Chief Energy Officers

Are you your school, district, or company's Chief Energy Officer? According to a guest on "The Dylan Ratigan Show" broadcast earlier today, if you are truly leading your organization, you are.

When driving home this afternoon, I was pondering what has happened this week worth sharing. The possibilities were many: the meeting I had with Steve Parrot today wherein we talked about how better to align TLA with regional and statewide efforts; day one of Principal Coach Foundation Training conducted for 18 high-performing Wake County principals on Wednesday, session 8 of Creating High Performing Learning Cultures at Forest Pines Drive Elementary School in Wake Forest this afternoon; Principles of Dialogue for Lufkin Road Middle School in Apex on Monday--to name a few.

Flooded with thoughts about my week, I got home, went to the kitchen, and flipped on the TV to keep me company while snarfing a snack. The channel was on MSNBC, left there from my brief and predictable viewing of "Morning Joe" just before I left home for work.

Amid all the thoughts vying for my attention, Dylan's anonymous (to me) guest won out. Why? The answer is easy. When I heard the him talk about the way companies like SAS are led, where employees are treated not as liabilities but as assets, where managers' main job is not to supervise work but to inspire and energize people who happen to work there, I saw the connection for my entire week, maybe for the work of TLA generally.

Every single leader with whom we have had the privilege of spending time this week is that kind of leader. The accomplished principals who want to coach new principals are Chief Energy Officers; Freda Cole and Diane Daly-New at FPDES are Chief Energy Officers; Parry Graham at LRMS is a Chief Energy Officer; Steve Parrot at Wake Ed Partnership is a Chief Energy Officer. That is the reason these leaders and others all across the NC Triangle call on TLA--they care deeply about supporting the growth and development of their people.

Folks, there is much to celebrate and only a little to carp about here. When we support each other by investing our time and energy in the well-being of those around us, the universe gives it back to us. In my own small way, I am proud both to contribute to and be part of the leadership mosaic of our little corner of the world. I hope you are too.