School’s around the world hire talented, well-educated, passionate educators every year to fill open positions. I truly believe that one of our main responsibilities as administrators is to step out of the way and let them serve as instructional leaders and innovators in the classroom!

I believe one of the ways that this happens is by starting with yes!

Imagine a young, dedicated teacher going to an administrator early in the school year with an out-of-the-box idea and the principal says, “yes!” I know, there’s a lot more that goes into this scenario, but lets imagine that the first instinct of the principal is to say yes and then further support these ideas through careful guidance and positive leadership.

Now, imagine the other scenario where a young, dedicated teacher goes to an administrator early in the school year with an out-of-the-box idea and the principal says “no, that’s not possible.” What message are we sending as a school culture and community when our first instinct to new and fresh ideas is not yes?

This reminds me of one of my favorite educational leadership books, Multipliers, by Liz Wiseman. Throughout this book, the author highlights two different types of leaders: multipliers and diminishers. As educational leaders, lets all strive to be multipliers and provide opportunities for teachers, students, and parents to use their full capacity to positively change the people and world around them.

Starting with yes requires intentional planning and follow-through during the entire process. Starting with yes shows confidence and encourages initiative within your school community. Starting with yes allows for teachers and students to excel and bring creativity and innovation into their classrooms.

Once you have started with yes, it is important to then work backwards to get at the root and foundation of the idea. Having a solid purpose and understanding of all factors will enhance group collaboration and overall success.

If you have started with yes, I believe you are well on your way to implementing positive and lasting change within your school community.