Just over a week ago, we submitted our summer edition of SchoolCEO to the printer. Since we publish quarterly (subscribe to the print version here ), every deadline is the culmination of three solid months of work—so it’s always a relief to get the current issue off our desks.
But as soon as we wrap up one issue (and honestly, even before), work on the next begins. It’s a little Sisyphean: We spend three months pushing this massive boulder up a hill, and before we can even celebrate the accomplishment, it rolls right back down the other side. Time to start over.
A school year is much the same way. Before students even walk across the stage at graduation, you’re already gearing up for next year—whether that means recruiting teachers, working to boost enrollment, maintaining relationships with families, or all that and more. Summer “break” is not a break (though hopefully you’re making at least a little time for yourself); it’s just as busy as the rest of the year, if not more so.
So how do you stay motivated enough to keep rolling that boulder up the hill—even knowing that in another year’s time, it’ll roll right back down again?
A perennial favorite book of ours at SchoolCEO is Primed to Perform by husband-and-wife team Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor. The book is all about the science of motivation, and in it, Doshi and McGregor lay out the three motives that drive people to do their best work: play, purpose and potential. At the risk of oversimplifying, here’s a quick rundown of all three:
When we do something because we believe it will eventually lead to something important, we’re motivated by potential. (Example: You work in public schools because you want to help shape the next generation of citizens and leaders.)
When we do something because we want the immediate outcome it will produce, we’re motivated by purpose. (Example: You maintain relationships with families over the summer to keep them from switching schools or to prevent summer slide.)
When we do something simply because we enjoy it, we’re motivated by play. (Example: You go to that Friday night football game not just because you’re the superintendent, but because you genuinely love supporting the team.)
The key to staying motivated is to recognize, maximize and reflect on your sources of play, purpose and potential. Rolling the proverbial boulder up the hill year after year is a lot easier when you know the view from the top will be worth it—and if you can find joy in the climb
One question for you
What parts of your job—whether you're a superintendent, a school communicator, a CTO, or another role—feel like play to you?
Email us at editor@schoolceo.com or book a time on our calendar and let us know.
Two resources to help
1. In this Q&A, we sat down with Neel Doshi (a past SchoolCEO Conference keynote speaker) to discuss how you can use the science of motivation to influence not just yourself, but your entire school culture. How can you prevent teacher burnout? What will it take to keep your staff engaged in their critical work? As Doshi explains, the levels of motivation in your schools are very much within your control—if you have the right tools. —Read the interview here
2. As you start to plan next year’s professional development offerings, consider how PD can contribute to—or detract from—your teachers’ motivation. Does your current professional development strategy spark and indulge your staff’s sense of play? If not, you’re leaving their strongest source of motivation untapped. —Read "Primed for PD" here
Three ideas to get you thinking
1. "In the age of school choice, advertising what your school does well is more important than ever—but it’s not enough to simply tell families what your district offers. First, you have to get their attention." —Read Award-Winning Websites We Love
2. “Today, when new parents are choosing a district, most go online before ever setting foot in your schools. So in order to get out into your community, you need to get in their search results.” —listen to the SchoolCEO Podcast episode "SEO for School Choice"
3. We want to know what YOU think. Do you read SchoolCEO magazine? Take part in our reader survey and tell us what types of articles you enjoy reading.