Cage-Busting Leadership

Just the title of this book by Frederick M. Hess, made me want to dive in and learn more about cage-busting! :-)

My world as a High School Principal is continuously thinking ambitiously about how to create a great school and then doing what it takes to make that a reality. This book encourages you to look in the mirror and do just that.

Changing cultures seems to be one of the hardest jobs in leadership because there is so much previous structure and culture to overcome. Changing culture requires changing routines and expectations. Once you've embraced the cage-busting mind-set -- once you're questioning routines, challenging obstacles, and seeking new possibilities and solutions-- transformative leadership becomes more manageable and less exhausting.

The first thing we all need to step back and clarify is our values, aims, and vision. Harness this laser-like focus for yourself and your staff so that you build an environment where you change what is possible for all students. Cage-busting requires clarity on what you are trying to do and what you think a great school can be.

There is an exciting buzz around Waukesha North HS with regards to technology. We have been chosen as the first 1:1 environment for next school year. All teachers and all students with access to a device. If our teachers can, each day, spend ten fewer minutes entering data and grading quizzes, ten minutes fewer passing and collecting papers, and ten minutes fewer walking students to the library or accessing student data, they will save eighty or ninety hours a year. That's like another 15 instructional days they can devote to teaching, mentoring, or lesson design. Wow!

The biggest disappointment as a leader, is thinking that everyone will love you. It is likely that if you are going to move student achievement and everyone's happy, you are probably not ruffling enough feathers. I applaud my teachers for accepting that the status quo hasn't worked to this point, and that in order to serve all students successfully we need the people on the right seats on the bus...moving positively forward.

Every one of us has cage-busting leadership inside of us. Transformative leadership entails setting a vision, seeing clearly, asking questions, managing relationships, clearing obstacles, ensuring accountability, and creating a culture. This requires energy and engagement. Together...we will transform teaching and learning...one day at a time....one life at a time.