Challenge Day #23

Mike Benedetto

“They often made me look better than I am.” although said by Jack Welch CEO of GE it was a sentiment I had heard before.  One of the people who has greatly influenced my thinking about leadership and in particular leadership of change is Mike Benedetto.   When I first met Mike he was the associate superintendent of Monticello schools in Monticello Minnesota.  Later he served as the superintendent of the district.

Monticello Schools were involved with the program I facilitated MEEP (Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Program) and Mike was the lead in the district of the program and most other change efforts.  I greatly admired the respect his teachers had for him.  On several occasions several of the teachers from the district had attended trainings and spoken very highly of him.  He was a master at creating leaders not followers. 

His district was known for having some of the best trainers in Elements of Effective Instruction which was led by two of the teachers.  He was involved in the original training and in creating the roll-out in the district.  The trainers were involved with several other districts providing them training.  I was working closely with the district as three of their teachers were participating in an extended training experience I was hosting on Control Theory.  As the teachers participated they began to form an in-house training model.  Mr. Benedetto believed in developing and supporting those he supervised. He lived the idea that as a leader you are only as good as those you supervise.

One day sitting in his office we were discussing the possibility of him taking the role of superintendent as the present superintendent was retiring. He surprised me a bit when he said “I feel like I can do more from this position to move the district forward and support the teachers. If I was to become superintendent I would have to spend a lot of time and energy with the community and the board.  It would take me away from facilitating change.” Here was another leadership lesson for me – recognize what it is you are trying to accomplish and from which position you can best serve your mission. 

As we sat in his office I asked him to share with me what he felt was the key to the success he had experienced.  He chuckled and then replied, “I realized a long time ago that if my people look good I look good.  I try to figure out how to support those that want to make change. I also never take credit because in reality it’s the people I work with that are the real success.” 

I think the same is true as a parent, a teacher and leader – when you figure out how to support those that have the same goals that you do and get out of their way in the end that is success. Creating leaders is a great gift.