A lot of discussion happens when the question of Culture comes up. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, we all claim to live within a ‘culture’ and that must mean that we, therefore, understand what culture is and how it works. This is similar to the notion that most people have visited a hospital, either to see a loved one or due to personal illness or injury and thus we all know how hospitals work, don’t we? The same is true of schools.
You just left the job interview and you know you are PERFECT for the job. How many times has this happened to you and then you didn’t get it? You went over the interview in your mind a hundred times, noted how easily the conversation flowed, how enthusiastic the interviewer was when you described a certain experience or skill. They seemed excited when they said they would get back to you soon.
When you started in your management position what was your initial objective? For most of us, we dove into the technical work. We identified the big projects and how we could help keep them on time and within the budget. We focused on the technical challenges and the financial picture.
In the United States, Halloween is a significant celebration. Derived, at least in part, from the ‘Feast of All Hallows (All Saints)’ which falls on November 1 each year, the quote from Lolly Daskal is pertinent. The Saints all had one thing in common, they learned how to develop an interior life that allowed them to ‘lead from within’.
I lay in the narrow bunk, heeled 30 degrees, listening to the storm tear at the boat and sails. And, I listened to the crew tackle each adversity calmly, collaboratively, decisively, and transparently. Do you do the same when adversity hits your organization?