Name: Brian Faulkner

Title: Principal

Organisation: Kaneland Harter Middle School

I am the principal at Kaneland Harter Middle School in Sugar Grove, Illinois. My focus has been simple from the very start of my career; give students what they need in order to be successful. I fully embrace teacher leadership, a shared leadership philosophy, and I look for creative ways our staff can collaborate, share, observe one-another, and continuously improve their craft. Saying I love what I do is an understatement. I’m on a mission to make a difference in the lives of each member of our learning community. #ProudtobeaKnight #kanelandpride

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Educational Leadership!

I hope Brian's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as an Educational Leader?

I think people that know me would find this surprising, but maintaining a positive attitude each day can sometimes be a challenge. As a leader, you tend to receive feedback when things aren’t going well and there are times when this feedback comes from multiple stakeholders. I love my job and it’s hard to not take this feedback personally. In any leadership role, you have to make decisions that won’t make everyone happy and even though I know this comes with the territory, it still doesn’t feel great to know my decision has affected someone. Due to this, I have found ways to shift my mindset when it wants to journey down a negative path and take a positive approach to my job. I’m always going to be an optimist and lead with a positive mindset.

2. How did you become an Educational Leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I’ve always wanted to be a principal and as a teacher, my principal knew this. He provided leadership opportunities for me to begin crafting my leadership style. I was a member of leadership teams in our building and I would occasionally sub as the Dean of Students if one of our Dean’s was absent. When there was an opening for a Dean of Students position across town, he was instrumental in helping me secure the job. Although I’ve had multiple administrative/leadership titles over the years (Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, Principal), I’ve worked with talented people that have helped me build my leadership style through mentoring, feedback, and guidance. To this day, I continue to focus on how to be the best leader possible. I am constantly evolving through experience and reflection.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

For me, everything starts the day/night before the next day. I look at my schedule of events for the day and prepare for them. I put everything in my google calendar. This ensures that I don’t miss meetings and I give myself plenty of time to prepare for upcoming events/activities/meetings. Much of my “paperwork” time is done after school hours. This allows more flexibility in my schedule during the day, which allows me to visit classrooms, hang out in the cafeteria during all three lunch periods, be in the hallway during passing periods, and attend extra curricular events. Being out in the building is my top priority.

4. What's a recent lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of as an Educational Leader?

A lesson I learned long ago and I’m constantly reminded of is that people are watching. I don’t mean that in a negative way. When you are in a leadership position, people observe how you handle situations and how you respond. I constantly coach myself to always remain grounded and focused on providing direction to my staff during times of need. I believe a leader’s confidence and ability to maintain a calm demeanor in all situations is a behavior that permeates throughout the building. Quiet confidence can be contagious and lead a building in accomplishing extraordinary things. I am reminded often that people are observing how I conduct and carry myself in all situations and I’m cognizant of this.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your journey as an Educational Leader so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted you?

What Great Principals Do Differently by Todd Whitaker. I read that book in one day because I found it engaging and an easy read. Todd offers simple and practical advice on being an effective principal. After every chapter, I thought to myself, “I can do that and I can do that starting right now.” Todd’s focus on helping principals build an environment that promotes all individuals to be the best version of themselves is what makes this book special. My focus as a principal has been to create the right conditions and environment for everyone to grow, thrive, and feel a part of our school. Todd’s book also inspired me to create a presentation of my own that I’ve given over the years at various conferences.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young educator who aspires to be an Educational Leader, what would you say to them?

Find a mentor who is willing to support you, guide you, and tell it like it is. Research shows that many new principals and administrators leave their leadership role within 2-3 years. I believe this has to do with a lack of mentoring that is available. I’ve created my own professional learning network with leaders I’ve gotten to know over the years. This group is a great resource for me when I need advice or during times I need to lean on their expertise. As a leader, you don’t have all the answers, but having other leaders that are willing to mentor, formally or informally, is imperative to your success.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as an Educational Leader, so far?

As a Dean, Assistant Principal, and Principal, I’ve had teachers tell me that my attitude, smile, laughter, and positive approach in everything I do sets the tone in our school. A teacher once joked, “if Brian can still be positive after everything he deals with, then we can all be positive.” While this isn’t necessarily a story, I share this because attitude is everything. Staff throughout the years have told me that my positivity is contagious and provides an overall positive learning environment. We are more likely to achieve our goals as educators in a positive environment and the stories shared with me about my positive leadership is motivation to continuously focus and build a positive school culture.