040 - Lead by Knowing How To Follow

As a current middle school principal Demetrius is committed to creating a climate and school culture that is welcoming and inclusive for all students and staff members and sees strong relationships as the key to helping students and staff thrive. Demetrius is constantly developing his knowledge and skills through connections and reflection.  Demetrius is a graduate of the United States Military, West Point, New York.  After graduation he served 5-years as a field artillery officer in the Army completing two tours in the Middle East.  He lives in Northern California with his wife, Valu, his West Point classmate, and 4 children.

Key Takeaways:

• Living in your community in which you lead is a way to increase authenticity and build relationships.
• If you can lead, you can lead.
• It's important to realize that you don't always see the big picture picture and yet you still have to move forward even if it isn't your idea.
• The people you lead take on your attitude whenever a new initiative is being implemented.
• It's critically important to have 1 on 1 conversations with staff as you move forward with your vision.
• Share student feedback with staff for impact and credibility.
• Hire people who have the skills in the areas in which you need to improve.
• Fight for the people you want to achieve the vision you have.
• You can't improve your situation if you don't try something different than what you've always done.
• You can't be a good leader unless you know how to be a good follower.
• You can only ask good questions if you are truly listening. 
• There's no point in having an open door if you aren't receptive to what people are saying.

Reach Out and Connect:

Twitter: @Demetrius_Ball

The Engage Podcast: https://anchor.fm/engagepodcast1

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.