9 Steps to Take Your School to the Next Level

by Dave Kovar

To say that the past year and a half has been interesting would be an understatement. Most of us never saw 2020 coming — at least, I didn’t. I’m not going to lie: It’s been a challenging time for my school and me. But I’m proud to say that we’re coming out of it in pretty good shape. Thanks to the hard work of our amazing team, our loyal student body and a little help from the PPP, we’re coming back stronger than ever. In this column, I will share the nine steps we used to keep our momentum going in case your business needs a boost.

1          Acknowledge and accept where you are.

You can love your current situation or you can hate it, but that doesn’t change the fact that you are where you are. It’s a waste of time to try to wish it away. The sooner you acknowledge and accept where you are, the sooner you can start taking steps to get where you want to go.

2          Cultivate the belief that your best years are still ahead of you.

Too often, when things are challenging, our minds drift to back-in-the-day stories of when life was “perfect.” In reality, that time probably wasn’t as perfect or easy as you remember. Sometimes, our brains have a way of filtering out bad memories. Cultivating the belief that your best years are still ahead of you sets you on a more successful trajectory than does staying mired in the past.

3          Create a vision and visit it often.

It’s hard to get somewhere if you don’t know where you’re going. Be clear on what you want for your school, your health, your staff and your student body. This will help you know where to focus your attention.

4          Manage your time wisely.

I know many well-meaning people who major in minor things. They run around day in and day out, doing unimportant things — then wonder why they can never get anything done. Remember that there’s a difference between being effective and being efficient. Being effective means you’re doing the right things. Being efficient means you’re doing things right. Take the time to focus on the right things first, then focus on doing those things right.

5          Take purposeful action.

I’m not sure about you, but nothing feels better than relaxing at the end of a productive day. Sometimes, we wait for motivation before we are productive, but motivation follows action. If you want to get motivated, take meaningful action. Great stuff will begin to happen.

6          Stay the course.

How many people have I known who were incredibly intelligent, incredibly talented and incredibly hard-working but who never got close to their potential? A lot. Chances are you have, too. The ability to stay the course, also known as perseverance, can never be underestimated.

7          Adjust when necessary.

Staying the course and continuing to do a task that’s no longer needed or has become irrelevant are two different things. Rarely do we get it right out of the gate. Just like every great coach, you will have to deviate from your game plan from time to time. Just remember to do it for the right reasons.

8          Value your relationships above all.

Very few people would argue with the notion that it’s better to have friends than enemies. If you have some time and want to be productive but you’re not sure what to do, reach out and connect with a staff member, student or friend. It’s the right thing to do, and when you’re there for the people in your world when they need you, chances are good they’ll be there for you when you need them.

9          Take great care of yourself.

Focusing on your health is not selfish. It’s the most important thing you can do for your family, your students and your community. Remember that the world needs you at your best. Try to give it to them.

To contact Dave Kovar, send an email to [email protected].