Lori Phillips: It has to be something that we are living and breathing every day, which is why it hangs on my wall.

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Introduction

Janet Pilcher: Hello, everyone. Welcome to Accelerate Your Performance. I’m your host, Janet Pilcher. As I’ve especially been enjoying our current series, “Leaders as Great Coaches of Teams.” We’ve already had the privilege of hearing from some truly exceptional leaders so far this year, leaders who have generously shared their stories, strategies and tools for achieving positive change.

Today, I’m excited to bring you a brand new interview with a leader who’s at the heart of continuous improvement work. Lori Phillips, principal of Oak Grove Elementary School, joins us today to talk about how she uses the scorecard to drive school improvement. Lori has been in education for over 20 years, having previously taught second, fourth and fifth grades. She’s also served several years in administration, but one thing that really stands out about Lori is her commitment to her students, families, and staff. You can see that and hear that from Lori. Whether greeting students in the car line or pitching in to clean the cafeteria, she leads by example.

Today, Lori shares how she uses scorecards to create direction and alignment within her school. In fact, the scorecard hangs on the wall behind her desk so she can keep it visible and refer to it in daily conversations. The scorecard is always at the top of mind at Oak Grove.

Let’s dive in and hear how the scorecard drives results and affects the overall school culture.

Interview

Janet Pilcher: It’s with great pleasure that I welcome Lori Phillips to our show today. Lori, welcome.

Lori Phillips: Thank you for having me. I’m excited to be here.

Janet Pilcher: Yeah, I’m excited about this, too, because we’re going to focus quite a bit on the scorecard process and you as a principal are really using that scorecard to drive your results. So I’m really excited about this conversation and how you do that. So let’s get started.

As we talk, KK is your coach and so we connected with KK and she’s, you know, recommended the work that you do and speaks highly of you, Lori. So as you’ve been working on building that strategic direction and alignment, you’ve used a scorecard. And as we talked about, KK really talks about you using that scorecard to drive your everyday actions. So tell us a little bit about what that looks like for you.

Lori Phillips: One of the things that I have to say about the scorecard is it came in our, into our district at a time when we had a lot of initiatives going on. So it was very important to me that in developing the scorecard, it really became something that was important work that we all cared about and that would surpass me. So it has to be something that we are living and breathing every day, which is why it hangs on my wall. So it’s my constant reminder when I come in. It’s something we reference all the time. It really, I think looking at it every day helps to keep me on course.

So what we did initially with the scorecard is we sat down and we just talked about what initiatives do we have that we are really looking to continue and what areas are we looking to do better in? And so as a staff, we really came together and we found some areas that we wanted to achieve in and that’s where our scorecard was developed. That way, too, I really feel like our team, my staff, owns that scorecard because the things that we are measuring and the things that we are constantly reminded of are the things that are important to us.

And there are things that they’re not mine alone. They’re ours and they do drive our instruction. So we do have that instructional goal, but we also have those community partnership goals. And we have a goal for innovation and efficiency and how we do things better on our campus just by making small tweaks. But we also have given specific time to looking at the data and taking those dipstick measurements. Every week on Wednesday, we come together and we look at some piece of that scorecard and we really do look at that measurement and we have a clear reality of where we’re going. It’s just something that we have to do. And really making our staff aware of what we’re doing, it doesn’t feel like one more thing. It really is something that we live and breathe and it does drive everything we do because we’re aware of it and we’re intentionally measuring things and we’ve made huge progress because of that.

Janet Pilcher: Yeah, so we’ll talk about, that’s great. And talk about two things. One, that you’re highlighting. We’ll first talk about how it changed school culture and then talk about it is driving your results. But as you’re engaging in those conversations with your teachers and your staff, Lori, how has it affected the school culture?

Lori Phillips: Well, so this is the end of my third year here on this campus. And this was a culture of, like many teachers, we teach in silos, right?

Janet Pilcher: Yeah.

Lori Phillips: Door is closed and I’m working and that’s it. So I had to kind of chip away at that a little bit. And the way that I, I only know how to be who I am. I’m very transparent. My staff, I’m as transparent with them as I can possibly be. They know the ins and outs. They know my budget. They know, you name it, right? So we really came to a place where we were going to have those hard conversations, even if they were a little bit uncomfortable. And in the beginning, some of them were very uncomfortable.

When you start talking about data and you start talking about really specific data, people get a little bit uncomfortable because it’s very personal and it feels like well I’m doing something wrong. And so we had to come to a place where we could put our data on the wall and we could talk about how we’re improving or where we need support. And we did that.

And it took a good year and a half for us to get there as a team. I also really relied on the experts. I don’t know everything. So saying to someone who’s been teaching for 30 years, “What do you think about that? How where would you go with that?” And letting them learn from each other has been really huge. And it has changed culture because I have a team of risk takers. I have a team that is willing to try new things. They are deep in those PDSA cycles and that constant refinement because it’s okay to try. It’s okay to abandon after we’ve tried and it doesn’t go the way we thought it was going to.

But the thing that’s really coming from that is now that my staff is comfortable, now our kids are data tracking. And our kids are in those constant refinement cycles, setting their own goals, really being able to speak to “this goal is important to me, and I want to do this because this.” So we really are a team that is in it together 110%. You need me to come model, I’ll come model. You need me to come watch your class so you can go see that happening somewhere else, I’m in, let’s go. I really do believe it’s that transparency and that full sense of reality in knowing the numbers, knowing where you are, and then deciding what we’re going to do about it. We don’t have to stay stuck. We can do something about it to change that data.

Janet Pilcher: Yeah. And, you know, Lori, as you’re talking too it’s, as they’re looking at the data, it’s engaging in those conversations with each other, with each other, with their students. I mean, it’s that, it takes that intimidation out of it because we’re really engaging in conversations on what’s working, what’s not working, how do we improve and really build in that culture? That’s a culture, I always say culture and strategy really work hand in hand together because it’s strategically what we’re doing. And we engage people in the conversation about that using data as a source to help us. You know, that really is a great marriage to move things forward in a positive way. And that’s just a great example of how you’re doing that at the school level all the way down to the classroom level with the kids.

Lori Phillips: And actually, we really got into a rhythm during our Wednesday meeting time. Our district releases at one o’clock every Wednesday. And so that is our staff time. And we came together and we started teaching each other. I would pair kindergarten up with sixth grade and they would start, you know, teaching a math lesson and they started to see those commonalities. And really, it became the reason why we needed to share with each other and why we need to see those data pieces all the way, TK, transitional kindergarten all the way to sixth grade. We need to see those pieces because it is a puzzle. We all fit together somehow.

It’s not, “No, I had that kid three years ago.” It’s, “What are we doing about it now? What foundational skills could I provide? How can I help you?” So we really are a team. And if you’re not on the team, it’s really obvious, and it’s uncomfortable to not be part of the team. And so I don’t run into that too much because that is just, it’s how we do business. And that’s the end of it.

Janet Pilcher: Yeah, I’ve always found most teachers and staff will come with you when they understand how what they do and why what they do is important and how they’re connected to that. Such nice work. So let’s then talk a little bit about, as you’re using the scorecard, engaging teachers and staff in the conversations, you know, how has that driven some of your results?

Lori Phillips: So that has really been one of the biggest indicators of our results is having those conversations. So we are doing data chats with our teams. I’m asking them, of course, they have identified the area that they are really focusing in on. We’ve identified like a site-wide goal and we all work on that goal together. This year we’re working on writing. So we’re all calibrating together. We’re sitting. We’re taking that piece of writing. We’re calibrating. We’re comparing results. And then we break down in smaller chunks. I have my mentor teacher working with grade levels individually to help drive those data pieces or those data points.

And honestly, the more we’re in it, the more reflective the team has become. They really are becoming responsive in the way that they are teaching their students because they’re able to have that data right now. I can make that change right now. I don’t have to wait until the next benchmark. I’m doing this every Wednesday. We have time built in every Wednesday where they sit down and they log their results individually. They reflect. And then we talk about it as a team. They work with their grade level. And then we move into bigger teams, but we’re talking about that reflection constantly. What group of kids can you move?

We really, I mean, they’re working with our intervention staff. We have our intervention staff pushing into the classrooms even to support that work at the ground level. So teachers working with a group, intervention staff is working with a group. We have multiple groups of kids being supported at the same time, but we all know the data. Intervention staff knows the data. Teacher knows the data. And then on Wednesday, we’re looking and we’re comparing the data. And it’s not in a way that I’m micro-managing. “I need to know the data because I’m, you know, I’m the boss and I need to know the data. It’s because I need to help you. I want to support you. I want to celebrate you. Let’s celebrate those kids that you’re moving.”

And we always find that celebration in everything we do. There’s progress, no matter how small. So that’s definitely, I think, has brought a lot of value to the work that they do every day in the classroom. But that’s all the way down to my yard duty supervisors. That’s my cafeteria staff. They have their own PDSA cycles going on all over the place. It’s not just in the classroom. I’m talking everywhere. All the adults are on board.

Janet Pilcher: That’s so good. Yeah. And sometimes we forget about some of the, you know, the people beyond the classroom who are very critical to really supporting students every day and just being part of that broad culture.

So let’s take it up a little bit. Just talking about leadership as we look at our last couple of questions, Lori. Just love what you’re doing with your teachers and your staff and just the leadership that you provide to them. You know, I have, I’ve been finding myself as I’ve gone into this year, just thinking about the, and saying that it’s hard to be a great leader until our teams are really great, until we’ve led well and we’ve led our teams well and our teams are performing. And as you’re talking about seeking input, listening to feedback, probing for understanding, applying that feedback, making those adjustments, you know, those are all important aspects of how we lead well. You know, what role do these type of actions play with your parents and teachers in that strategic direction and, you know, what role does it play in execution in terms of how you lead them and they rely on you as that leader?

Lori Phillips: So we are, and when I say we, I mean everybody, my parents, my staff, my students, we are a team. And in order to get parents on board with a lot of these things, they need to know that we are working together. So the first face they see every morning on this campus is mine. I’m at the gate every single morning. I’m greeting those students, I’m calling them by name. Knowing somebody’s name is powerful. And parents are always, I get one of two reactions on that. It’s always, “Wow, the principal knows your name,” or, “Wow, I don’t think my principal ever knew my name.” And names are important and knowing their name and knowing their story is really important. So I’m very hands on in that way.

The other thing is my vice principal and I, we do afternoon car duty, so we’re putting those kids in cars. And when those parents pull up and you know whose car it is as they’re pulling down the drive, that’s impressive to parents, too. And they appreciate that because they know you know their student and you know them.

The other thing with parents is we’ve invited them in for parent nights. So we do a lot of different, we’re a Leader in Me campus, and so a lot of our nights are geared around those. And we’ve invited them in. “Come and do a craft with your kid. Come and do a craft. We’ll talk to you a little bit, but you know just come in and be part of our community.” We’re very welcoming of our families. We also are really good with the communication piece. They know what’s going on. They have plenty of time to know what’s going on. But we are, we really are raising these kids together. I have more custody of these kids than their parents do. [laughs]

I know the ins and outs. So, you know, just knowing that I really do care about their kids. This whole staff cares about their kids. I am blessed with the most amazing staff, I’ll tell you that. And I really do lead with my whole heart and my team at the forefront.

So again, I’m transparent. If there’s something you need to know, you’ll know. I send my weekly updates every Friday so they know what’s coming the next week. When we’re in a Wednesday meeting, they’re prepared for what’s coming up. They’re never caught off guard unless it’s something, some emergency that we didn’t know about, right? And that happens. But I don’t have all the answers and I’m very honest with them about that. I do lean on my team a lot to be the experts that they are. A lot of the time for our Wednesday meetings, I’ll call on one of them. “Hey, can you present to the rest of the staff? I really like what you’re doing. I think you should share that.” And they love to be celebrated in that way. They are professionals. They are the experts in what they do.

And I think for me, I will never lose that teacher piece of me. And I’ve worked for some administrators that didn’t see the good in what they had, right? I just see that this staff is amazing, and we are very fortunate to work for a district that allows us to be part of things like Studer Education, where we are able to take data and bring meaning to what we’re doing. I would never ask my staff to do something I didn’t believe in. And I’m transparent in that. And I really do believe in the scorecard and the work that we do because we have seen the payoff. We have seen our scores increase as far as state testing. Our attendance has increased. Our behavior incidents have decreased significantly. We go weeks and weeks and weeks without a discipline issue on this campus. But it’s because we are all rowing in the same direction.

Janet Pilcher: Yeah.

Lori Phillips: We are doing that intentional work. We have our behavior campaigns. The kids know what their expectations are. They know what we’re going to do if we don’t meet those expectations, right? We’re going to, we have those processes in place and all of the adults on this campus understand those processes and are all using the same processes. And it took a long time for us to build those, but we built them together. These aren’t mine. These are ours together. And I think that is how I have gotten this team to be where they are is just by making them a part of that process.

I am not a top-down leader. I am a servant leader. 110%. I wash tables. I mop floors. I do all the things that, you know, I would never ask my teachers to do, but I do them because this is my home. And I spend a lot of hours here. I want my kids to be comfortable to learn here. I want my staff to be proud to teach here. And so I’ll do whatever it takes to get to that point. So this group of people, they are also transparent and they’re willing to do a lot of things that maybe they weren’t willing to do three years ago, but they are now for sure.

Janet Pilcher: Yeah. And I think, you know, it’s not an overnight solution. You know, I think I hear that going. It’s hard work. It’s heavy lifting. I usually say to people, you know, this work can be meaningful and you can get good outcomes, but it’s heavy lifting. And it takes, it takes a leader to be a good coach to their team and to really grow in our leadership as we’re coaching our teams. I’ve included myself in that as a leader of our team, but it’s a process and it’s a continued process of how we continue to engage in those conversations.

And so, you know, just as we close, if there’s one thing, you know, as you think about reflecting on, on yourself and thinking about the process and being a good coach to your team, what’s the one thing that’s just made you a better leader in this process?

Lori Phillips: Coaches don’t win games. Teams do.

Janet Pilcher: Yeah.

Lori Phillips: If I can prepare my team to do the work and I can bring any type of value to that work and help them recognize that they’re changing lives. These are children who are going to grow up to be doctors and lawyers or plumbers and electricians. And, you know, these are the kids that are going to be leading our country someday. That happens because of us. And so I want them to understand how impactful every word of every day is and to have them prepared to play the game is the best thing I can do as a coach. Just prepare them to play. We don’t have to play to win, but we have to play a game that we are proud of at the end of the day.

Janet Pilcher: Yes. And continue to get better and better and strive for excellence every day, which you do, which you do with your team. So grateful to you, Lori, grateful for your leadership, grateful for what you do at your school and the impact that you make on kids and families. Thank you.

Lori Phillips: Thank you.

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Conclusion

Janet Pilcher Lori said, “Coaches don’t win games, teams do.” It’s clear that she values both her team and their achievements. Thank you, Lori, for prioritizing both people and results and for being such a consistent leader for your staff and students.

As we close today, I’d like to invite you to leave a rating or review this Accelerate Your Performance podcast. I love connecting with you and building this community of leaders. Whether you use Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or another platform, your feedback is a gift to us. And it helps us know where you’re finding value and how we can improve.

And thank you, as always, for tuning into this episode of Accelerate Your Performance. I hope to see you and connect with you next time as we dive into short cycles of improvement with Dr. Ed Manansala. Have a great week, everyone.