A couple of years ago, I took on the challenge of writing sixteen vision statements to help guide the leadership in my district. These sixteen brief writings are essentially a handbook to convey what is needed to instill a culture that guides our stakeholders to support our vision. The writing itself is meant to be anecdotal, conversational and supportive without being self-serving or preachy. I don’t pretend to have all the answers nor the most brilliant insight, but do feel like my experiences and observations can help to shape the vision that will help us provide world-class experiences to our students, staff, families, selves, and community. This first entry is from the Mindset thread. Enjoy!

“I got this.” -Bill Belichik, Super Bowl XLIX

The clock was ticking down in Super Bowl XLIX and the Patriots had just fallen victim to the most improbable catch in Super Bowl history, or at least since the last two most improbable Super Bowl catches ever made against New England. The Seahawks had proceeded to run the ball to the Patriots one yard line, and had the most lethal short yardage running back in the NFL ready to score the seemingly inevitable touchdown to put Seattle back in the lead with less than a minute to go in the game, and the season. 

If the Patriots were to have any hope to mount a drive after the touchdown that Marshawn Lynch was about to score, they would need time, which was ticking away. Everyone in the building knew the Patriots head coach was going to call timeout, including his assistants who were desperately imploring him to do so, and the Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll, who was waiting for it. 

As the noise rose both around him and in his headset, Belichick stared impassively across the field at Carroll. He knew Carroll had expected the timeout, He also detected that Carroll had not prepared with a play yet. Belichick saw panic, and conveyed calm. His three words were a clear expression of leadership:

“I got this.”

Whether he believed his own words, or if anyone else did for that matter, is immaterial. He set the tone, and when Carroll sent in his offensive personnel for the play he eventually called, Belichick’s defensive assistants sent in a package to match it. 

That the Patriots had never employed this defensive alignment in any game that year did not matter. They were ready. As the defensive players lined up, veteran cornerback Brandon Browner said to rookie Malcolm Butler, “You know what to do here, right?” Butler nodded his assent. After having been beaten badly by this formation in practice earlier in the week, Butler had learned from his mistakes and was now prepared to perform.

That’s a long preamble for a pretty simple point, but it conveys the importance of certainty in leadership and why it is critical to radiate calm. On any given day, a school building and district can feel like controlled chaos. It is really easy to get pulled into the swirling vortex of panic. My advice? Don’t.

Preparation for difficult situations begins long before those moments or events arise. The calm and effective leader applies an understanding that it’s not necessarily what you do to prepare, but how you do it. For example, the early spring  lockdown drill you run in an elementary school lunchroom will likely not go well. Interestingly, the greater issue is often with the older kids, who are feeling bigger than they actually are later in the year (yes, they’re ten). Some might succumb to chatter or silliness while they are supposed to remain silent in the safe area. 

Knowing the significance of the drill, and perhaps having a member of the police department present to observe the drill, your inclination could be to respond with a fury unseen in previous human existence. Again, my advice? Don’t.

There are myriad reasons not to lose your cool, the first of which is that you don’t ever want your students or staff, or anyone for that matter, to feel like they can control your emotional tenor. You’re in charge of you. While the raging lunatic response has its merits,  its attributes tend to diminish in time. 

As with anything, it is important to consider the desired outcomes and to focus on achieving them. The point of a drill is to ensure that everyone involved can learn from the experience and get better. Beyond that, it is also important to convey to the students that they did not live up to your expectations. 

A blanket harangue directed at all of them is counterproductive as it is unlikely that every student there misbehaved; however, a measured explanation of how they have disappointed you, and how you expect them to work together to be nearly flawless should help produce the desired outcome in the next drill, which should be conducted within the next few minutes. If they run the drill correctly on take 2, they will have provided evidence of learning how to run a drill and respect for your presence. They will have also learned, whether they realize it, that you are unflappable when things go wrong.

That last clause, “when things go wrong,” is important to an educational leader’s mindset. Most educators will tell you that things only get messed up on days ending in -y. Furthermore, Robert Burns was right that your plans will always go awry; how you respond will dictate your long-term success. And if you are a true leader, you must by definition have followers, and they will follow your lead in a culture of calm.

If you are human, you will feel the turmoil and distress when the controlled chaos gets unhinged. It stinks and it’s hard to manage. But consider who is depending on you to radiate certainty and act like you’re confident. Even if you’re stretching the limits of credibility, tell yourself “I’ve got this.” Let your words and body language convey that message of calm. I’ve got this.

To complete the story of Super Bowl XLIX, the Seahawks ran the exact play for which the Patriots had prepared. Butler did not panic; instead, he applied the lessons from practice. The undrafted rookie from Alabama State jumped the route and intercepted the pass, thus sealing a Patriots Super Bowl win. Do the Patriots win if their coach panicked? Probably not. They were prepared and poised, and therefore performed to the best of their potential.

Vision Statement: People read us and depend on us to keep it together.