The Six Secrets of Change

I am busy working through Michael Fullen's book on change. It isn't a new book, but it is the foundational information for my administrator retreat in a few weeks. Fullan does an excellent job of justifying the need to have a theory skeleton to base day-to-day actions. He comments that even the best leaders with the best instinct will struggle without a foundation or core for their work. His first secret has to do with loving your employees. I really appreciated some validation in this area as I try really hard to connect, care, and congratulate the folks that I work with. Certainly, there are moments that I wish that I would have been a better listener with some or taken a second to think before talking, but the idea of loving my colleagues has remained solid throughout my work as a school leader. The other point that has seemed to stick from the first half of the book is the importance to lead in such a way that has everyone consistently focused on purpose. Good organizations have structures and resources, but great organizations are driven by a well-defined, simple, yet robust purpose that allows for measurement of success, capacity development, and future ways forward to erupt organically.