Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. A Reality of Living the Laws of Leadership in a Catholic Primary School. Introduction

Irrefutable Laws of Leadership A Reality of Living the Laws of Leadership in a Catholic Primary School Introduction Leaders of Catholic Schools in today s secular world, face many possibilities within the many paradoxes they face day to day. They also face many paradoxes in their work environment full of possibilities. Much has been written about Leadership as a practice. Much has been written about leading Catholic Schools. This paper is designed to outline the laws of leadership according to the work of John Maxwell, giving real life examples of how these laws may be practised in leading a Catholic School. The real life examples will also highlight the importance and place of Prayer and Eucharist in the lives of faithful Catholic leaders. This paper is not based on clinical research, rather it is based on the real life experiences of leading Catholic schools for over twenty years, firstly as an Assistant Principal Religious Education for nine and a half years and then as a principal for over twelve years. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic lives. (Roldheiser 2011, p21). Prayer, both communal and private prayer is part and parcel of the lives of faithful Catholics (Roldheiser 1998). This paper will link these two central elements, with reference to the work of Ronald Roldheiser, to the laws of leadership, according to John Maxwell. Without doubt, the possibilities when leading a Catholic School are one part of the job that keep leaders striving to fulfil the mission of the church. In the case of working within Brisbane Catholic Education, our mission in Catholic Schools is to Teach, Challenge and Transform. These are our great possibilities which inspire and encourage our leaders of, and in, Catholic Schools. However the paradoxes are the challenges within which school leaders inevitably function. Leading a Catholic community in a largely secular world is a challenge in itself. Leading a Catholic community of largely unchurched, nominal Catholics is a challenge. Leading a Catholic Community with a staff that, as individuals, are largely disconnected from the liturgical church is a challenge. These are just some examples of the possibilities and the paradoxes that leaders in Catholic Schools face. By exploring the irrefutable laws of leadership in relation to these paradoxes and possibilities, through real life examples, this paper will endorse the work of leaders of Catholic Schools as key to the work and mission of the Catholic Church. Based on Ronald Roldheiser s works Seeking Spirituality and Our One Great Act of Fidelity with reference to John Maxwell s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership ; and Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership ; I will explain how a school leader may manage the tensions between leading a Catholic Community in a largely secular world. School Leaders often live with the possibilities within their local communities and may articulate a clear vision for their school, but then face the paradox of implementing Christ s vision, their vision, to a largely un-churched, non-religious community of staff, parents and students. The other tension school leaders often face is the interface between their commitment to their own families and their perceived obligations to their workplace. Again the paradox and possibilities may appear at odds, so this presentation will offer strategies in an attempt to do justice to both. Through real life examples of leading Catholic Primary Schools, this presentation is structured to share ideas about practicing the laws of leadership, while being faithful to Christ s message and faithful to oneself. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 1

Statistically, approximately twelve percent of the catholic population of Australia are practising their faith by being a regular member of a worshipping community. If this statistic is true for our Catholic Schools, for staff and parents alike, then as the leaders of such unchurched communities we are faced with paradoxes and possibilities of leading the unchurched to know Christ. If we move away from the practising catholic model of faith-filled communities, we may need to explore alternate models for expressing and living one s faith. Ronald Roldheiser, in his book Seeking Spirituality, presents guidelines for a Christian Spirituality for the twenty-first century. This is in recognition that while the number of people participating in church is decreasing, the number of people interested in spirituality is increasing. Or as Canadian sociologist of religion, Reginald Bibby puts it: People aren t leaving their churches, they just aren t going to them. So here is the first possibility and paradox: Leading the unchurched provides an opportunity for evangelisation; however is that our core business? Secondly how can unchurched teachers faithfully live and witness to their faith to the children in their care? The possibility is that they may be expressing their spirituality in a more relevant way to the children, while the paradox remains how leaders can lead staff and a community according to Church and educational authorities expectations? So let s explore the Laws of Leadership and link the importance of the Eucharist to our roles of Leaders. According to American author and leadership expert, John Maxwell, there are 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. As soon as one reads a title claiming the topic to be irrefutable, it almost invites the reader to challenge that supposition. This paper will not dispute the 21 laws, rather apply them to real life leadership models of Catholic schooling. I suggest some of these laws are specifically applicable to leading a Catholic educational institution. I also suggest that there is another Law of Leadership that I will explain at the end of this paper. In referencing the work of John Maxwell and referring to his friend and colleague Bill Hybels, I have summarised his examples of each law of leadership. These have then been examined in the light of leading as a Catholic, and leading a Catholic community. Hybels has lived the laws of leadership as the senior pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrignton, Illinois, USA. When analysing these 21 laws, there are common themes that emerge. As a leader there are certain personal characteristics that leaders require to effect change and improvement at their work place. There are also more broad themes that reflect some Christian principles including relating to the followers; and processes and timing. Each of the laws has been classified according to these broad themes, so they may be explored collectively. This allows examples of leading in a Catholic School to explain the laws being guided by the significance of one s spirituality and the Eucharist. Note the numbers adjacent to the laws refer to the numbering system in Maxwell s book, hence they are out of order as they have been grouped according to the arbitrary themes. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 2

Leader s Personal Characteristics Let us explore the personal characteristics of leaders according to Maxwell s laws of leadership. Leaders need to have the ability to lead (law 1), leaders need to continue to learn (law 3), they need intuition (law 8) an they must be prepared to sacrifice (law 18). 1. The Law of the Lid One s leadership ability determines a person s level of effectiveness. The higher you want to climb, the more you need leadership. The greater the impact you want to make, the greater your influence needs to be. Personal and organisational effectiveness is proportionate to the strength of leadership. As a leader of a catholic School I have been charged with leading my school community in the areas of faith, curriculum, as teaching and learning in a Catholic setting is our core business. According to the Law of the Lid, the leader s ability determines the effectiveness, strength and direction of the leader and the organisation. As a young principal the school secretary of my first school once said to me I knew you were strong. This was in response to the first time I had to remind staff of my expectations of their professional conduct. Managed with calm, clear expectations, the staff in question understood their conduct needed changing and so through strong leadership the Law of the Lid allowed a change to be made. 3. The Law of Process According to Maxwell, leadership develops daily, not in a day. Each and every day leaders are consciously and sub-consciously developing their leadership skills through practise and the practices of leading. It is complicated to manage the many facets including respect, experience, emotional strength and intelligence, people skills and I could continue. Leaders need to be examples of life-long learners and be an example of that for their staff. It takes time to develop the skills of leading. Every time a school leader attends a professional learning course they should return to their school community and share the learnings, just as any staff member may be expected to do. This would indicate to the community that the leader values learning and is striving to improve. Learning to lead is a process so be kind to yourself and allow yourself time to learn. 8. The Law of Intuition Leaders evaluate everything with a leadership bias. Natural born leaders are strong in the area of leadership intuition. They often can read a situation before they have all the facts. It may also be said that leaders with strong intuition also possess high levels of emotional intelligence as they can read a situation ie the people and the relationships and therefore lead and respond with a high degree of emotional intelligence. Leaders with strong intuition can measure a problem and begin to solve relatively quickly. This is a paradox how much should leaders consult versus how much should leaders just lead? Some of the most judged decisions leaders make are those of staff appointments, especially internal staff promotions. When leaders make internal staffing appointments the decision will be scrutinised as the staff know the leaders, may believe they know the applicants, possibly know the role, and possibly know other applicants. These are possibly the greatest challenge in gaining the staff s respect. From personal experience I have been on the receiving end of praise and criticism for internal appointments. My Leadership Team doesn t always need more information of the same type to enhance our deliberations. Sometimes we just know, based on previous experience. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 3

18. The Law of Sacrifice According to John Maxwell, a leader must give up to go up. The greater the leader the more they must give up. Often a leader will put their needs last so they may lead others. Two great examples of such leadership come from Jesus Christ and Martin Luther King Jr. Both men paid the ultimate price for their leadership by giving up their lives. I struggle with this law possibly the most of all the twenty-one laws from Maxwell. It makes perfect sense for leaders to give themselves up so others may follow, especially when historically, religious men and women were the preeminent leaders within the Catholic Church, including schools. As times have changed, I don t doubt that life remains a series of compromises through which leaders navigate. However I also believe that the sacrifice required may not be realistic or in the mission of the Catholic Church. If we believe that the family unit is central to a Faith community be it a school or Parish, then any sacrifice must be tempered with the filter of family life of the leader. It is difficult for the family of a leader to understand the needs of followers ranking more highly than the attention a leader may give their family. This is a huge paradox for Catholic Leaders. Leaders Must be Relational Leaders MUST be relational and there are multiple laws that explain this critical element of Christian Leadership. Leaders influence others (law 2); Leaders must know their staff (law 5); leaders must be of good character (law 6); they must be respected by their followers (law 7). Maxwell believes that the way leaders relate to their followers make leading successful or not. The people leaders attract, the people they relate to; the people they invite into their inner circle and the people they empower are all relational characteristics critical to the success of leaders (laws 9-12). 2 The Law of Influence A true measure of leadership is Influence nothing more, nothing less. Despite being small in stature and seemingly frail, Mother Teresa was an effective leader because she had tremendous influence over many people. When Mother Teresa spoke, people listened. She also embodied the traits of a great leader: Character who they are as a person; Relationships who they know; Knowledge what they know; Intuition what they feel; Experience where they have been; Past Success what they have done; Ability what they can do. Getting people on board to follow the direction the leader sets is critical. However it may be highly unlikely to get ALL staff on board in which case the leader needs to influence the movers and shakers who can lead. and then influence. To influence others is to share one s spirituality. As Roldheiser says spirituality is about handling the fires, the powerful energies that flow within us. At a recent staff day earlier this year, my staff were invited to share what enriched their spiritual journey. One of my staff reflected that making the time to make a visit to the Parish chapel everyday enriched her faith. At the end of the session other staff commented on what a powerful message that was for all of us. Inadvertently the first person had influenced others by her character and ability. Catholic Leaders are charged with this mission every day. As leaders, our character; the relationships with which we engage; the knowledge we share of church and education; our experience on which we can draw; our past successes; and our ability, all influence staff and those in our community. At work, especially with the young staff, I openly talk about my weekly mass attendance, my Parish involvement being on the Parish Council and being a part of the music ministry; I share experiences from past lives of working in other schools and from years past at my current school; I share personal experiences of professional relationships and personal stories if relevant. Part of me believes, like the Law of Influence, that people may want to follow if character, relationships, knowledge, intuition, experience, past successes and experience are all in place. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 4

5. The Law of Addition Leaders add value by serving others, just as Mother Teresa did. But how do you add value to someone or an organisation? Firstly leaders should know and care about their staff/ people. Leaders should also share their expertise with their staff ie be valuable to their people. Leaders should also know and relate to what others value. Finally leaders should do what God values. Roldheiser suggests Jesus prescribed four things for a healthy spiritual life: private prayer and private morality; social justice; mellowness of heart and spirit; and community as a constitutive element of true worship. They comprise the essence of the spiritual life. They also supply its balance. Only when these four elements are present in our lives are we truly healthy as Christians and as human beings. Some of the most important and rewarding conversations I have ever had with individual staff members are when I ask them about their personal life. Without prying, it does allow a leader to know their staff. Personal knowledge of someone allows you to deepen your relationship with individuals. Knowing someone builds trust and trust leads to willingness to engage, collaborate and follow. If leaders know their people they will also know what they value and can therefore work together for the common good of their community. Jesus Christ didn t always problem solve but He did use parables to relay a message. When it all gets too much private prayer may provide some solace. Leaders are leaders usually because they have something to offer their organisation. Their staff should see them as someone they can turn to for advice. In doing what God values it almost assumes we know what God wants. In reality we can learn from Christ s leadership, His example of service. To have a relationship others we must have a relationship with God. When on earth God valued relationships, He valued serving others. Leaders must be prepared to serve others. They should be an example of hard work, not necessarily knowing it all. Interestingly Jesus also displayed periods of personal prayer and solitude! If we follow this example we are adding value to our people and following the Law of Addition. 6. The Law of Solid Ground Trust is the foundation of Leadership and there are three Cs in building trust: Character, Competence and Connection. A leader s good character builds trust amongst their people. An example of good character is when the leader puts the needs of their community ahead of their own needs. This builds respect and trust. We must be competent in our roles otherwise people will not have confidence in us. If we have a good character, are competent in our role, with a connection to our followers then we should have their trust. As trust develops so does community. Jesus Christ left us His Word and one ritual the Eucharist. Around these two things we form community and from these we create church. Staff of a school MUST TRUST the leader if the school is to continue to improve under the leader s guidance. This TRUST will be gained through the three Cs. As a leader we don t always get it right. One of the biggest tests of a leader s character is the ability to admit errors and to apologise to those affected. When I failed to communicate a message of opportunity to some staff I had to admit my error and apologise to them. Apologising was not easy but I believe I gained more respect for owning the error, admitting my failure and offering an alternate path. Apologising is an act of humility, as is the Eucharist, in its paradoxical forms of bread and wine. Bread comes from the crushed seed, while wine comes from the crushed grapes. As with these humble symbols, we too are broken, humble people who must trust our human frailty. The Eucharist remains the greatest source of strength and for all and our trusted work relationships give leaders strength. The Eucharist can heal our brokenness to give strength. Established leaders work on solid ground through years of hard work which have created the foundations for improvement and progress. The solid ground is trust in each Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 5

other. Solid ground is strengthened in the Eucharist within community. Common beliefs, common practices especially in sharing the Eucharist, build community, on solid ground. 7. The Law of Respect Assuming people naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves, leaders need to be strong in mind, body, character, witness and faith. Maxwell professes six ways to gain others respect: Natural Leadership ability; Respect for Others; Courage; Success; Loyalty; and Value added to others. Leaders MUST be STRONG in character, be prepared to make tough decisions that may be unpopular at the time but will benefit the school to meet its Strategic Plan and VISION. Respect must be earned by leaders as they prove their leadership ability. Tough decisions in my career include employing new employees over long-standing contractors; changing access to school buildings that long standing staff members had dominated. So long as my decisions were for the improvement of many over the few, then people respected my perceived tough stance. 9. The Law of Magnetism Who you are is who you attract. Maxwell would suggest that if you want to attract better people, become the person you desire to attract. Leaders invariably attract people similar to themselves in philosophy, work ethic, beliefs and values. My values are based on the Gospel and model of Christ. Hence I hope the people attracted my leadership have a similar philosophy. Of course these qualities may create tension when a new leader arrives in an established school, as there may be staff who aren t attracted to your leadership style or philosophy or practices. My current school has had an obvious shift in the big picture agenda this year. For my first four years at the school I was intent on getting to know the community, improving some tired facilities, improve resources, while leaving the teaching and learning to my competent staff. This year it is time to return the focus to the core business of teaching and learning in our Catholic school. I have practiced what I have been preaching by leading some staff learning opportunities with a teaching and learning focus. Whether by design or good luck or the Law of Magnetism, the staff are engaging in high quality conversations about our core business. This is energising to everyone and therefore the children are the beneficiaries. 10. The Law of Connection (see Law 5 The Law of Addition) Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand. If leaders have a personal connection with the individuals on their staff, the more likely those followers will want to help. The guidelines for connecting with people are the same, regardless whether you are one on one in the hallway or public speaking to a large audience. Connect with yourself; Communicate with openness and sincerity; Know your audience; Live your message; Go to where they are; Focus on them, not yourself; Believe in them; Offer direction and hope. Successful leaders often initiate the conversation to know their staff. Leaders need to know their staff this may prove very difficult the larger the staff but worthwhile when a personal approach makes the workers/ employee feel known and therefore valued. Ask an employee one personal question and you will get them talking about themselves and they often relax. Know an interesting fact about a staff member and refer to it making them aware you know a little about them means you care and your employees will be open to follow your lead. As the staff of a Catholic school we should embrace the qualities and aspirations that connect us. It is not easy but well worth the journey. God has a catholic heart (Roldheiser 1998) universal, wide, all-encompassing. Thus any spirituality of the Church needs to emphasise wide loyalties and Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 6

inclusivity. The task of the church is to stand toe to toe, with people absolutely different than ourselves but who share one faith, one Lord, one baptism and one God who is the Father and Mother of all. As the staff of a Catholic School we are connected. We become more connected every time we share Eucharist. 11. The Law of the Inner Circle A leader s potential is determined by those closest to him. A leader can only be affective if there are people willing to follow, hence a leader is not a leader when alone. More than that, a leader usually can t lead alone. The best leaders will have an inner circle of the leadership team, who have complementary skills. This allows the leader to do what they do best and empower others to do the things the leader can t do. Even Jesus had a group around him, albeit frail at times but the apostles were only human. I doubt even Jesus could do all twenty-one things to perfection - maybe He could! When appointing a Leadership team I have been conscious of what skills I have and where deficits will lie in the leadership due to my limitations. I have been conscious to appoint assistant principals who can complement my skill set. Furthermore I have invited our team to undertake a leadership inventory analysis so we may identify how our team works together. I encourage leaders and their teams to undergo some personal reflection time to ensure the inner circle complements each other so their work may be complimented. May I also suggest that the most important member of the inner circle be present in spirit only, as we are doing the work of our Lord and therefore trust the Holy Spirit is present in our work. As I begin each School Board meeting in prayer, I often start with a prayer from Vatican II (see Appendix) which reminds us that we should rely on the intercession of the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance. 12. The Law of Empowerment Only leaders secure in themselves give power to others. The best leaders will identify leaders within their organisation, build them up, give them resources, authority and responsibility and them let them loose to achieve. The best leaders will not micro manage and they will trust those whom they have empowered. Those they invite and encourage to lead will know that the leader will let them do their job. To do this the leader must accept their own limitations and recognise their weaknesses as strengths in others. Hybels (2002) calls this sharing responsibility for the whole, accepting that all individuals have strengths and that they should work together for the common good. Leaders trust skilled colleagues, aspiring leaders to lead without feeling threatened or disempowered. Leaders recognise the gifts others bring to the community and feel comfortable empowering them to lead. I understand my professional limitations and have been willing to hand over responsibility for certain parts of our work to others who are more highly skilled in these areas. As such I have appointed two key teachers with tremendous curriculum strengths to key leadership positions on staff. This is the Law of Empowerment. Leaders Must have Processes Finally Leaders must have processes to guide their actions. Knowing where to go and how to get there are self-explanatory processes. Added to this is the need to have a picture of where we are heading, what the priorities are, and when to implement the actions these are covered in the next seven laws. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 7

4. The Law of Navigation It is often said that an organisation is only as good, or bad, as its leader, as the leader sets the direction for the company. The leader must chart the course and then allow others to steer. Leaders see the big picture; they need to consider many factors in setting the direction including: setting priorities, understanding personnel and budgetary considerations, looking beyond the present into the uncharted future. Hence the analogy of navigation is often used when discussing leadership models. Leaders MUST have a VISION, they MUST have a Strategic Plan. Ideally Leaders will consult with key stakeholders but must take ultimate responsibility for the direction the school goes. Furthermore leaders should encourage and even expect their staff to have professional goals aligned to the school s vision and strategic plan. When staff wish to engage in professional learning it should align with their goals and ultimately the school goals. This prevents random, ad hoc professional learning. Having a vision and strategic plan also allows for priority spending to meet the needs of the school s plan. In BCE, all schools are to have a Strategic Plan based on the system s Strategic Renewal Framework (SRF). These plans are often 3-5 years long. My one recommendation about such plans is that they are reviewed annually as the pace of change in education means that anything planned for 3-5 years time may not be relevant when the time comes to action. My preferred model is the rolling School Renewal Plan. Each year the plan gets reviewed, altered and the years adjusted to reflect the next 3-5 years. 13. The Law of the Picture (See Law 4 the Law of Navigation) People do what people see so they need to see and understand the Mission, Vision and Strategies. Effective leaders are highly visionary and highly practical. Ideally they can see beyond the present and the steps necessary to get there. It is often said that leaders get paid to think. They need to communicate the mission, vision and strategies. More than that they need to be seen living the vision, as people may doubt the spoken word, but will usually believe the action. It is convincing to do what is right not just saying what is right. Therefore leaders must model what is right. Bill Hybels agrees that Vision is at the core of leadership (Hybels 2002. p31). Without a vision a leader has no heart. The Vision gives the leaders the fuel and the fire to lead. 14. The Law of the Buy In People buy-in to the leader, then the vision. As the leader finds the dream and then the people, the people will usually find the leader and then the dream. People will follow leaders and the leader s vision. Let us use Jesus Christ as an example of people buying-in to the leader and then the vision or dream. Through His word and action, Jesus attracted people to Himself. According to Maxwell, the success of a leader can be measured by the ability to actually take the people where they need to go. A leader can only do this if the people buy into the leader first. Jesus Christ managed to do this rather brilliantly, at least until the events leading up to Easter. However His legacy remains lasting. As a leader of a well-established group of teachers who had been at my school for many years, I faced the challenge of moving the school in a new direction. It may not have been as big a challenge except that the long-standing staff did not see the same vision I had for the future. The staff had an option to buy-in to the new leader and then the vision, or not. Some chose not and have moved on to new adventures, while some have embraced the leader and the vision and the school is continuing to improve. It has taken four years to get the school moving in the right direction, as changing a direction of any organisation takes time. But once the people buy-in to the leader and the vision, they build momentum and improvement is possible and highly probable (See the Law of the Big MO). Successful leaders can be charismatic, positive, energetic and visionary, to name but a few qualities. If the people buy in to the leader, anything is possible. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 8

15. The Law of Victory Leaders find a way for the Team to win. There are three components that contribute to a team s dedication to victory: Unity of Vision; Diversity of Skills; Dedication to Victory and raising players their potential. As a leader one must promote the common Vision. We must recognise the skills and gifts in others. Just as the scripture uses the parable that we are all parts of the same body, so too must the team use the different skills to achieve the united vision. 16. The Law of the Big MO Momentum is a leader s best friend as it makes them appear better than they really are. It also helps followers perform far above average and achieve greater success. It takes a leader to create momentum and therefore it is the leader s responsibility to get things started. The Prayer Life of a school is one good example of starting something, building momentum and moving forward. We have introduced sacred prayer time in my school. After a couple of false starts, staff deliberations and a united commitment, every class stops for sacred prayer time in the school. We now have children asking when it will be! The momentum is building. 17. The Law of Priorities (see law 4) There are three Rs to the Law of Priorities: Requirement, Return and Reward. So when priorities from the School s Vision are identified, the leader must use these as criteria on which to base their judgement. Some of the decisions may be difficult but if the leader can focus the followers on the things that really matter, the change and improvement will be worth the initial pain. 19. The Law of Timing Every time a leader makes a decision there are likely to be one of four outcomes dependent on timing and action. Wrong action at wrong time = disaster Right action at wrong time = resistance Wrong action at right time = mistake Right action at right time = success As with many things in life: sport, career opportunities, relationships; timing is everything. If we believe that effective and lasting change will take eight to ten years to implement, then the many little actions along the way will drive the change. The timing of these actions is therefore critical to the success of the change. Examples of resistance and mistakes are easily identifiable in one s career as they take their toll both personally and professionally. Thankfully, upon reflection, one s career should also be littered with success stories. Try moving a teacher who has been entrenched in a year level for many years. You will soon know if your timing was right. Try introducing curriculum initiatives to your staff, you will soon know if your timing was right. Both these examples may be the right action but the timing determines the success or not. 20. The Law of Explosive Growth To add growth, lead followers- to multiply, lead leaders. Here is how it may be done: Develop yourself to experience personal growth and success Develop your team and the organisation will experience growth and success Develop leaders within your organisation and it will experience explosive growth and success. This does present a challenge in itself. Leaders are hard to find, they are hard to gather and even harder to keep. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 9

Linked to the Law of the Inner Circle, leaders must have a good or great team around them. The good news is that when a leader invests in another leader the improvement is greater than investing in a follower. As the leader of a school I try and invest in staff leaders and observe the great returns. Investing time and skills to the individuals should result in significant improvement in the school and therefore all learners. 21. The Law of Legacy A leader s lasting value is measured by succession. A community will continue to function when leaders move beyond its boundaries. The reality is that no one is indispensible, despite wishing to believe the opposite. More than that, if a leader has been successful in leaving a lasting legacy, the community should continue to thrive. (Hybels 2003 p 127) In reflecting upon my teaching experiences over twenty-five years I am acutely aware of the transitional points in my career. At each junction I have wondered what life will be like at the school when I move to a new community. I rarely look back but through the Catholic grapevine one invariably hears how the old school is going. The more experienced I become at leading the longer the legacy I believe I will leave, as I improve at investing in other leaders. Complementary Law The Law of Safe Airline Travel Assuming that all readers have travelled by plane at some time in their life, you will all be able to recall the safety demonstration the cabin crew do on every flight. During the safety demonstration the crew explain what should happen in the event that the cabin loses pressure and those on board require oxygen.. A mask will fall from the ceiling. Place over your face and breathe normally. Please apply your own mask before assisting others. In simple terms, this means that we need to look after ourselves BEFORE we look after everyone else. This concept is one of the great Catholic paradoxes. Catholic leaders have practised putting the needs of others first forever but, I suggest in this modern day and age, this is not necessarily the best practice! From personal experience and in discussions with some colleagues, it is quite common that school leaders are told at the conclusion of their contract review process, to get more balance in the worklife paradox. It is not uncommon for principals to feel they work 24/7/52 well they shouldn t and don t have to!! Yes it is true that principals are often on call for what seems like fulltime, and forever, especially for security firms and governing bodies such at Catholic Education Office. It is also common for school principals to feel under pressure from the various community stakeholders including Parish Priest, school parents, School Boards, governing authority, governments, along with their own personal beliefs or upbringing which has left them the legacy of Catholic guilt. However according to a recent survey conducted by the Brisbane Archdiocesan Catholic Primary Princpal s Association (BACPPA), 50% of principals (who responded to the survey) have accessed, or in hindsight, should have accessed their Employee Assistance Scheme (eg Counselling services). So the Law of Safe Airline Travel suggests that Catholic School Leaders MUST look after themselves FIRST. But how!?!? Why? Because we are no good to anyone, family or work communities, if we aren t in good mental, physical and spiritual shape! Here are a few tried and tested strategies. Learn to say NO. This may come as a surprise to some but school leaders (and remember my experience is based on primary School experiences, where support staff in leadership and administration are often limited) DO NOT HAVE TO ATTEND EVERY SCHOOL FUNCTION. School Leaders are not obliged to say YES to every request from parish priest, School Board, P&F, Governing Authority or Government. However for this to be possible and if principals are to sleep easy at night, good communication IS essential so we know what is mandatory and what is optional in our work. If Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 10

something is a guideline is it mandatory? Are all frameworks introduced by our governing authorities mandatory? Saying no or saying yes with realistic timeframes is extremely liberating and has the additional bonus of inadvertently adding weight to every time you say YES, because people will know that you are a thoughtful leader, who considers the impact of your decisions, not just someone who always says YES. Take time for yourself, personally and professionally, guilt-free. Leaders of Catholic Schools are entitled to a variety of leave opportunities. After professional review processes, principals in Brisbane Catholic Education Schools are entitled to renewal leave for professional renewal leave, to recharge oneself spiritually, professionally and personally. Employees of the same schools are entitled to long service leave for enduring service to the system. And of course all employees accrue sick leave entitlements, along with holidays. However my experience suggests that school leaders are reluctant to access their leave entitlements, often to the detriment of their health and their personal and professional relationships. Take time for yourself, personally and professionally. Wrap your arms around those you love and be wrapped up by them also figuratively and practically if allowed!! Leaders in Catholic Schools often put the needs of their community first, even ahead of those of their own families. There are only so many occasions when your family may accept when a work commitment comes ahead of family time. Leaders must enhance their personal relationships if they are to be true to themselves. Only by investing time can you build relationships especially with one s own family. My strategy is to try and leave work soon after the school closes one afternoon each week. My staff know my schedule and encourage me to follow this practice. I also set my evening meetings to promote a routine for family as well as work. This is harder to practise but we try. Leaders MUST know what is MANDATORY and what is optional When work intensification is a reality for many leaders, strategies to minimise their work and maximise their leadership of learning are critical. One of the strategies leaders must employ is to identify what work requirements are mandatory from the employing authority. Education changes rapidly and with pressures from governments and community, school leaders need to manage their workload to avoid being a statistic of stress. Thomas Merton once said that the biggest spiritual problem of our time is efficiency, work, pragmatism by the time we keep the school running there is little time for anything else. Well here s a tip don t try and do everything! Do what we must do and be selective about the additional things we do. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 11

Summary To lead a Catholic Community when the majority of the community do not practise their faith or indicate any real commitment to their faith, is a huge challenge. To encourage the religious life of a school, to promote Religion as an academically rigorous subject, to foster a prayer life, and to have the Eucharist as a priority to a community that may have other priorities, presents the leaders with a sometimes improbable task. Let us assume that the leaders of Catholic schools are faith-filled Catholics, who value all of the elements described above. Let s also assume that their community, staff and families, follow the statistical trend of only approximately 12% of the Catholics in the cohort regularly practising their faith by being regular mass goers, or engaging in regular prayer and worship, then the leaders are not preaching to the converted. In fact it is quite the opposite! So what is a leader to do? Reviewing the themes of the Laws of Leadership there are the three categories of personal characteristics, being relational and having processes. Firstly leaders MUST be a sincere, public, living witness to their faith. They must be knowledgeable in their field, have intuition and emotional intelligence. Leaders must promote the Vision of the Catholic Church and the vision of their organisation. In Brisbane Catholic Education the Vision is to Teach Challenge, Transform. In other settings it may be To promote the reign of God. In the Brisbane Archdiocese we have had Jesus Communion and Mission in recent years as the Vision. Leaders MUST know the Vision and proudly promote it among their community. Leaders MUST practise leadership assuming their community is faith-filled. Leaders can create a self-fulfilling prophecy by leading their people with the expectation that the people will engage with faith-filled practices of living the Gospel values and practising their faith. Leaders of Catholic organisations must value and celebrate the Eucharist as this builds community and deepens one s spirituality. Leaders MUST be relational by relating to their people. They must have a strong character to lead their community. Jesus Christ s example and the quality of trust should be the foundation of their work. Leaders should know their staff personally and professionally. Finally leaders need to have the processes necessary to effect change. Timing of change is critical to the success of a leader. Leaders need to have the vision and experience to create success. They will dream of the vision, look beyond the now to the future and identify possibilities. They will create a strategic plan to guide the direction. These strategies and ideas are about making the paradoxes possibilities. What may be perceived as a challenge can, in fact, be an opportunity. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 12

Appendix Prayer to the Holy Spirit Be present with us, O Holy Spirit, for it is in Your name that we are specially gathered together. Come to help us in our affairs and be pleased to enter our deliberations. Instruct us in what we should do. Let it you, first of all who inspire our suggestions. May you who love justice let us not offend against justice or charity. Grant also that we may act intelligently. Keep us by the gift of Your grace in harmony with your will, so that we may act as one with You, who with the Father and the Son, live and reign with God for ever and ever. Amen. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 13

References Hybels, B. (2002), Courageous Leadership, Zondervan, Michigan. Maxwell, J. (2007), The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Thomas Nelson, Tennessee. Roldheiser, R. (1998), Seeking Spirituality, Hodder and Stoughton, London. Roldheiser, R. (2011), Our One Great Act of Fidelity, Random House, New York. Andrew Oberthur 2013 Page 14