I got all that plus an unexpected bonus: inspiration in the form of a spunky, five-foot-tall mountain climber.
Alison Levine, one of NACUBO’s general session speakers, is an American sportswoman, explorer and entrepreneur. She has ascended the highest peaks on every continent and skied both the North and South Poles. In her book, On the Edge: the Art of High-Impact Leadership, she artfully and humorously describes adventures that include two journeys to the top of Mt. Everest, as well as the leadership lessons derived from them. She blew me away with her courage, her willpower and the clarity of her message.
We are "not a failure-tolerant society," Levine recognizes, yet "there is as much to learn from others’ failures as their successes." In fact, though she failed in her first attempt to ascend Mt. Everest, that effort’s lessons guided her successful ascent 10 years later. This reminded me that we tend to give a lot of lip service in our schools and organizations to the virtues of failure, yet it’s hard to find examples of bold steps leading to failure. How can we possibly learn from something we simply don’t like to discuss?
Let me explain. In the current school environment, risking failure can potentially mean lowering enrollment or, in the worst case scenario, closing the doors at some schools. However, doing the same or nothing may not be an option. Where can you find courageous examples of schools taking steps that are bold and different—that bring risk as well as potential rewards? Alternatively, how often are you willing to share what didn’t work at your school? Will other schools perceive it as weak, or possibly see you as less professional for trying something new or innovative that didn’t pay off?
Levine reminded me that there is in fact a sense of pride in being the first to stick your neck out and defy conventional wisdom—even if you’re not entirely successful.
Perhaps the most important lesson I learned from Levine involved mountain climbing itself. I didn’t know that when climbers attempt to reach a peak as high as Mt. Everest, they actually return to base camp several times as part of the journey. That is, after they reach camp one, they return to base camp. They then climb to camp two—and return to base camp. And so on. Levine’s lesson is that "to reach the highest peaks you may need to go back to make progress."
Who sees the world that way? Progress means always moving forward, right? Maybe not. In a recent discussion with the NBOA Board, in fact, we acknowledged that continuous membership growth may not always be a success measure for the association. Levine helped me reframe what progress can look like to schools that are striving to do more, add value, grow enrollment, etc. There is more to learn from Levine and her journey, and I plan to do just that. Each year the NBOA staff selects a book for our book club. There is no doubt what this year’s selection will be. If you’re looking for summer inspiration to think differently about your work and the school year ahead, I encourage you to take in Alison Levine’s leadership lessons. You’ll be glad you did.
