Searching and Finding
February 14, 2020
Even if you love your work, no one really wants to be at school on a Saturday. But at about 8 a.m., 10 of my colleagues have found their way to Browning. While there is serious conversation about coffee, the real anticipation focuses on the day ahead.
We’ve gathered on this chilly January morning to interview semi-finalist candidates for Browning’s Head of Lower School position. It’s a big commitment—16 hours over two days—but our faculty and staff are no strangers to taking on big commitments to help the School forward. The search chair and I asked these colleagues to join the search committee, and they all readily agreed. This didn’t surprise me; indeed, I believe virtually any member of our faculty and staff would have happily and skillfully served on the committee, so team-oriented and mission-driven is our adult community. As we settle in on Saturday, there is nervous energy and good-natured banter, and I’m excited to see this in our group.
I’m also excited by what I think is to come. My role for the weekend is merely to observe and having done this a few times before, I have a sense of what I’ll see. It turns out I’m correct, and it’s delightful. This is what I notice:
“Our faculty and staff are no strangers to taking on big commitments to help the School forward.”
First, there is an incredible amount of talent in our profession, and it’s on full display during the weekend. The slate of candidates who sit for interviews is collectively engaging, imaginative, curious, and good-humored. Sitting and watching, I come to appreciate why these applicants are so highly valued in their own school communities, and I feel humbled that they would want to bring their skills and commitment to Browning.
Second, it’s clear how many Browning folks have sacrificed to make this weekend succeed. From parent tour guides and school security to kitchen staff and special events planners, there are no tired looks or discouraging words—just genuine smiles, obvious competence, and generosity with their time. I hope it impresses the candidates; I know it impresses me.
Finally, I see just how much our colleagues care. In the interview room, they are wonderfully attentive to our guests—and they also laugh readily and warmly. One of them closes locker doors in the hallway, in the name of showing well for the candidates. Another brings chocolate to keep everyone sharp in the afternoon sessions. They authentically compliment each other on the smart questions they’ve asked and reassure one another that, yes, things are actually going as well as they seem to be. By the end of the weekend, they’re like a 10-piece jazz combo—anticipating each other, improvising and riffing, and creating an experience that is instructive and engaging for all involved.
The semi-finalist weekend begins as an attempt to find a school leader, but along the way it also—and perhaps inevitably—becomes an effort to find ourselves, to exhibit a reminder of what our culture is, how our people are, and what we can all do together. It’s a wonderful experience, one which simultaneously helps us find future leadership and affirms what is vital about our present. And that is something that makes coming to school on a Saturday worthwhile.