Treat problems, not symptoms

Colleagues,

On Saturday I had a bad headache. I took some ibuprofen, but it didn’t do anything.

I’ve taken ibuprofen for headaches before and it has helped, so what happened this time?

The issue is that I was treating the symptom, not the actual problem. I (we) get headaches for different reasons, and treating the root problem is a key to relieving the pain.

Saturday’s headache was brought on by some tension in my neck (I have neck issues) and was relieved with some stretching and traction.

The problem is more important than the symptom, but too often, we focus on treating the symptom. This is the first principle of leverage. I breakdown the other three in yesterday’s episode of The Assistant Principal Podcast.

Also remember, you can fill out this simple form to receive a free, 28-page guide to accompany the podcast for those who’d like to do a deep dive into change cycles. 

I’m happy to acknowledge Kaleidoscope Adventures as a sponsor of yesterday’s episode of The Assistant Principal Podcast! I appreciate their support and encourage you to connect with them if you are thinking about planning a school trip!

Cheers!

​Frederick