Campus Culture in Transition

It is interesting that in this first step of my coursework's new management and leadership direction, the week’s discussion involves an analysis of school culture.  That very concept has been much on the minds of my faculty recently.  My school thrived for many years under a leadership team that had a unique sensitivity to balance:  balance between faculty and other stakeholders, between various teams, between administration and staff.  Achieving this balance is somewhat of a rarity, and the benefits of it showed in the staff and parent commitment to the school community.  However, no situation can remain static indefinitely.  Change comes, and I believe any organizational culture can be defined by how it responds to the natural process of that change.  A  new leadership team took the reins on my campus last year, and we are still adapting to a new leadership style and vision.  Equally strong, capable leaders can present with very different skill sets and challenges, and such is the case at my school.  To our credit, we have strong relationships with each other and with our community, and I believe those relationships help us adapt and embrace new ideas.  I do believe that even positive change throws a system out of its former patterns, and that readjustment can produce some ‘growing pains’.  Even in a seemingly "perfect" school, there are areas of growth, and a new leader is called to find those opportunities to refine and enrich the  a campus.  One of the most pressing and complicated challenges of a new administration is to look closely at the systems and relationships that were most effective on campus, and to work at preserving those standards of excellence even while implementing a new leadership vision.   Conflict is inevitable, and the new leadership will make its mark through communication, collaboration, and modeling of best practices as it resolves these differences and guides the campus.  I have high hopes that my campus will weather the rough seas of change and emerge even stronger and more effective on the other side.