minimum amount of time. 
• The SOP doesn’t need to be good, just good enough to test. 
• Create a better procedure over time based on results

 
Our podcast editing SOP is three pages with eight steps that include about 50 sub steps!
 
It took Lance and I about three hours to write.
 
Every time he edits a podcast episode it saves me 60 minutes. More importantly, it provides peace of mind. Once I finish recording a show, I send one email and everything else gets done without any effort or care on my part.
 
To date, Lance has done about 20 episodes, so I have saved 17 hours – since January!
 
If you want more detailed instructions and an annotated example of an SOP, you can go to the resources page of my website here.
 
Cheers!
 
Frederick

Colleagues,

tl;dr Standardized processes are a great way to get off the treadmill of the urgent!
 
The first principle of strategic leadership is to focus on purpose. Being caught on the treadmill of the urgent makes this difficult. Good systems help us get off the treadmill.
 
Here is the process for producing our podcast. SOP stands for standard operating process:

• Use email template to invite potential guest.
• If guest accepts:
  • Open show script template and insert their personal info and discussion questions.
  • Open template letter telling them how to schedule and paste in the discussion questions.
  • Send the email.
• Record episode on the scheduled day.
• After the interview, send another templated email and CC Mara and Lance. The letter thanks the guest, but also tells Lance that there is a new episode ready for editing and introduces the guest to Mara.
• A detailed SOP guides Lance in creating show notes, editing and loading the podcast. The final step is emailing Mara and I that the show is ready.
• This triggers Mara to grab quotes from the show notes and start developing social media posts.
• A week before the episode releases, Mara shares show notes and media ideas with the guest.

I could not do a weekly podcast without this process (and help from Lance and Mara).
 
The irony is that the leaders who most need systems are those who are too busy to design them! 
 
Are you one of those leaders?
 
Cheers!
 
Frederick

Colleagues,

“Can you help me with time management?”
 
“No.”
 
Time is finite and linear. There is nothing to manage.
 
I can help you manage your priorities.
 
The key is to invest time into growing your people first. Everything else is secondary.
 
I am privileged to invest a lot of time with school leaders, and I frequently hear how hard it is to get into classrooms, but it is actually very easy. 
 
Turn the handle, open the door, and walk in.
 
What is hard is managing priorities. 
 
Organizing test materials, reviewing bus videos for discipline, taking parent phone calls, filling out forms – they all vie for attention. We want to manage them so we can get into the classroom, but this is backwards. 
 
What if….
 
We did our classroom observations first…
 
And then tried to figure out how to get the rest of the stuff done?
 
Investing in people is quadrant 2 activity. Unfortunately, without being strategic and intentional, quadrant 2 will lose to quadrants 1 and 3.
 
Manage your priorities, not your time!

Cheers!

Frederick