LQS Reflections on Competencies - Year One When I started on my leadership journey one of the hardest parts was leaving the comfort of long-term staff and moving to new positions that would allow me to grow, learn, and stretch as a leader. I soon realized I needed to get comfortable with was being uncomfortable. “The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers” (Peck, 2014, p.32). The entire first year of my administration has been this form of discomfort. Examining my strengths and weaknesses with the LQS, I am left reflecting on these questions. What areas seemed to come more naturally, what areas did I struggle in, what caused me to stretch, and what new approaches do I need to use next year? Fostering Effective Relationships; Competency 1 seems to be the competency where I feel I have the strongest skill set. I naturally seek out face to face conversations and value the investment in relationships with the staff. Firm, Fair, and friendly has been my approach in my leadership this year. My door was always open, and I have worked diligently this year to be cognisant that unless something I was doing was urgent, I needed to stop what I was doing and listen. I noticed as the year progressed that more staff would walk to my space to chat. This was a marker of growth and success to me, as I felt that trust and strong communication with the staff at my school was emerging within my leadership. Supporting the Application of Foundational Knowledge about First Nations, Metis, and Inuit; competency 5, has great potential for growth within myself as a leader. I realize fostering strong relationships with students, staff, and parents within my Indigenous community will create success for my students. My participation in various workshops and working alongside the district Indigenous leaders has given me more confidence this year. In the past, I have felt uncomfortable, unqualified, and worried that I would simply offend with my efforts in this area. My thoughts were always retreating to the idea that if I did nothing, I would not offend anyone, and this would be the safest practice. However, last year Elder Kirby Birds' words changed my perspective, “when it comes to culture, you’re never going to be right, but you’re never going to be wrong. You’re never going to be right if you are not open to other perspectives and you’re never going to be wrong if you act with an open heart” (Elder Kirby Bird, 2019). My perspective and practice as a leader have changed and I am ready to grow and stretch in this area.
Understanding and Responding to the Larger Societal Context; competency 9 is one I feel is a bit daunting. Currently my Principal guides the school with a vision for the staff, student, and parent community. I. observe the delicate balance and the navigation between best practices for the school community and implementing school authorities’ initiatives and visions. I ask myself often if I would have a clarity of vision, and the skill set to safeguard school community culture while still implementing the district mission and vision? It is this uncertainty that requires me to seek growth in this area.
YEAR 3
Looking back at my thoughts at the end of year one, I feel that my first year was a bit of a honeymoon. The first year I feel was I was getting to know the teachers, and visa versa to them. Then the second year began and I was in the middle of a pandemic. Everyone seemed to be in "super charged mode," get things done. When the next of 2021 rolled around everyone, third year of pandemic, everyone was done, and had very little energy in the tank, this is when I feel my true self and those of others really showed up. This third year of my administration leadership career was really make it or sink kinda year.
I noted in my first year that I was more cognisant of making space for teachers conversations. I had an open door policy as I did not know my staff and every moment was a chance to get to know them. This is still important, but at the same time I need to also ensure I am ready for important conversations and that sometimes they need to wait until I can commit the time. Some conversations need time to think, to gather the right perspective before emerging. As I get to know my staff, I am realizing that some conversations can not happen in the now, but need need time and space to happen. Working on the process of good generative dialogue is still at forefront of my growth as I dialogue with teachers and EAs in my role as Vice Principals.
I sat and noted the quote for Kirby bird, " your never going to be wrong if you act with an open heart." GOOD REMINDER. I really felt that my confidence with respect to Responding to the larger Societal Context has grown. I feel after three years almost at the school, I can balance the school initiative, and vision with district initiatives to safeguard the school community.