Executive Viewpoint Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director
Lead with Compassion Take a deep breath. We will get through this extraordinary time in education. Being a school leader comes with the added pressure of feeling like you always have to have the answers to any issue. It is impossible to have the answers to what you are facing. I can run through the litany of things that don't make sense or cause significant issues in your districts, but I won't. The reality is that not having the answer does not show weakness or incompetence in your role as an administrator. What does matter is how you react in the situation when you do not know the answer. A tip I have found helpful is using communication to lead in a crisis setting. We have learned by now that being sure about where things are going is not our reality. We have had to pivot, reformulate plans, take one step forward and two steps back. One of my favorite quotes often attributed to Mark Twain is, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Communication about what you don't know is just as important as what you do know. Hearing from leaders on a planned and strategic basis is often comforting to the masses. I have seen so many great efforts to communicate with your school community. These acts will go a long way to solidify your ability to lead your schools and districts. It is natural for people to move away from kindness and caring in times of crisis. Exhaustion and frustration make leading very difficult. I read a great article the other day by Amy Gallo in the Harvard Business Review titled, "What Your Coworkers Need Right Now Is Compassion." It explains how easy it is to be judgmental of our coworkers' actions. As an alternative, we should focus on empathy and kindness when dealing with others. As an administrator, you are constantly coming into contact with various students, parents, staff, and community members who may have different perspectives on the current pandemic. Some throw caution to the wind regarding social distancing, masking, vaccines, etc. Others take maximum precautions as they maneuver their day. Depending on your personal beliefs, your view of others can become increasingly negative. As administrators, we do not have the luxury of avoiding connection with all community members. You must try to know and understand where everyone is coming from and plot a path forward for your district. You and your colleagues are under extreme stress. Mistakes are inevitable by you and your stakeholders. Continue to be a Super Star administrator and lead with compassion. The 2022 Fiscal Session will start on February 14th. It is scheduled to last 30 days but can be extended an additional 15 days with a 3/4 vote of the General Assembly. I anticipate several pieces of legislation related to the health insurance programs for school and state employees. The proposed changes will be based on recommendations from the Segal Group study. There may be an attempt to include Critical Race Theory (CRT) on the agenda, but this will take a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly to add non-fiscal items like CRT. We will need your support in quickly reviewing articles regarding changes in health insurance as bills are filed. You can get a head start by reviewing the recommendations by the Segal Group found here. Hopefully, we will start to see a sustained downturn in Covid-19 numbers, and we can cut through the noise to do what we do best. That is educating students. You are all extraordinary folks. We are always here to help you! 3
