168. The Paradox of School Leadership: Success

Recently, I was on a coaching call with two ECE center owners.

The first owner had just purchased her second location. This was a huge milestone for her, and she expected to feel accomplished. And yet, she was struggling to step into a double identity as both an owner and the director of the second site, until it could get fully staffed.

The second owner had just sold her second location. She reflected back on when she had first purchased it, and at the time, she wondered if she was enough. Now that she sold it, she wondered the same thing.

Success is a paradox. There’s tension between achieving your aims and recognizing the path is not straightforward. Every time a school leader achieves certain goals—higher enrollment, new locations, greater profitability, more brand equity—these milestones come with their own challenges.

Join me for the third episode in my podcast series about the paradoxes of school leadership, where we explore:

• How success leads to impostor syndrome and new hurdles
• Why leaders paradoxically protect themselves from success
• Tangible ways success creates unique challenges for centers
• How to redefine your definition of success as you progress in your leadership
• Actionable steps you can take to prepare for the pros and cons of success

Want a written summary of this episode?

Grab it here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/paradox

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/membership/ 

 When certain aspects of our center spiral out of our control, we can either attempt to wrestle control back, or we can cultivate long-term stability and resilience. As you sit with the discomfort of the paradox of control, I would be honored to support you. During a Schools of Excellence Leadership Day Intensive, you’ll get a full day of on-demand, in-school training and coaching with me, plus various accountability check-ins, to help you and your team work through the paradoxes of leadership. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/leadership/

P.P.S. If you’re looking for the ongoing guidance, camaraderie, and support of a community of like-minded leaders as you grow as a leader, apply for our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs. As a member, you'll gain access to tools, resources, coaching, and community that will help you build a school of excellence. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/membership/

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.