Last week, I wrote about the importance of holding standards high as a leader – especially when the easy road suggests lowering them. I stand by those words; however, alone, those words are incomplete.
Holding high standards doesn’t mean that leaders become uncompromising taskmasters. Leaders must empathize with those they are charged with leading. In fact, if the standards are high, people will, despite their best efforts, fail to meet them from time to time. As leaders, it’s important to recognize and distinguish between when our people fail despite their best attempts and when they fail because they gave substandard effort. Last week’s message applied to the latter.
This week, I want to focus on the former. The person who tries, but fails. The student who studied for hours, but didn’t pass the test. The teacher who does everything right, but who receives a substandard growth report for the year. The Principal doing everything they can to positively change the culture of the school, but sees very little change in the actions of the people.
When we, as leaders, see these people, our job is to encourage them not to exhort them. Our duty is to help them look to the future not to dwell on the past. Our task is to offer hope rather than to remain stuck in the mire.
Perhaps Haley Lynn Gray said it best: “Don’t give a lecture to someone who needs a hug.”
As I look back on my career, I probably could have given a few less lectures and offered a few more hugs. As I look ahead to the rest of my career, I smile at the opportunity to do better.
What about you?
Choose to be Great!
Angelo
Published by Angelo DelliSanti
“Education? You don’t want to do that with your life. You’ve got other plans.” That’s what Angelo DelliSanti’s high school counselor told him his senior year. And she was right—at first. Angelo had spent three years preparing to become a U.S. Navy officer. But an internship with a math teacher during his senior year changed everything. Helping struggling students master algebra sparked a passion for education that would shape his career.
Over the next 15 years, Angelo served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal, returning to his alma mater to teach World History and later advancing to leadership roles. As a principal, Angelo implemented the Capturing Kids’ Hearts process, leading to remarkable academic gains, increased scholarships, record-breaking graduation rates, and improved school culture. These achievements earned him recognition as the Rowan-Salisbury Schools Principal of the Year in 2018.
In 2022, Angelo joined Capturing Kids’ Hearts as a Leadership Solutions Strategist where he is dedicated to working together with school leaders to create remarkable schools. He holds a Bachelor’s in History and Secondary Education from UNC Charlotte, where he was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. He also completed a Master’s in School Administration and completed all the required coursework for a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from his alma mater, earning the Outstanding Student Philip Morris Educational Fellowship in 2017.
Angelo lives in North Carolina with his wife, Kasey, whom he married in 2008. Together, they enjoy escapes to the mountains and beaches. Angelo’s passions include golf, non-fiction books, cooking, and sharing meals filled with laughter and connection around the table.
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CHOOSE TO BE GREAT 