The Motivation to be a Head a School?

Pat Bassett, Head of National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), writes on the job of being a Head of School on his blog,

"So what is it that makes anyone agreeable to give school leadership a shot?

Idealism: the feeling that if all the pieces miraculously fell into place, one could actually shape the destiny of an institution devoted to a major “good”: that of educating kids well to create a better world.

Meaning: the notion that, as a teacher, one could influence the path of many classes of students, and that, as a school leader, one could inflect the trajectory of education, maybe even beyond the boundaries of one’s own school.

Courage: the sense that we have a better way within our grasp if only some of us were courageous enough to overcome the inertia and resistance around us."

He then references author Dan Pink and his ideas on motivation.

"Dan Pink in his new book, Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us, reveals fascinating research from the science of motivation. (One can get a good sense of the science and theme from Pink’s summary at TED.com If you have never visited TED.com, I highly recommend it.)

"Pink’s “surprising truth” is that, even in the for-profit world, financial incentives do not motivate most people; rather, three other incentives do: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. When I think about these three factors, I recognize that there is not another environment I can think of where one at every level — teacher to head of school — enjoys more autonomy, more opportunity to develop mastery, or more of a sense of noble purpose, than ours."

I will post the 18 minute talk below. When you listen to it you will discover Christian truths wrapped in the language of today. You will also discover that what Bassett identifies, above, as true for private schools is also true in a deeper sense for Christian schools and all Christians. Whether we teach, sell, manage or doctor our motivation ought to be rooted in excellence and motivated by the factors found in the three incentives above.

Enjoy the talk below. It is well worth the time spent, but be warned, you will not agree with everything said, but that is not the goal, is it? The goal is to continue to develop our ability to think and discern from a presupposition that is Christ and allow it to wash over every decision made. May He be glorified.