Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Custodian Responsible for Putting Man On The Moon


"Of the many stories that came out of NASA’s Apollo space program, one of my favourites is the story about the janitor who upon being asked by a reporter what his job was in the organization replied “I’m helping to put a man on the Moon”. Now, whether this story is true or not doesn’t really matter as it exemplifies the general sentiment shared by everyone involved in that project; that regardless of how large or visible their contribution was, they all felt a genuine and direct connection between the work they did and that moment when Neil Armstrong took that first step on the Moon."

Being part of something greater than one's self or one's position! 

As a school superintendent, I would hope everyone in my school district feels that way about the purpose of the organization. Everyone in this district is responsible for influencing and creating a quality educational experience for every student that attends school each day. It is the job of the 21st Century School Leader to do just that; inspire people in the school district to engage their work faithfully and constructively each and every day, week, month and year.

Leadership in our schools is the challenge that we all face each and every day. Whether it is managing the day-to-day operational issues of providing a safe and appropriate environment for a quality education, to wrestling with the impossible demands coming from government leaders interested on making an issue where there is none, or creating the vision and strategy for the future. Leadership is really about making a difference for people, and in the schools it is for children and their preparation to meet the future. 

Rajeev Peshwaria provides an excellent view into the true leadership soul of being impactful leaders in education. His q&a in the Smart Blog on Leadership [Cox, D. (August 15, 2011). Q&A with Rajeev Peshawaria: Stop bossing and start leading..  Smart Blog on Leadership. [Internet]. Retrieved August 17, 2011 from https://goo.gl/aFk7n.] is phenomenal, and truly resonates with all educational leaders, from, principals, subject supervisors, directors, coordinators to school superintendents and to the school custodian.

 "Leadership is about having the lasting energy to create a better future." 

What a magnificent statement that hopefully inspires all of our  21st Century School Leaders to make a lasting difference. The better future we seek is to provide that optimal educational experience that will move our students into an educated future. 

Like the NASA custodian, if you work in our school district, everyone is a keyplayer for the purpose of the organization.