Chaperoning Dances and Leadership

A part of being a high school principal is chaperoning dances. If you have awesome students like I do, this task ends up providing four hours of reflection. Our recent Sadie's dance reminded me of my favorite leadership metaphor.

Leadership gurus Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, in their book Leadership on the Line, challenge leaders to be both on the dance floor and on the balcony. To summarize, being "on the dance floor" means being involved in the day to day operations, while being "on the balcony" refers to stepping back from the details to oversee the organization from a more global perspective. Often leaders are more comfortable either on the dance floor or on the balcony; however, what makes this metaphor so powerful is the fact that leaders need to do both. Top leaders are daily going up and down the metaphorical stairs from the balcony to the dance floor.

In education, the dance floor / balcony metaphor is especially pertinent. It is essential for school leaders to be active and visible in the classrooms and at concerts ... and yes, even being a chaperone at a dance. But, it is equally important for school leaders to spend time in the office and at meetings, working to make sure policies, procedures, calendars, and communication are in place so that the school can thrive.  

Get on the Dance Floor

I am an introvert, so I have to tell myself to "get on the dance floor" multiple times a day. It is so easy for me to sit in my office working on the next meeting agenda, policy change, accreditation document, or school improvement plan. However, when I am greeting students as they arrive, walking through classrooms, chatting with students and teachers in the hallways between classes, and attending school events at night, my leadership is enhanced. As I spend time on the "dance floor," I am re-energized by my time observing the great things happening in the classrooms and visiting with amazing students; it has become a revitalizing break from my "balcony" work. One of the responsibilities of the administrators at my school is to manage the car line at the end of the day. While I don't relish donning my fluorescent yellow vest and directing traffic, this task really helps my visibility with parents and students and gives me a front row seat to the daily operations of pick-up. Here are a few "principal" tasks that force me onto the dance floor ...

• Welcoming students as they arrive
• Observing classroom / learning environments
• Delivering notes/lunches to students for the office staff
• Scheduling classes with students
• Having lunch with students after their 4th tardy
• Supervising athletic contests at night
• Co-teaching a class
• Making opening comments at a music concert
• Helping with carline and parking lot duty

Get on the Balcony

As I mentioned in the dance floor paragraph, I am an introvert, so the balcony is a comfortable place for me to be. However, some administrators enjoy "dancing" and need to be reminded to step back and take care of the "balcony" duties. One of the most important roles of a principal is to handle the behind the scenes details so that teachers can teach and the school can run smoothly. This involves implementing effective policies/practices, handling discipline, communicating with parents, and promoting the school. "Balcony" work also requires thinking strategically and from a teleological perspective. One of my jobs is to chair the school improvement team; this position involves setting goals for the school, conducting program evaluations, and taking a pulse of the school through parent and student surveys. Setting initiatives that promote innovation and improvement are an important part of being an effective school leader; encouraging professional development and setting aside resources to achieve those initiatives is equally important.  Here are a few principal tasks that require that I stay on the balcony ...

• Setting the school calendar/schedule
• Developing the parent/student handbook
• Creating an effective professional development program
• Managing the educational budget
• Conducting teacher/staff evaluations
• Overseeing student assessment
• Managing accreditation
• Serving on admin and school committees
• Communicating with parents and the greater community

I am preaching to myself with this blog post. I am not a great dancer (figuratively and literally) and need to have "Get on the Dance Floor!" in big, bold words on my desk to remind me of this metaphor. 

It is encouraging to see other educational leaders living this metaphor well. A friend of mine, who is also a principal, arrives early and stays late to work in his office on "balcony work" so that he can spend the hours of the school day outside of his office on the "dance floor."  He understands this metaphor and has found a way to do both every single day.

Enjoy the dance!