Accepting Feedback for Improvement

Feedback is an important element in professional development and growth.  Far too often individuals focus on 'who said what' instead of focusing on 'what is being said.'  Only through acceptance and reflection can one improve and grow as a leader to become more effective in achieving goals and objectives.

Any good evaluation focuses on what an individual is doing well (strengths) but equally important is looking at areas that are in need of improvement (weaknesses).  Done right, a good evaluation becomes a personal improvement plan for the individual as well as the organization they serve.  The key if providing concrete examples and allowing the individual to question or get clarification to ensure understanding.

Many leaders find this uncomfortable and as a result shy away from this important task; however, the performance will continue to suffer along with the missed opportunity for the needed improvement.  Likewise when a reviewer softens the intent or lightens the degree of response, they allow the individual a false sense of security or even worse reinforce the negative or sub par performance.

In a cost benefit analysis, we refer to this as an opportunity cost, in human resource management it is a lost opportunity to strengthen the team.

 “I think it’s important to actively seek out and listen carefully to negative feedback. This is something that people tend to avoid because it’s painful, but I think this is a very common mistake.” - Elon Musk

https://medium.com/science-journal/the-importance-of-negative-feedback-5dec045232bf

School Security - Everyone's Concern!

Strengthening School Security

Immediately after the school shootings in Columbine, CO, a fear gripped local communities across the Nation.  Like most tragedies an increased awareness, concern and call to action had local law enforcement, school administrators, parents and statewide legislators focusing on gun control, campus security, lockdown protocols and other measures to reduce risk and enhance student safety.  That was eighteen years ago.

Since this dreadful event, the belief that this could happen in our schools or our communities was pushed to the back of our thoughts.  Perhaps due to fear or simply a rationalization that according to probability and statistics we had a very slim chance that it will ever happen again, or to that magnitude.  Even in our own communities as we moved forward, heightening security measures and signed agreements with local law enforcement to strengthen overall security measures, we felt more confident in our ability to make our schools a safe place for students to learn, play and grow. Then came Virginia Tech in 2007 and Newtown, CT in 2012, both unimaginable and horrific.  Once again, the focus of prevention and protection became active in the forms of mandated lockdown drills, shelter in place, active shooter drills and other strategies and initiatives including facility design changes such as “man traps”.

With the recent tragedies of Parkland, FL and Santa Fe, TX, we realize our world has changed and the threat is real, prevalent and everywhere.  Since Sandy Hook, a gun has been fired on school grounds nearly once a week.[i] 

According to Krishnakumar, “There have been more than 180 shootings on school campuses that resulted in an injury or death in the U.S. since Dec. 14, 2012, when 20 children and 6 adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.”

In Parkland, FL, ABC Affiliate WPLG reported, “that students were seen running with their hands up as authorities with guns drawn swarmed the area.”  “Other students were seen lined up one by one, leaving the area in an orderly fashion while other students were hysterical.”  In Santa Fe, TX affiliate KTRK reported, “a 17 year old carrying a shotgun and a revolver, opened fire at a Houston-area high school, killing 10 people, most of them students.”  “Thirteen people were confirmed to be injured during the shooting.”  Earlier this year, NBC anchor Lester Holt reported in special broadcast[ii] that aired on February 14^th that there had already been 18 school shooting since the year began on January 1.  With the May school shooting in Santa Fe, that figure climbed to 19.