I recall the first time an article I had written was featured in the most-read section of one of SmartBrief’s newsletters. I couldn’t believe it. I was so happy that people were interested in what I had to share about school leadership. It was, like many articles I have written, compliments to the impact of a school that helps kids soar beyond their present selves. Naturally, I wanted to share the good news with my boss, so I sent him the article in the hopes that we could celebrate the attention his schools were gaining. I heard nothing.
It occurred to me after sending a few more of my articles and not receiving a response that they either were too busy to stop and look or weren’t interested in recognition for me, or of greater consequence, the kids of the school. This disappointed me, but surprise was my bigger reaction. How could they not take the time to acknowledge something one of their team was doing to positively promote the school organization?
Mind the gap
As a school leader, I had the opportunity to observe other school leaders around me. This, combined with the time invested in research, has helped me draw a conclusion that convinces me to always lead unconditionally. The problem with my boss wasn’t their skill. In fact, they were pretty darn good at some things. Unfortunately, that was all cancelled out by their complete disregard for the free-price recognition, not just of me, but of everyone they lead. It was a gap, and that gap was so vast that it amplified that weakness rather than their strengths. How could someone be pretty good at many things and completely disregard a low-cost, sensible strategy? It was mind-boggling.
Consider all the negative, often misinformed noise around schools. Too often, for ego or incompetence, leaders fail to meet the moment, even when the opportunity comes begging. Ironically, applying principles that demonstrate the lasting impact of disrupting negative energy would make their job easier, as others become part of their momentous winning team and loyalty grows all around them.
Even as others telegraph the message to do so, as I had with those articles, it happens far less frequently and at a cost to the school community and children. Applaud the accomplishments, big and small, of those who work for you and your families; just take a moment to pause and bring positive attention. This helps us build our bank account, which we need to draw from at those critical moments.
Compliance is expensive
When a leader focuses on systems of compliance rather than praise, the true cost is not in dollars, but in the currency of trust, innovation and human spirit. A compliance-driven culture sends a destructive message to everyone in the school community: “I value your obedience over your accomplishments with children.”
The “minimum effort” mindset
When the reward structure prioritizes criticism over celebrating excellence, staff will settle for the bare minimum. The commitment to excellence is replaced by an overfocus on safety. That is at great peril to our students, especially those in need.
The cost to school culture and innovation
Compliance acts as a powerful and toxic anchor, weighing down the entire organization because fear replaces innovative risk-taking: If the system punishes exploration or deviations from the path, educators will inhibit and stop innovating. The high cost includes missed opportunities for student growth, and that is unacceptable.
When the default interaction is monitoring, questioning and corrective feedback (compliance), communication channels become tense. Staff are constantly on guard, and the spirit of genuine collaboration, sharing struggles and successes, is obstructed.
Praise is a remarkably inexpensive investment
Recognition is the investment in human potential. It is not merely a courtesy; it is the most direct way a leader can fuel the engine of motivation, tapping the potential of their team.
When you congratulate someone by highlighting a specific success, celebrating a moment of classroom excellence, acknowledging sustained effort, or the publication of an article, you are doing far more than thanking someone; you are making a profound declaration of belief.
Validating an accomplishment by acknowledging someone empowers them to exercise compassion, take calculated risks, and drive their growth toward achieving academic and student success.
Recognition should always be authentic and clean, something author Ben Bissell identified in his simple and profound explanation of “the power of praise.” Simply put, never neutralize your recognition by adding a “but…” or a critique, as in, “I really like the way you … but watch out for how you …” Keep that separate from recognition, and your momentum will build, traveling far beyond the inexpensive compliment.
This taps into the internal desire for mastery in leading, teaching and learning, and it makes a lasting, positive difference. When staff feel this genuine support from their leadership, they move from working to avoid penalties to working to achieve excellence, which is the only sustainable path to superior educational outcomes.