The Catholic school superintendents and their teams working in the 176 arch/dioceses across the country are indeed great leaders. A record-number of these leaders is currently gathered in Indianapolis for NCEA’s Catholic Leadership Summit for professional and leadership development.
Part of the week’s robust schedule is a two-day general session “To Nurture and Retain Great Catholic School Leaders.” This session is the third of a three-part leadership series that began in Los Angeles in February 2015. The first part centered on recruiting and hiring effective leaders of Catholic schools. The second part was during the 2015 Catholic Leadership Summit and focused on retaining effective leaders. This final part of the series focuses on nurturing and retaining great Catholic school leaders. Attendees allowed their assumptions to be challenged by looking outside their “traditional Catholic school box” and gained a fresh perspective with which to look at leadership issues.
Today, NCEA welcomed Dan Krug, General Manager of Digital Innovation for Nucor Corporation. Nucor Steel created mini mills that provided a more economical way to make steel while the other major steel companies continues to produce steel the same way they had for over a century. Nucor thrived while other steel companies struggled and that example of innovative leadership served as the basis for Mr. Krug’s presentation.
Mr. Krug’s presentation touched on three key areas of leadership: winning, beliefs and courage. Winning is determined about how you can answer the question, “what is your value: what are you offering that is different than others?” Beliefs refers to the ability to create your story, share it creatively and tell it over and over again. Finally, courage touched on the importance for leaders to find “first followers” and get them engaged.
Mr. Krug closed his presentation by sharing tips for hiring the best employees to ensure vitality of leadership mindset. Following the presentation, attendees engaged in a question and answer session, connecting Mr. Krug’s perspective to the area of Catholic education leadership.
The conversation “To Nurture and Retain Great Catholic School Leaders” will continue tomorrow, delving deeply into the similarities and difference between Catholic school education and the corporate sector to develop innovative approaches to nurturing and retaining great Catholic school leaders.
