Stand Tall Leadership. Steven A. Bollar

media conversation about the Stand Tall Statement you found most helpful. Here's an example of a Stand Tall Statement.

      Stand Tall Ideas

Here's the deal. As a school leader we are continually looking for new, fresh, and original ideas to improve our schools. We attend workshops and conferences with the hope of locating and finding a different way of doing what we do. Many times, we go to get training or go to a conference and we hear ideas that just reaffirm what it is that we already know, or the outcome of the idea isn't impactful enough to make the effort to do it. On the other hand, there are times that we hear amazing ideas, but we are unwilling to put forth the effort to actually do the idea properly so that we get the proper outcomes. Every now and then we get that one idea that is perfect! The ideas that we can easily or quickly implement into our leadership that will provide the outcomes that we are hoping for.

      The opposite becomes true as well. We attend conferences and get a TON of amazing ideas that can be implemented quickly and effectively. We leave each training or session with pages and pages of notes. Each idea is better than the last idea. You are pumped up and excited about how your school and leadership will be transformed almost overnight. The people you meet and the conversations you have are rich with professionalism and pedagogy. There are others who think the same way you do, and you vow to stay in touch and keep the synergy going. Then when you get back to your school, reality kicks in. You put down your notebook and start working on the daily tasks that you usually do. You may do one or two follow-up emails with that other amazing leader you met, but eventually you lose touch. After about a month or two, you come across your notes and read them through. Your thought is, “Oh yeah, that was a good idea. It's too late now to start that.”

      This was what I experienced for years as an administrator. I would attend conferences continually searching for that one idea or get a ton of ideas and never do anything with it. I found my notes with tons and tons of ideas in them, but never did anything. I started to really think about what to do with them. I decided to take all of these ideas and turn them into a keynote, training, and workshop. I realized that educational leaders were looking for these ideas. They wanted to find that one idea that could work. Additionally, I started to figure out the best way to move from gathering a bunch of ideas in a notebook into real actionable items that can actually happen within my leadership. Therefore, throughout this book I will share a plethora of realistic and actionable ideas that can be easily implemented into your leadership and school to help improve the climate, culture, and relationships. By improving the climate, culture, and relationships throughout the school you will ultimately improve your leadership. Your level of influence will expand extensively.

      Here's an example of a Stand Tall Idea.

      Stand Tall Idea

      High-Five Monday

At the entrance of the school, every Monday morning have a different group give high fives to students entering the building. Be sure to have music and bubbles as well. If you don't have different groups, you do it! The groups could be sports groups or clubs. Be sure to preassign the week they need to do it and have someone send a reminder out on the Friday before you start. It's a great way to kick off the week.

CHAPTER ONE Stand Tall Leaders Should Not Blend In

One thing that we all can agree on is that tall people don't blend in. When you look into a crowd of people, it is very easy to point out the tall people. Their heads seem to pop out from those around them. Usually, you see them bending down and back up again often. That is so they can talk and hear what is being said by all the “little” people around them. As a tall person, we are very aware that we do not blend in with those around us. We get that we need to make some alterations and changes to ourselves and surrounding in order to make our environment work. For example, the standard chair height is 18″, which is designed for people up to 6″1″. Therefore, anyone over 6′1″ needs to make some adjustments. Don't even get me started with airplane seats.

      We also know that as a tall person we have a different view of the world from everyone else. What we see isn't what everyone else sees. Yes, that does give us an advantage. If we attend a concert, we rarely see the back of people's heads. It is a perfect view every time. When in a crowd of people if you ever need to get somewhere take your tall friend with you. He or she will be able to see the best way to get to the exit or restroom. It's like having GPS in a crowd. Having that level of vision and awareness is normal within the world of tall people.

      When tall people speak, people listen. I think it's like a natural animal instinct. The bigger and taller the beast, the more authority it has. Therefore, others look to that bigger and taller beast and assume that the beast has something valuable to say or roar. I've found it rather peculiar how at times others ask my opinion on a topic or within a discussion that I have no part in. It happens more so when I'm standing than sitting. The physical presence and the desire to hear what the tall guy has to say is strong.

      I truly believe that teachers and education are the last noble profession on earth. I also believe that every teacher, administrator, and support person within a school is a leader in some way. Whether you lead other adults or students within a classroom, you are perceived as a leader. The students and others within the school and community are watching what you do and watching what you don't do. The question becomes, what kind of leader will you show them? This chapter will focus on what makes a leader stand tall. A Stand Tall Leader doesn't blend in with others around them. You can pick them out of a crowd right away. A Stand Tall Leader has a different view of the world from everyone else. A Stand Tall Leader speaks, and others take notice. How does that happen? Even if the Stand Tall Leader is only 5′1″ with heels, it is all about how the Stand Tall Leader thinks, behaves, and acts on a daily basis.

       Teachers and education are the last noble profession on earth.

       #standtallstatement

Have you ever met a leader who was just like everyone else? If you did, I'm sure that the leader wasn't very successful as a leader. Who wants a leader who is the same as everyone else? If you do, you obviously don't want to grow as an organization. You are happy with just the way things are. What good is that? Yes, you want to have a leader who is relatable, understands your needs, and has similar interests, but just like everyone else? I don't think so.

1.1. Stand Tall Traits of a Good Leader

      What makes a good leader? I ask this question when I give my Stand Tall Leadership seminars, speeches, or workshops. During the workshops, the participants have the opportunity to talk with their groups and report back what they believe what a good leader is. Over the many years of doing this, four distinct areas continually come up from educators that define leadership:

       Visionary

       Great communicator

       Makes difficult decisions

       Makes others better

      Let's look at each one.

      1.1.1. Visionary

      Elena Aguilar wrote,

      A visionary leader is clear about what he or she believes and knows is best for children – for their academic, social, and emotional learning. The leader's individual beliefs have developed in collaboration with other stakeholders and articulated into some kind of vision or mission statement.

I find that statement to be true and nearly complete. Yes, a visionary educational leader is clear about belief and what is best for children, but according to the thousands of educators who I have trained, it is that and being able to develop an image or picture of what the school, district, or program could be and therefore able to share that vision with others so that they can all move forward toward that vision. Having a vision or mission statement means nothing