Photo by Garrett Jackson
One quarter through this new year and you’re probably already behind on some of those aspirational goals that you set with the energy and optimism that the Christmas holidays brought. This is business as usual for most of us mortals and nothing to worry about, but over the last week we have also been treated to a list of the new Government’s own ‘to do’ priorities, and as faithful public servants, we are paying attention and starting to wonder what the nitty gritty details will mean . . . specifically what we will be required to do.
It’s a bit like the recent solar eclipse across North America – through the wonders of modern science pretty much everyone knew it was coming and understood what was happening, so it was merely interesting. 500 years ago, the same event would probably have caused terror.
Knowing something is coming and understanding what it will look like are two critical steps in avoiding worry. On the flip side, if the sun suddenly disappears and you have to make up your own explanation . . .
. . .
The great news is that we remain ‘self-managing’ schools here in New Zealand. We have the ability to create the ‘how’ of what happens each day. The ‘what’ is largely mandated, and this is no different with the latest set of Government priorities and aspirations.
A degree of autonomy is a degree of insurance in a time of change. Insurance against what? I suggest against any possible unhelpful and/or unreasonable policies with the word ‘possible’ being critical. It’s easy to see change as threatening and to lose objectivity even before that change arrives. At least we have half of the picture – we know our next wee eclipse moment is coming.
The bottomline is that significant change requires significant energy, and so the annoying gap between knowing change is coming and understanding what it will look like, is an opportunity to shore up our personal reserves.
Luckily, a Term break is right in front of us and with that freedom comes the opportunity to do things that mean we will be ready to deal with whatever is coming down the pipeline of new governance. I intend to get moving, get connected, and to do some more learning about how to sleep like the proverbial baby. What’s your plan?
Dave