Don’t walk in front of me…I may not follow

Recently, Rabbi Yisrael Reissman visited our community. During a speech, he quoted a Chazal regarding Mordechai to demonstrate the reality of leadership. The Chazal stated “Mordechai was accepted by most of his brothers”. By definition, Mordechai taking the position of leader made him only acceptable to most of the people. It would be impossible to be embraced by all.

It is well known what the Bais Halievi is reported to have said regarding a shul Rav- any Rav who the people don't want to throw out is not successful, but any Rav who they actually throw out is not a mentsch. I have often wondered what it is about leadership that causes such friction. Why must a leader accept this fate?

Here is where my thinking has brought me:

Any person who is in a position of making substantive decisions that affect many people, is going to cause friction. Leaders must weigh a number of complex factors that do not have clear black and white answers. When we make these decisions for ourselves we can accept the outcome because we have chartered our own course. But when someone else makes the choice for us, it is often difficult to focus on the entire equation and much easier to see the negative side.

The challenge of accepting another person’s leadership is difficult in any aspect of life, whether the environment is one of a family, workplace, or community system. There seem to be some specific factors that exist in an educational environment that can be particularly challenging. This is due to unique aspects that come into play for teachers in a school situation. These factors may include:

1. Educational decisions are often ambiguous. The best way for a teacher to deal with academic or behavior challenges is never clear. Often the impact of these decisions cannot be seen for years. Decisions regarding dress codes, suspensions, curriculum, expulsions and class changes are never simple and they always involve many people, values and implications.
2. Teachers are accustomed to a significant amount of autonomy. Every teacher’s classroom is his kingdom. Teachers get used to the control that comes with that environment. It is especially hard to embrace directives that encroach on that autonomy.
3. The roles of teachers are integrated into daily life. Many teachers have their own children in the classroom or a neighbor’s classroom, and the directives of the leader impact them quite personally. In some communities the teachers also feel that they reflect the school and serve as community ambassadors. The complex roles can make school policies more difficult to defend and support.

Like many challenges in life, the first step in dealing with them is to recognize that the issue exists. When the parties appreciate the inherit difficulty in accepting leadership directives they can begin to avoid quick and emotional negativity that corrodes any environment.

Here are some thoughts that may help mitigate the negativity:

1. Leaders are paid to lead and take the responsibility for their leadership. As a teacher you are not responsible for the outcomes of poor decision making. There is no need to take ownership of every decision made. A person will feel much more comfortable by letting go of this burden which is not his.
2. No leader is perfect. We do not have to look further than Moshe Rabbienu to see a leader who had faults and whose constituency questioned his authority. This is par for the course of leaders and the led. If teachers expect leaders to be super human and flawless then disappointment will be quick in coming.
3. Keep in mind the complexity of the issues being decided and appreciate that intelligent, well- meaning and competent people can easily see the other sides of the issue.
4. One final thing to consider is the very real possibility that you are not privy to all of the information involved in the decision. Often there can be additional sensitive information that only the leader is fully aware of. The knowledge of this information can explain much but for any number of reasons it may be never known to you.

Wise leaders will attempt to create responsive environment in which teachers feel that they have partners in many decisions. To the extent that this doesn’t exist, being a positive and supportive person is a better life policy than a critical one. Chazal have already emphasized this is the directive of being an “Aiyen Tov”. People with “good eyes” are able to discern the complexity of many issues and are able to avoid the pit of negativity and criticism that erodes work environments, relationships, and a schools' abilities to effectively teach torah.

Summer Sabbatical

We are well passed the half-way mark of the school year and day dreams of summer time have begun. There are some who advocate for a full year of school. At the past Torah Umesorah Convention’s “Ask the Gadol” session on Thursday night, a question was raised regarding our current summer break. It seemed to be unanimous amongst the Gedolim that our school year should be lengthened with breaks interspersed throughout the school year. Different cultures have different systems regarding the school year and I have not done any extensive research about this topic. Some Gedolim feel the break is unnecessary and students can produce more with more time in Yeshiva.

Regardless of the ideal school year size, current teachers are faced with a two month opportunity each year. There was a custom years ago for teachers to take a sabbatical after 7 years of teaching. The concept is that teaching is a very taxing and emotionally draining profession. Taking a year off allows the teacher to re-energize and explore an area of interest, so he can return to the profession with vigor, energy and emotional resolve. For a number of reasons, this custom is no longer practiced. However, the summer still provides teachers (and students) with a small taste of a sabbatical where similar rejuvenation can take place.

Unfortunately, most Rebbeim need to monetize these months by taking jobs in camps or other educational environments. This reality can impede the therapeutic nature of this time. I have been fortunate enough to have found summer opportunities that provide both emotional and financial substance.

For aspiring teachers, pulpit rabbis and community kollel members, these summers are invaluable. The summer provides the opportunity to try out the waters in various positions before making the serious commitment of a full time job. When I started out, I was unsure which aspect of “kli kodesh” I was meant for. I had the good fortune of tasting community kollel life by participating on a seed-type summer experience with Rabbi David Forman in Palo Alto California. I was also able to try out being a pulpit Rabbi in Sharon, Massachusetts and an elementary school rebbe at TA camp in Baltimore. These summers gave me real life experience in different areas, so when opportunities have come up, I have had a better idea of what kind of job I would appreciate.

I still look to summer for enrichment and growth. Summertime is a gift. With planning and Hashem’s help, one can find the time to make it a small sabbatical. Refreshing, rewarding and rejuvenating.