Leadership Lessons from Nature
by Ann McCarty Perez
July 27, 2022
Sometimes we need to take a minute and realize that nature has gentle lessons for us - not just catastrophic weather events. Much wisdom can be gained by paying attention to these gentle lessons. The past two years have been nothing shy of survival in schools. Let’s take a few minutes to reflect on how nature just might have the answer for you!
Two years ago, we started building our place in the woods. The pine trees surrounding the property were less than gorgeous. In fact, many of us thought they were dead and quite unattractive. We went through the process of cutting out trees to make room for building and the driveway and only cut out what we needed and left the crop of sad, dead looking trees. But over the course of two years, nature has worked its magic and the trees are coming back to life. From personally witnessing this, I have derived the following lessons for leaders.
Make room to breathe. As leaders, we are often challenged with managing large groups of people with a variety of personalities and agendas. We work to keep the peace and focus on the needs of students - it is not an easy job. The responsibility can be all consuming. Take time to make room to breathe. Create the space you need to regrow and rejuvenate.
Cut away the things that get in the way of growth. Just like you, our trees wanted to thrive, they just needed room to breathe. As leaders it is our job to figure out what is important and must stay, and what can be cut. The key word for this process - focus! At times you will feel pulled in a million directions but always remember the primary focus should be students. Don’t be afraid to say no to things that distract you and take away from the primary focus of your building. In their book, 100 Day Leaders, Eaker and Reeves ask leaders to list what they are going to stop doing. Just this one question can help you think about how you will cut away things that get in the way of growth.
Don’t just focus on the top. If you have ever been in a national forest full of pine trees, you will notice that the bottoms of the tree bear very few limbs and the growth is all at the top. As a leader, pay attention to initiatives and evaluate whether they are implemented from top down or decisions come from outside. The real work of schools happens at the classroom level. Rick Dufour’s life’s work around PLCs focused on the work being bottom up and those who have followed his advice have been very successful. Considering this, it is our imperative to provide teachers with opportunities to grow and flourish. Much like the base of the trees, the teachers need to be given room to breathe and grow, but we must recognize that their growth is also essential. While it may not be as visible as the branches at the top, it truly is the basis for everything.
Celebrate growth. As leaders, it is easy to get bogged down in details and forget to celebrate. I personally had to be conscientious of this and make time for celebrating growth. There are so many good things that happen in schools and the greater world has no idea. I think just surviving these past two years has been a mark of growth for anyone involved in schools! After two years, look at the new growth on these trees. Have they fully grown back? No. Are they the prettiest trees on the lot? No. But is it something to celebrate? Absolutely. Most people would have cut those trees completely away, but we get to celebrate their growth. Incrementally, these trees will recover and they will be just as beautiful as the ones surrounding them. When I look at these limbs with this new growth, I am filled with hope and promise.
The past two years have been difficult, there is no question. But if we take time to clear a path, give room to breathe, focus, and celebrate our growth, our schools too can transform and regrow. The new growth on these trees is simply beautiful. It reminds me of working through professional development and initiatives with teachers and growing the possibilities of our teaching and learning. Let’s take some lessons from nature to let the fresh air and sunshine rejuvenate us this summer. Let’s be reminded of how when given a little room, these trees are regaining their beauty and their base.
Ann McCarty Perez is an Associate with Creative Leadership Solutions. She is the author of The Successful Middle School Schedule (2022).
Dufour, R., Marzano, R. J., & Hoopla digital. (2015). Leaders of learning: How district, school, and classroom leaders improve student achievement. United States: No Publisher.
Reeves, D., & Eaker, R. (2019). 100-Day Leaders: Turning Short-Term Wins into Long-Term Success in Schools (a 100-Day Action Plan for Meaningful School Improvement). Bloomington, Indiana: Solution Tree.