Unfortunately, there are no simple answers to address all of the issues that school districts are facing today. The global pandemic we are dealing with is unlike anything we have encountered in the past and is impacting all of us in different ways. As a result, there is no doubt that high stress and anxiety are being experienced at every level of leadership.

As advocates who serve on the ACSA Member Assistance & Legal Support Team, we have noticed that our most successful leaders demonstrate very similar qualities of leadership to help mitigate the crisis, maintain relatively high morale among staff and continue to enjoy a reasonable sense of normalcy. The following leadership qualities, although certainly not intended to be all inclusive, are worthy of consideration as we all attempt to maintain staff morale during this difficult time.

1) Providing accurate information. Great leaders provide current, candid and accurate information to inform others about the crisis. Ideally, this information is research based and is updated regularly from creditable sources to increase everyone’s awareness of current conditions and what to expect in the future. When new directions or protocols are changed (or new ones added) every team member is notified in a timely manner so as not to be caught off guard.

2) Acquiring critical resources. Leaders understand that some resources will be more critically needed than others, and they work diligently to help people have access to those resources as quickly as possible.

3) Providing support and encouragement. The best leaders realize that the individuals that they supervise not only need information and resources, but emotional support as well. As a leader, especially in a time of crisis, it is very important that you express appreciation for their efforts and demonstrate that you care about them as individuals.

4) Being accessible and approachable. Great leaders always seem to be available to answer questions and address concerns. By doing such, leaders establish trust and build relationships with those individuals that they supervise.

5) Keeping channels of communication open. The most effective leaders promote and model constant, open and thorough two-way communication to keep information flowing and to continue to provide resources and support throughout the crisis. A significant aspect of this leadership quality is not “shooting the messenger” for providing input and asking legitimate questions. An effective leader understands that “shooting the messenger” causes team members to withdraw and stop communicating. When a leader is responding to multiple attacks from different stakeholders, it sometimes is difficult to focus on the morale of her/his team. Dismissing the team members’ concerns or questions can be costly, especially when the frontline team members may have the best information available for the leader to make the most informative decisions possible.

6) Adapting when necessary. Leadership in a time of crisis often calls for sudden changes in strategy to respond to quickly changing or newly emerging conditions. Effective leaders are able to adapt when needed to make corrections in the face of new challenges.

As you advance in your career as a public school administrator, three qualities stand out as a blueprint for success, and they are your ability to:

As an example, when you move from a site-level position to a district-level job, the number of stakeholders you interact with typically rises dramatically. As a result, such skills as relationship building and communication become even more difficult to accomplish, and yet these skills often determine your success as a leader.

The ACSA Member Assistance & Legal Support Team, under the direction of ACSA Senior Director Margarita Cuizon-Armelino, is available to all members of ACSA. Team members John Almond, Sharon Dezutti, Joe Jones, Janet Morey, Gary Rutherford, Bill Tschida and Lloyd Wamhof assist almost 800 ACSA members each year.