Turnaround starts with taking Ownership

There are about 10% of our schools (about 2 500 school, with about 1.2 million learners) that will not change their current dismal and chaotic performance (this include those who got 0% pass rate), since they have not decided that they would like to change their current situation.  This is because there are no consequences to their continued unacceptable performance.  And with consequence, I mean, personal consequences like 'being demoted', or 'loosing your job', etc.  There is no other job, like in education, where someone can produce below 50% production, and still have the job, or not seriously being reprimanded.  Quite often, some of these principals are then 'promoted' to a higher level in the hope that they are now removed from the crisis arena - not knowing that a new crisis will be created wherever these people will land up.  We need to realise that 'promotion' will not improve the work ethics of people - When you give them a promotion, you are affirming and encouraging him/her to continue with the bad work ethics.  Promotion is not a cure to laziness!

Therefore, to turnaround your school, you need to take complete OWNERSHIP for the current state of your school.  You need to own up to the fact that you have not been AT YOUR BEST, whether it is by choice or not.  This acknowledgement will not necessarily change the PAST, but it will put you on a different track as far as the FUTURE is concerned.  Ownership, as a principal or any educational leaders, is to understand three components, namely:

1.  Understanding Who you are (the SELF) - what are your strengths, and your challenges?  These challenges, how can you overcome them by surrounding yourself with 'those who are good at what you are not good at'.  Ensuring that you are ready every day, more than 100%;

2.  Understanding Who you work with (OTHERS) - you need to know and understand your teachers, your SMT members, your parents, your learners, your community, and any other support structure that can add value to the school.  You need to know them deeply - what makes them get excited?, what saddens them?, what will they 'die' for?, etc.;

3.  Understanding What your context is (TERRAIN) - it is good to listen, read and consult others about what you need to do, but in the end, you know your context.  But never use your context as a debilitating tool - rather use your understanding of it as an enabling tool.  Look at what you have, compare to what others don't have, who are in different contexts.  "Always compare yourself with others who have less that you".  The way you look at your context will either enable or disable you to turnaround your school.

All of the above, is about THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT THINGS.  Sometimes your negative perceptions and/or interpretation of a situation could be as far as from the TRUTH or REALITY.  Often, the reality is what you make of it.  And if you want to make it to be BAD, then is will be easy to find the words and examples to justify your thinking.  So, Ownership is about CHANGING YOUR HEART about a situation - once done, your HEAD and HANDS will follow soon!