A View from Across the Pond Be the Balance

RICH BURCHILL RETIRED MASSACHUSETTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Now supposedly in my ‘golden years’ (much more rust than gold), I pay more attention to balance than I formerly did. Falls are a thing to avoid and good balance helps prevent them. I also think a lot about how important a different kind of balance can be as a principal. The life of a principal is so multi-dimensional on many levels. It can feel like a high wire act at times. While I have always admired the quote by Carl Wallenda, that ‘Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting.’, I don’t advise principals spend all of their professional lives up there

Balancing all of the responsibilities, personalities, circulars, directives, budget cuts, and more, is daunting. Over the years, I have written in this column about the balances between lightness and steel, bearing the weight and embracing the wait, professional life and personal life, being data driven and driving the data, and being the new boss and not the old boss, among others.

Recently, I read a quote attributed to Stephen Covey:

‘Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.’

As principals, especially in times that require quick decisions and actions, we may listen with the intent to reply, because we are charged with keeping the ship afloat. But I think there is just as critical a piece of leadership that requires listening with the intent of understanding. Dealing with children, staff and parents experiencing stress or crisis needs an understanding listener and leader. And really, listening to understand should be how we spend most of our day. It can provide a balance itself. When I think how complicated and demanding the principalship has become and how much you have to balance, I marvel at you all.

I also worry about the future for schools when I think about the metaverse and artificial intelligence. Will the most important element – the human piece –become less important? Principals will play a major role in being the balance that supports young children. An esteemed former colleague shared with me the poem, Fire, by Judy Sorum Brown. I encourage you to find the entire poem, but this piece, shared with me by Rick Rogers from Soul of Leadership, particularly resonates: ‘So building fires

Requires attention to the spaces between, as much as to the wood.’

As you continue the difficult balance of leading your school in ever changing times, have that Balance, include adding the occasional log, while minding keeping the space.

Rich can be reached at richburchill6@gmail.com