Benefiting at work from Brain Based Insights

Dr. Bill Cala is really a leader’s leader… But for the past 9 years he’s been an Award Winning Superintendent of Schools here in Fairport ,   New York . Since he chose an early retirement from leadership here… in order to build and nurture schools in Kenya  , I wanted to glean Bill’s insights on …Leading with the Brain in Mind…before he leaves us in June to move on…. I asked Bill:

Just last week I met with strong leaders in this community who value your leadership… and the way you stand up for what you believe … the way you serve….and inspire others to reach higher…. All to say…why are you going to Africa , Bill … when you are so needed here…?  Everything is relative. I think when we talk poverty in the US… we are talking relatively…. Not that I mean to underestimate the struggles here at home – struggles like the recent Louisiana area disaster… You cannot help but be moved by the stories of human tragedy and human help…Yet…when we look at the unbelievable levels of poverty in places like Africa and India… poverty here does not compare…. Over half the world is desperately poor….

Most of my life in education was…for the most part… with well heeled people… although I have worked in poorer areas… We cannot be too parochial and we cannot continue to look after ourselves only. The majority of the world struggles with poverty like Africa and India… and that should be of concern to the rest of us… Three major purposes of education are …to make good people … to make good citizens… and to nurture the skills of individuals…. Any history lesson will tell you we have not done this well…. We are in a place in history now where those three are being ignored….

What is it about leadership in the US that offers us hope in such fast changing times…?  There are a large number people out there who really do care and who want to help… this African mission of mine has brought so many people I was unaware of…out of the woodwork…people  that I did not know existed.

The people you’d think would stand tall and lead and support efforts to eliminate poverty – don’t. What has surprised me…though… is the number of people who have come up to us and have reached out – that I did not know existed. They are amazing leaders … and yet quiet leaders. We had a very large donation that blew me away …from a very quiet leader in the community…. I cannot say the name because this person asked for anonymity.  There are typical people who might have everything in the area named after them --- and they get many hits on Google. So I Googled some of the leaders who approached us and saw they are very powerful leaders behind the scenes…. With few hits…but they inspire me. Their impact is great…even though they work from behind… I’d have to say that the hope you asked me about here is in the unknown – it is not in the obvious. We have hundreds and hundreds of people who have been a part of this effort in Africa and they have inspired me and inspired my wife…. They have helped us to know we are doing the right thing…. We were meant to leave what we have here to try to make a difference there… People who have supported us have affirmed our call to this work.

What were the greatest barriers to your leadership, as you see them, and have these changed over time…?  The barriers are standardization and conformity expectations. As long as we consider that good leaders are those who parrot their predecessors  -- we are in serious trouble....We need to help people to ask… Why?….  Without helping people to stand up and think differently…we will never invent…or solve problems …or cure diseases. If we solely measure people on the value only of what they can re-produce…or mass-produce…we are in serious danger…. It is frightening to see the increasing regulation of education – we need to teach others to be good citizens… We need to ask ourselves why we are doing things … and to challenge why we do them the way we do….

What surprised you most as a district leader?  Over the past nine years as superintendent of schools what surprised you most as leader… People who are attracted to the false security of tradition… and who are deathly afraid of being a part of change that affects their lives personally…. We have done a great deal differently here in Fairport education…and we’ve had a lot of support for what we have done well… but it makes some people very nervous to see anything that looks different from what they are used to seeing. For example….No Child Left Behind permits the military to get personal information through the school directory – and I was concerned that parents needed to be aware before personal student information was given out… Military leaders did not like the fact that we challenged this practice….but challenge we did… and after a  3-year battle ... we won… Now we include a place for parental consent on the back of a compulsory school information form that parents have to sign… and so most of these came back…and we sense that parents have made decisions about privacy or release of information…to which they are entitled…. There were supporters for the military and against parental input… that frankly surprised me…. I believe you should ask yourself as a leader – how would I feel if I were receiving this…I keep a pad on my desk to remind myself daily because ... as I make decisions I like to ask… how would I feel….if the decision was made for me….?

If you were advising young leaders today…what most important piece of advice would you offer to motivate great leadership for them…?  To be an outstanding leader you have to be one who listens… without listening to understand the audience that you are leading – you cannot lead them well…. I also think if you seek power and control you will never have it… There are any number of leaders who seek power and control and are not there for the genuine interests of their constituents…If you listen carefully and totally focus on those who you serve… you will have all the power and control by de facto to enable you to do the job… you will find amazing support to lead….

Bill, how can the rest of us support you and Joanne, and support the work you are doing to build a stronger community as you travel to work in Africa ?  Kenya is difficult in that it is a young government…only 40 years old… when we think back to the US at 40 years old…and we see gun slingers and all that goes with that…. So it’s very difficult to say what people can do…. People tend to want to collect things – but will it ever get there? My son was in the Peace Corp serving in Senegal ... and he never got a single package we sent to him…. That’s what happens in that kind of absolute poverty… it’s understandable… when people live with nothing. You can help our foundation Joining Hearts and Hands… This is a complete labor of love for Joanne and for me so that every thing we collect goes to to help people in the small village of   Maseno , where we will be. We are paying our own airfare, and our hotels and all our costs, so that all the foundation money will go completely to the work ... and to the schools we build... We are not taking any salaries but are funding our own needs, so that the complete funds can go into the work we do.... and into expenses for that work.... Possibly, the reason people are so generous is that they trust us ... and that trust is important to Joanne and me. Joining Hearts and Hands Foundation is located at 9 Fieldston Grove… Fairport 14450.  Or email jcala@rochester.rr.com to learn more about the foundation's plans to serve in Kenya.

Bill, you have been a model to many of us, in ways you stood up to the systems, you’ve been an award winning peacemaker … and in many ways you have inspired all of us to lead and serve better. On behalf of myself and the readers here at Brain Based Business who will enjoy reading your wisdom, I wish you and wish your wife Joanne well. Check out Leader Notes where other leaders have already seen sparks for change... from this rich story...

May roads rise up to meet you  in your new calling! Stay blessed Bill….and stay in touch!