EPISODE #335

Hey, builders, before we begin, I have a quick question for you. Are we connected on social media? The reason I'm asking is because as much as I love giving you the podcast episode every single week, I'd love to take our relationship deeper. So if we're not connected on on social media, let's connect. I'm on LinkedIn @Robyn underscore Mindsteps. I'm on Twitter at Robin Underscore Mindsteps. I'm on on Facebook at Robyn Jackson. Please let's connect so we can keep the conversation going.

Now I'll on with the show. You're listening to the School Leadership Reimagined podcast, episode 335. How do builders like us make a dramatic difference in the lives of our students in spite of all the obstacles we face? How do you keep your vision for your school from being held hostage by resistant teachers, uncooperative parents, ridiculous district policies, or lack of time, money, or resources? If you're facing those challenges right now, here is where you'll find the answers, strategies, and actionable tips you need to overcome any obstacle you face. You don't have to wait to make a difference in the lives of the people you serve. You can turn your school into a success story right now with the people and resources you already have. Let's get started.

Hey, builders. Welcome to another episode of the School Leadership Reimagined podcast. 

I'm your host, Robin Jackson, and today I want to talk about why you might be doing everything consistently. You might be being very predictable, but you're still not seeing the results. There's a very important reason why, and I want to unpack it today on today's episode. So listen, every summer, I see the same thing. Principals map out these beautiful systems. They design schedules, they create outlines, they set clear expectations.

And for the first few weeks of school, you know, things start working. Seem. Seem to work out pretty well, right? And then October hits, and the routines start to become a little more unstable, and the systems that felt so solid in the summer start quietly falling apart, and teachers start slipping back into old habits. You start slipping back into old habits, and even though you're doing everything right, you're predictable, you're consistent, the results are just not showing up, and you are left wondering what's missing. Now, if that sounds familiar, this episode is gonna help you understand why doing everything right isn't enough and what actually does create lasting results. And by the end, you're gonna know how to turn all of that predictability and consistency into something far more Powerful, which is stability, something that people can count on. So today we're gonna unpack the subtle difference between being predictable and being consistent and being stable.

And why only one of those things truly builds trust and will drive your results. So. So I'm gonna give you a quick way at the end to test which one your school is being built on right now so that you'll know, and then I'm gonna show you how to fix it. So let's dive in. And I wanna start out by talking about predictability, right? Because on the surface, predictability seems like something we all want, right? Especially because right now things are so unpredictable in our world. So people are really craving predictability now more than ever.

Your kids are craving it, your teachers are craving it, because pre gives everybody a sense of control. Like, one of the biggest complaints I hear from principals all the time is that they go in every day with a plan, and every day something happens that takes them off their plan. As soon as they walk in a door, there's some monkey wrench somebody throws into their day. And it's almost like you can't plan your day. You can't have predictability, right? So we want predictability because predictability gives us this sense of control. Like, teachers want predictability too. They want to know when the data meetings are going to happen, they want to know what's due, they want to know how feedback's going to come.

So predictability is good, and so we know that intuitively.

So we create systems that we think are going to create predictability. So we have walkthrough schedules, we have PLC calendars, we have feedback cycles. But if you build those systems apart from your vision and your mission and your core values, you'll keep things organized, but you won't create alignment. And so that's where the trap happens. If you have things that are very organized, people can predict when things are going to happen, but they're not aligned with your vision, mission and core values. You can have predictable behavior but unpredictable impact. Like, people will know what's going to happen, but they're not going to understand why it's going to happen or why it's moving you towards your vision.

So, you know, think about it. Like being predictable can be good, but it can also be bad, Right, people? I have a friend, right, that who is predictably late. If she says she's going to be there at seven, we all know she's going to get there closer to eight. I will call her sometimes at like, you know, 6:45. Hey, you're on your way and you're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm walking out the door right now, but at 6:45 you live 30 minutes away, so. And, and she says she's walking out the door, but I know that she's not actually walking out the door, her shoes aren't on, her bag's not packed, she's still gotta go look for her coat. So I know that if I call her at 6:45 and she says she's walking out the door, she'll probably leave the house about 7, 7 10.

And I can expect her to show up sometime between 7:47 50. So she is predictable, but not in a good way, right? So if people can predict if you can be predictable, but you can be predictable in a way that actually undermines the trust, right? Sometimes I remember working for, as a teacher, working for an administrator, and he was predictably wishy washy, right? Like you, he would say something, make a declaration, and you just would wait because you knew that his mind was going to change a couple of more times before he actually meant it. And we could predict when we actually had to start working based on if it was the first iteration of his idea or the fifth iteration of his idea, right? So he was predictable, but not in a good way. So think about predictability that way.

Like if people can predict that your priorities are gonna change weekly or that your walkthroughs are always gonna focus on the wrong thing, then they'll start protecting themselves instead of moving forward. So just being predictable is not enough. Predictability is external. It tells people what to expect, but it doesn't tell them why they can expect it. It's it when you, when you're predictable without purpose, you're, you're, you, you look good, but things are not going to move. And if you are predictable in the wrong way, that's the cause of a lot of cynicism, right? So think about this like if your teachers have been around for a while, they can predict that the district is going to do something to turn things around or the district's gonna have a mandate and then abandon it 20, 20 minutes later, right? So a lot of the cynicism that you are seeing in schools, it's because people are predictable in the wrong way, right?

So once people learn your rhythm, but they don't understand the reason behind your rhythm, they become very, very cynical about it. And so a lot of the cynicism that you're seeing right now is the direct result of the wrong side of predictability. So if People can predict your next move, but they can't connect your moves to real meaning, that vision, that mission, that core values. Then your predictability looks polished and it feels orderly, but it's not going to change anything. All right? So it's not that we don't want predictability, but it. There are two sides to it. Right?

Now, let's talk about consistency, because consistency feels a little stronger than predictability, right? 

Like, you know, being consistent means being reliable. It means showing up in the same way every single time. You know, consistency is about habits and routines, and done right, consistency can create momentum. If I consistently eat right, I will become healthier. If I consistently exercise, I will become healthier, right? So people pride themselves on being consistent. You know, having the same routines, the same expectations.

But if you are consistent without alignment, then all you're doing is just kind of repeating the past. Like, you know, consistency can become its own kind of laziness, right? So think about it. You can be consistent at good things, you can be consistent at bad things. So the same way that you can consistently eat right, and you will get healthier, you can consistently, you know, eat an entire bag of chips and Oreo cookies every night while you consistently sit on the couch and watch tv, and you will consistently get more and more unhealthy, right? So a lot of times we. We pride ourselves on being consistency, but we're not interrogating all the ways that we are consistent. Like, are you consistently reactive?

Are you consistently late? Are you consistently enforcing a rule that doesn't make sense anymore? I mean, think about it. A treadmill is consistent, too. You are moving consistently on the treadmill, but you're not going anywhere, right? So it's only a virtue. Consistency is if it's aligned to the right thing. And if you're trying to build momentum by doing the same thing over and over and over again, but you're not doing the right things over and over again.

You are consistent, but you will consistently not get the results that you need, right? What makes consistency work is not just the act of being consistent. What makes consistency work is that you are consistently doing the right thing. So it's builders. We're not talking about consistency by doing as simply doing the same thing over and over and over again. It's about being consistent, about aligning our actions to our vision, to our mission and our core values. That's the only kind of consistency that matters. It's consistency with a purpose.

If your actions consistently echo your vision, your mission, your core values, they reinforce and build a Healthier culture. If your consistency, if you are consistently rooting everything you do in your vision, mission and core values, that ensures to you're doing the right thing over and over and over again, right? That's when consistency becomes really powerful. That's when it creates consistency instead of, again, just cynicism. So a lot of people are consistent and it makes them feel comfortable. But if your consistency is not rooted in your vision, mission and core values, that's when you are doing the same thing over and over and over again, but you're not doing the right thing over and over again. And that's why you feel like you're on a treadmill, and that's why you're not moving forward, right? So, you know, predictability and consistency both, you know, there are two sides to that, right?

And when we just focus on those things, it keeps us working, it keeps us on the treadmill, it keeps us doing the same thing over and over and over again, but not seeing the results. And so we're told consistency and predictability, those are the right things to do. And we go all in. And then we are wondering why we're not seeing results. And here's the reason. Because consistency and predictability don't create stability. They're not guaranteed to create stability. And what you're really after is stability.

What people are really wanting right now is stability. 

And that's what happens when your systems are so deeply grounded in your vision and mission and core values that they hold steady when everything else shifts. So think about what's happening in the world right now. Everything else is shifting. And people are looking for stability. And they will take. They're grabbing on to anything. Because think about it, in the middle of a storm, you want something that's going to hold.

You don't want to be blown around by every new whim, every new district mandate, every new political shift. You want something that's going to hold. And that's why stability is so important. Because stability is what people can actually count on. And it's not because you never change, but because they know why you change. And more important, they know what won't change. Think about that, right? Stable schools don't avoid change, right?

But they can absorb changes without losing their core. So when a new district mandate drops or a new curriculum rolls out, they can adapt because their purpose doesn't change, right? When you are focused on predictability, that depends on control, and consistency depends on discipline. But stability, that's just a matter of clarity. The more clear you and your team are about Your vision, your mission, and core values, the more you can take all the changes that are happening around you and make them make sense for your culture and for your school. You see, in a stable school, everybody knows what matters most. So that means that teachers can take creative risk because they know that the foundation is not going to change beneath them, right? So they can focus on the other parts because they know that these things are always going to be there and they're stable, right?

Students can push through challenges because they know that the adults are stable around them. They're not going to be panicking, they're not going to change next week. And that gives students safety to be able to take risk in your classroom, right? And then with stability, even you can pivot without feeling like a fraud, without feeling like you're losing your center, without feeling inconsistent or unpredictable, because you can pivot in ways that are consistent with your vision, mission, and core values. And when people know that you are always going to root your actions in your vision, mission, and core values, you then become predictable, right? So when you create systems, if you create all these systems and schedules and formats and protocols, but they are not grounded in your vision, mission, and core values, then they may make you feel organized, they may keep you keep things running for a while, but they'll eventually fall apart because they're not stable, right? But when you anchor everything in your vision, mission, and core values, you are stable, right?

So you can create momentum, you can create safety.

And that's what makes stability so powerful, because the purpose is embedded in the process. And so while predictability can often make people feel less anxious, right? Like, at least I know always what's going to happen, right? And consistency can make people feel more efficient. Stability is what makes people feel more courageous. It's what makes people feel more safe. It makes people feel safe enough to take risk without worrying that everything's going to fall apart around them. It gives people a place to go.

Hey, builders, real quick, before we get on with the rest of the episode, I want to talk to you about the 100% collective. If you are interested in becoming a builder and developing that 100% mindset, then the 100% collective is for you. Not only do we have monthly masterclasses, live masterclasses, where I show you how to take some work that you are already doing, but do it like a builder. Do it in a way that is more effective, more efficient, in a way that takes the work and stops it from being drudgery and makes it actually something that feels meaningful. That moves you forward. We also have done for you toolboxes with all the tools you need to be able to implement. And we have step by step playbooks that lay out the entire process for you so you don't have to even think about it. You just take the playbook and you can implement it right away in your schools.

And we have a supportive community. So this is a safe place where you can bring your challenges. And there are other people, other builders just like you, who are encouraging you, who are applauding you when you win, and who are giving you their experiences as well so that you can learn from each other. If you are tired of just kind of going through and doing the work the way you've always been doing it, and you're ready to stop being a leader and to start building something amazing, the 100% collective is where you need to be. Join us@brewershipuniversity.com community now. Back with the program. That's why we've been talking about resetting all month. This is why we did the October reset.

Because at the heart, the reason that things fall apart every October for so many schools is that they started the school year with this illusion that if I just put more systems in place, things would feel more consistent and if I made things more consistent, that my days wouldn't feel so unpredictable. And we're chasing predictability and consistency because that's what we've been told to chase. But what we really are looking for is stability. And stability doesn't happen because you bought a new system. And stability doesn't happen because you've been consistent. Stability only happens when you've built an anchor, when you have a clear vision that promises 100% for every student, when you have a mission that anchors that vision and creates this collective. Why people understand why we're doing this work. And you have a set of non negotiable core values that people can rely on even when everything else falls apart.

That's what creates stability. 

So as we wrap up reset Month, I want to give you a quick way to check where your school is right now. Is your school anchored in predictability? Is it anchored in consistency? Or is your school truly stable? Okay, so let's start with predictability. And I want you to ask yourself this question. When people think about you, what do they expect?

Do they expect you to always go back to your vision, mission and core values? Do they expect you to take actions that are anchored in your vision, mission and core values? Or have they come to expect that things are going to Change based on your stress level or your mood or your schedule. Right? Because people's expectations, if they're built around your personality, you're predictable. Right? But maybe not in a way that creates real stability for people. If you.

If your actions are built around your purpose, you're not only predictable, but they realize that you're principled and they can trust you more. Okay, now let's look at consistency. When you ask yourself, am I consistent because I'm doing things that are comfortable, or am I consistent because I continually take actions that are connected to our vision, mission, and core values? Because consistency without alignment is just a repeat of the past. We're doing things because this is the way we've always done them. But consistency, that's grounded in purpose. That's what builds a healthy, strong, reliable school culture. Right?

So you want to ask yourself, are we consistent because we're just doing things the way they've always been done? Am I consistent for consistency's sake, or am I consistent because everything I do is aligned with my vision, mission, and core values? Because if you are trying to be consistent for consistency's sake, you're going to veer between one of two poles. You're either going to be consistent because you're just. It's lazy. It's. It's. This is what we've always done, so this is easier, or you're going to be consistent because you're just.

Out of sheer discipline, you're just pushing things through. And if you feel like that right now, you're exhausting yourself and you're not going to get the results you're looking for. The only way to remain consistent, even under pressure, even under stress, is if you are focused not on what's happening around you, but. But does this align with our vision, mission, and core values? And then you don't have to worry about your discipline, which waivers. You don't have to worry about routine and falling into kind of the trap of being lazy and making decisions. You know that every decision you make is anchored, and every decision you make aligns with every other decision you make because they're all anchored in your vision, mission and core values. Okay?

Now let's test for stability.

Okay, so here's what I want you to ask yourself. This is a really important question. If you disappeared for a month, would the work still move forward? And that's a tough question, because some of us know that if we leave the building for a day, we're going to come back to a mess, and we would never even think about Leaving the building for a week. But if something happened to you for a month, would the work still move forward? Would it? Or would it veer off track or stop entirely?

Right. True stability means that your vision, your mission and your core values are so deeply embedded in the work that people do on a day to day basis that they will remain even when you are absent. You know, one of the highest compliments I was ever paid by school is I went back to school, the last school where I was an administrator, and I went back five years later, and five years later, they were still anchored in the core values. They were still doing work. The work had moved forward. It looked different than the work that I was doing when I was still there. But at its core, it was still anchored in a vision, mission and core values. And I'll be honest, I kind of felt, you know, this messes with your ego a little bit because it makes you realize that the work continues, that you're not, you're not integral to the work, that the, the work.

I don't, I mean, you are, but you aren't. Right? Like the work can happen without you. And so that can mess with your ego a little bit. But think about your legacy that when you leave a place you've. The work that you've done is so in, has become so embedded in the way they do things that they think it's their work, not just your work. Think about the relief that happens when you're no longer having to push to get stuff done.

Stuff gets done with or without you and it's moving in the right direction even when you're not there.

Right? So when you think about it, predictability, that's really what people expect from you. And consistency is what they see you do again and again. But stability is what they can count on, whether you are there or whether you're not. So the first two, they depend on your presence, but stability really depends on purpose. And that should give you a sigh of relief. Like, if you feel like you're carrying everything right now, you're the only one pushing things forward. It's probably because you've been so worried about chasing predictability and consistency that you haven't taken time to build stability.

But the good news is that stability is easily built, built. It's simply a matter of anchoring everything you do in your vision, your mission and your core values. Right? So that's why we've been talking about resetting all month long. It's really about getting back to your purpose and it's really about grounding everything you do in your purpose, because that will remain and stay steady even when everything else feels unstable. And once you're stable, you won't have to push for results anymore. Your systems start producing results for you. And so that's why we're doing this.

You know, next month, we're going to be taking this idea of stability even further because we're going to be looking at how to help your teachers create stability for your students so that we can stop reacting to, you know, student failure and we can start preventing it. So we're going to be talking about that in November. But if you want help embedding that kind of stability in your school right now and making sure that your systems are stable, not just consistent and predictable, that's exactly what we do inside of the 100% collective. And so if you join right now, not only will you get the entire archive of all the systems that we've built so far, but you're going to get a front row seat to the next system that we're building in November, which I'll be talking to you about next week, a little bit more. And you're going to want to be a part of that. Just, just trust me, it's so good, you're going to want to be a part of it. So just go to buildershipuniversity.com collective if you want to join the collective right now and start building this stability into the work that you do, creating systems that create stability. Right?

Because while predictability can keep things orderly and consistency can keep things familiar. Stability. Stability that's grounded in your vision and your mission and your core values. It's what finally makes things work. And here's the big. This is the thing that I get so excited about when I think about the difference between predictability, consistency and stability. Because remember, predictability is not wrong. It just could go either way.

Consistency isn't wrong. It just can go either way.

When you build stability first, it makes things more predictable and more consistent. So the problem isn't consistency and predictability. It's about where you focus first. We're so busy trying to make things predictable and consistent that we ignore stability and then our stuff falls apart. But when you build things that are stable, you make your results consistent and predictable. So when your systems are anchored in your vision, your mission, and your core values, you can stop chasing predictability and starting experiencing it.

You can stop trying to force yourself to be more consistent and actually become consistent. Because the more stable you are, the more predictable and consistent your results. And your growth will be. So here's a takeaway for the week. Let's stop chasing predictability and trying to force ourselves to be more consistent. Instead, let's create systems that provide real stability for you, for your teachers, and for your students so that you can see predictable growth and consistent growth. Like a builder. I'll talk to you next time.

Hey, if you're ready to get started being a builder right away, then I want to invite you to join us at Buildership University. It's our exclusive online community for builders just like you, where you'll be able to get the exact training that you need to turn your school into a success story right now, with the people and resources you already have. Inside, you'll find our best online courses, live trainings with me, tons of resources, templates and exemplars, and monthly live office hours with me where you can ask me anything and get my help on whatever challenge you're facing right now. If you're tired of hitting obstacle after obstacle and you're sick of tiny little incremental gains each year, if you're ready to make a dramatic difference in your school right now, then you need to join Buildership University. Just go to buildershipuniversity.com and get started writing your school success story today. Hey, real quick, before you go, if you enjoyed today's episode and you know someone who would really benefit from what you heard here today, maybe they're struggling with the thing that we talked about in today's episode, would you take a moment and share this episode with us? Them? You see, not only will it help us get the word about Buildership out to more people, but you're going to look like a rock star because you're going to give people something they can really use to help them get unstuck and be better at building their schools.

Plus, it would mean the world to me. Thanks so much and I'll see you next time.