For school leaders, routine decisions are not so routine

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In the realm of leadership, decisions are often viewed through the lens of routine or regularity. It's easy to fall into the belief that some decisions are mundane and limited to navigating the daily operations of an organization. However, beneath this seemingly common surface lies a profound truth: no leadership decision is truly routine. Every choice, whether seemingly minor or monumental, has the potential to send ripples through the structure of an organization or impact an individual in ways that may extend beyond the vision of leaders.

Understanding the possible consequences of seemingly routine decisions is not only an important leadership skill; it is a necessity. Every leadership decision, regardless of its apparent simplicity, has the potential to have a much greater impact than it appears on the surface. Some examples illustrate this premise:

As a high school principal, a science teacher gave a student a final grade of F. The student had earned a 69.7 percent in the course. When asked about the grade, the teacher identified that her grading scale for a D started at 70 percent and did not round her grade. She felt it was important to hold her students to a high standard. The student would have to retake the course over the summer to graduate from high school. The student did not approach me, however, her parents did. Just like her Navy recruiter. The young woman planned to enlist in the Navy. If she couldn't go to basic training the week after graduating, she would lose the promised training option and she might not be able to get the job she wanted. The teacher was not willing to change the grade, but the law allowed the department head to change the grade if he wanted. The decision may seem routine, but the potential to impact the young woman's career after high school was significant.

A second situation is the high school principal who learns that the starting football quarterback violated the athletic code of conduct and was photographed with a beer in his hand at a party a week before school started. The student-athlete comes from a family that has many struggles and the possibility of his oldest son getting a football scholarship has given the family a new positive outlook. If the quarterback is suspended, both parents and the athletic director feel it will negatively impact his ability to earn a college athletic scholarship. Plus, the football team has a legitimate chance to win its conference and make the state playoffs for the first time in a decade. There is a lot of community enthusiasm for the team. At this point, the image has not appeared in the community and AD believes the issue will not become public knowledge.

In a third example, as the district attempts to reduce expenses ahead of potential budget cuts, the human resources director sends out an early retirement buyout offer. However, he did not do a thorough review of the eligible list. Several teachers who are technically ineligible receive the offer. It may seem like a minor mistake to the high school staff, but one of the teachers already told his wife about the offer and she is excited because they are eager to get closer to her children. He will now have to explain to his wife that the offer was withdrawn. It was the first time in several years that they were excited about the future. He is extremely stressed about having to explain that the human resources department made a mistake.

A final example, a bit old today, is the concept of IT change control. It was common for IT help desk staff to become frustrated when end users called bewildered about a minor software update. Historically, before the widespread adoption of cloud-based tools, where there is no local control over when the tools will be updated, it was common to update software only during academic holidays, particularly in the summer. This allowed staff enough time to train in using the updates and learn how the tools had changed. Often, IT staff would become frustrated with end users who “couldn't figure out minor changes.” However, from the end user's perspective, the changes were not routine and they had to learn new ways to complete their tasks. IT leaders should still be careful when making software changes, except during breaks and with proper warning.

These examples highlight how seemingly insignificant leadership decisions can profoundly impact people. While leaders may view some choices as routine, each holds the potential for unintended consequences that extend far beyond expectations. We must broaden our perspective to see how so-called minor calls can affect lives and communities in ways that are not evident.

Leaders must adopt a mindset that recognizes the potential gravity inherent in all decisions, even the smallest ones. Instead of making rash decisions, leaders should pause to reflect, gather opinions, and consider multiple points of view. However, that does not give leaders the excuse to delay decisions. That is one of the balances that leaders demand. They must be thoughtful and determined. While efficient operations are important, leaders must consider the impact of decisions on individuals.

As initially stated, the fabric of leadership harbors a profound yet often overlooked truth: no decision can be classified as mere routine. While leaders may be tempted to view the options as insignificant or mundane, each of them weaves the fabric of an organization and people's lives in complex ways.

Dr. Steve Baule is a member of the faculty of Winona State University (WSU), where he teaches in the Department of Leadership Education. Before joining WSU, Baule spent 28 years in K-12 school systems in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, and two years teaching in the University of Wisconsin system. For 13 years before moving to the university level, Baule served as superintendent of public schools. He has written ten books on a variety of educational and historical topics and has served on the editorial boards of two magazines. Baule earned an advanced diversity and equity certificate while in the University of Washington system. He holds a doctorate in educational technology from Northern Illinois University and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Loyola University Chicago.

Baule's academic interests focus on online student engagement, educational technology, particularly the impact of 1:1 implementations, social-emotional learning, and the history of education. Baule led several efforts to improve students' emotional health and reduce discipline problems before moving on to higher education. She also writes about aspects of early American history.

Baule has been a member of the American Association of School Administrators, the American Library Association, the American Association of School Librarians, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Consortium for School Networking, the International Association of School Librarians, the National Association of Secondary Schools Principals, the National Staff Development Council and many of its state affiliates. He has served as a consultant in the areas of educational technology, facility design, library program development, team building, and communications.

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