A Leader Needs to Act Like an Understudy...
"It's your road, and yours alone, others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you." Rumi
In the classic sense, the term Understudy comes to us from the theater industry. It means to learn another's role or parts enough to be capable of standing in for them if you are needed. An understudy actor may need to take the role of another if the performer is ill, absent, or otherwise incapable or unwilling to perform the role at any given time. There are many others who have "stepped in" from background roles in fields other than theater. Many folks in sports, film, business, and even politics have risen to become vital to their organizations from such humble beginnings. Such surprising stars are: Tom Brady (football superstar), Lea Michelle (star of tv show "Glee"), Tim Cook (CEO of Apple), Lou Gehrig (hall of fame baseball player), and Teddy Roosevelt (26th President of the United States). Each of these legendary leaders started in the shadows of a star; supporting their every move, learning their roles, performing their functions, and observing their actions on each opportunity. They learned the roles of others and, in good time, put their skills to good use for the better of the organizations.
In a sense, a leader of an organization needs to perform similarly. They may need to function in the same manner as these legendary performers when called upon. Just as Tom Brady stepped in when Drew Bledsoe went down to an injury, Tim Took needed to step into Apple CEO Steve Jobs' shoes to take over when called upon. Both Brady and Cook needed to be knowledgeable of their teams' work. They were not to be the lead on every function; however, they were ready when needed to step up to the plate. They had to know the work, command the respect of the remaining team members, understand the vision of the organization, and perform all of these tasks as though they had been the leader all along.
In sixteen years as the leader of a large organization, there are several truths that have become evident. One is that the Principal of a large suburban high school cannot do all of the functions of the school themselves. They depend on the help of their team members. There are so many moving parts to such a large organization. Thousands of students and hundreds of employees require a tremendous amount of planning, support, and commitment. An entire team needs to work tirelessly to execute on a basic level so that each student has a seat in a course and that all employees have the essential elements of their jobs to be able to work. As the leader (Principal), I have learned that for me to be able to support my administrative team, I needed to prepare myself like Tom Brady. Some basic elements of members of my team are: scheduling, discipline, testing, safety, evaluation, curriculum, budgeting, athletics, public relations, student support, facilities, and a myriad of other functions. Again, the list is ever exhaustive; although, very understandable and doable with experience and commitment.
As a Principal, my responsibility is to know the functions of members of my team. If ever I am needed to step in for a member of my team, I can perform functions like testing, student support or even student discipline. More than simply just doing the work of my team members, I also should know the elements intimately to be capable of supporting my team on their work. To best advise, guide, and develop my team, I need to understand their work. Additionally, to be able to develop growth in aspiring leaders, I need to have an understanding of what they aspire to be. I pose guiding questions, prompt reflective thinking, discuss alternatives, and assist them in setting courses of action toward elements of a functioning school. In my long career, I have learned and performed all of these functions and many more. These experiences have led me to be able to support my team in a variety of ways.
As important as it is to understand the work, elements can change over time. Many years have passed since the last time I performed the function of testing coordinator in a school. Albeit testing is the same role as before, complexity and timing of testing functions have changed over time. I can conceptualize the necessary support function my team needs to properly execute the role. "I understand what you are saying...", I say as I discuss needs my members have as we discuss planning the testing plan for the year. Even if the elements are different than when I performed it, I can still appreciate the conversation and support their needs.
Ultimately, you earn credibility in your team member's eyes as you discuss what they need if you are intelligent to their functions. It is here where you can blend your experience, the up to date nuances that have changed, and the leadership strategies you possess as a seasoned leader. This blend is ripe for the development of team members into the leaders of tomorrow. It is this function that helps me germinate the next Tom Brady in the school world to take over for me. To date, I have grown 20 leaders capable of leading organizations, and taking over for me one day. I believe that Wally Pipp, Drew Bledsoe, William McKinley, and Steve Jobs would be proud.
