As an educational leader, one of my favorite activities is meeting with potential business partners. I enjoy sharing our student’s capabilities and what they are learning, but I also love learning about their businesses.

During our initial meeting, we always start with the vision and mission of the organization. Next, we discuss the organizational structure and general business operations, including what a typical day looks like for the business.

I usually pepper the potential partner with questions as we tour the business. Why? My goal is to ensure we can create a win-win-win partnership. So the more I learn, the better experience we can create for our students and the business.

As we wrap up our meeting, one of the potential business partner hosts will inevitably comment on my understanding of business operations. They seem surprised by my knowledge level.

During a conversation with a business leader, I asked why they were surprised by my business knowledge? His response was the same response I have received multiple times.

So what was his response? “Most educational leaders do not understand business.”

When he finished, I just looked at him and smiled. Then, over the next several minutes, we discussed the similarities and differences between business and education.

I shared with him that educational leaders are business leaders. Our product is graduating students who will be the next generation of workers in the workforce. In addition, we manage budgets, facilities, maintenance, human capital, transportation, food service, medical, and other resources.

Additionally, we support business leaders and our communities. So, the output from education is the preparation of employees for business and future business owners. Therefore, education and business must be aligned.

”Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.

-Jack Welch

Therefore, my vision is to have graduates equipped with the skills they will need to compete in a global economy. In addition, building strong business partnerships creates real-world experiences for our students and helps prepare them to compete successfully.

So, are educational leaders business leaders? YES, THEY ARE!

#YourLeadershipGuide
Kim


Click HERE to listen to The MOORE Leadership Moment podcast and grow your leadership with experientially learned and researched-based leadership principles and best practices.

Lead Confidently
Expand Influence
Achieve Significance

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

You may also like

March 26, 2024

March 19, 2024

March 12, 2024

Dr. Kim Moore

About the author

I'm Kim, your Educational Leadership Guide. I equip educational leaders with research-based and experientially learned educational leadership principles and best practices to promote student success.


>