My Biggest Challenge.....So Far

Zane Shelfer

My Biggest Challenge…..So Far

As I’ve transitioned in the last few years into leadership positions, one challenge that I’ve become more and more aware of is the real difference between managing, supervising, and leading staff. Each of those has been a transition for me and not necessarily a smooth one. Managing staff was relatively straightforward. Tasks were assigned, schedules were monitored and meetings were held to provide assignments. I approached staff I managed more as equals and my role was primarily to ensure work was completed. I would often refer anything more involved than daily task requirements to someone in a position above me.

As I began to supervise people, the scope of expectations and responsibility broadened. I became more responsible for the substance of the work being performed. Along with that came more direct involvement in how the staff were completing their jobs or not completing them. I found at this point I was lacking some basic human resources management approaches. GELS Standards 3 and 7 would both have been useful as a guide for me at this point of supervision. I would have liked a more formal approach of developing my own professional skills and practices in addition to recommending that for supervisees. I did receive some support from previous supervisors as well as policies and human resource practices of the state agency in which I work. It felt like on the job training without the foundation and guidance that the standards provide.

As I continue to transition into a more leadership role within my school district, I feel the real need to think beyond just day to day operations and the quality of work being performed in each school. Seeing the big picture and thinking of the practical application and meaning of a mission statement, a vision statement, and a strategic plan is paramount. Examining current practice along with required standards now needs to occur along with how that will look in several years. Staff now expects not only guidance, but direction for their jobs and also for the school district. The leadership role is more expansive and moves outside of just the daily operation of each school. There must be foresight, planning, and policy. I really enjoy systems work. Evaluating a system and looking for improvement through better policy and better practice are enjoyable to me. GELS Standards 1, 5, and 7 all become critical at the leadership level, in addition to the importance of the other standards. I look forward to having the standards as a guide for the work that a leader must do.