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Culture Matters · The Leaders Lounge - AASPA Podcast

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to ASPA's Promising Practices Podcast Series.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Alexis Chris, Meetings Coordinator with ASPA.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Today we are joined by Wendell Sumter, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources at Chester County School District.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome, Wendell.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: I'm glad to be here today.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Our promising practice topic for today is culture matters.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: Wendell, tell us more about this topic and how it can help you or your district.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think, you know, when we talk about culture, culture is what people feel, you know, when they walk into our buildings.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um, not just on a Tuesday, not just what's written on the wall, but it's um the tone when we walk in.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_01: It's the tone of meetings, it's how problems get solved, whether people feel safe and asking questions, or when they need help, do they feel comfortable?
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um and culture shows up in things like trust and energy and how people talk about the place that they work and how they talk about leadership.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because culture is not just about the building, but it's about the people that are in the building itself.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: When you say culture matters, what does that look like day to day?
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: And how does your idea that culture is care makes culture visible in daily leadership?
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: So again, um when we talk about the fact that culture is care, we're simply saying that um it becomes real um through consistent actions and um communication.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, for when people know that they matter, um, that their work matters, and that as a culture, we're going to support you so that you can do your work well.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um and when we talk about the part of being caring in culture, doesn't mean that we're going to lower the bar or our expectations are not where they need to be, but it's building the conditions where people actually can reach the level of expectation that we have.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and understanding that if people feel invisible and overwhelmed or disposable, that our entire culture suffers.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_01: If people feel seen and supported and respected, then our culture strengthens.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_01: So I can simply say that culture isn't just a program, but that culture is indeed a pattern.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: What are the clearest signs as an organization's culture is healthy versus slipping, especially during stressful seasons?
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: So a healthy culture doesn't mean that everything is going easy.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it means that when things get hard, people don't fall apart or turn on each other.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: In a healthy culture, you still hear problem solving, people assume good intent, and leaders communicate consistently.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: So there's a steadiness uh in the culture even under pressure.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_01: When culture is slipping, however, you begin to see quiet signals like less engagement, more negativity, um, people working in silos, and people stop offering ideas because they don't think that what they have to say matters.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you can also uh begin to see short fuses and conflicts rising, um, the level of collaboration uh drops, and people start protecting themselves instead of the mission.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, another big sign is when the response to stress uh becomes you know, add more, more meetings, uh, more initiatives, um, instead of how do we um take the things that we're doing and protect those things so that we can come make sure that we build the capacity of everybody in our culture?
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: That's when people start to feel like the work is endless and the support is limited.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: So stress reveals culture, it doesn't create it.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: In your view, what are two to three leadership behaviors that very quickly build a culture of care?
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: And what do they look like in a normal week?
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'll give you three behaviors that move culture fast because um they are simple and they're relatable.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: So specific recognition and recognition that's consistent, um, not just a great job, but naming the behavior and the impact.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: For example, the way you handle the family meeting um restored trust or your presentation saved time.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: In a normal week, that's about two minutes at the start of a meeting or a quick message the same day that something happens.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_01: Secondly, regular check-ins are very important that surface problems early.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_01: So even if a 10-minute check-in with a few study question, what's going well?
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_01: What's heavy for you today?
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: What do you need from me?
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, the point is making sure that it's consistent so don't so people don't have to be in a crisis to actually be heard.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: And then number three, relational trust in small moments, greeting people, remembering the details, being present.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it it sounds small, but in those moments, it builds relational equity so that when you have to deliver hard feedback or make tough decisions, people trust your intent.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_01: And if you do those three things, people feel seen, they feel supported, they feel connected, um, and culture improves without launching anything new.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, so sometimes, you know, I I've in my own situation, I've watched a simple recognition rhythm change a team's tone in weeks because people stop feeling invisible.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: How can leaders strengthen culture without launching one more initiative?
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: What's the simplest high-impact place to start?
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: So I'll I'll I think I'll just use a simple picture.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_01: If if the structure is shaky, adding more weight to it causes it to collapse.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of leaders feel pressure and respond by piling on more goals, more meetings, more programs, but culture, I find, doesn't improve from weight, it improves from reinforcement.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, the simplest high impact is to reduce the friction and increase support.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_01: Practically, that means doing a quick capacity check before adding anything new.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: What are we asking people to carry right now?
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_01: What can we pause, simplify, what can we clarify?
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_01: Then layer those in steady care behaviors, recognition, check-ins, because they cost little but create stability.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: So instead of what else do we do, or what can or you know, ask instead of that, what can we strengthen, what can we clarify?
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: I used to do this thing in my schools when I was a principal, and I do it now, even in my role as an HR um assistant superintendent.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: I do what I call tweak, seek, delete.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: So we tweak whatever we find that is working.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_01: If it's working well, let's tweak that.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: If it's something that is um that we're trying to find or improve something, we look for it.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_01: We seek something different.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: If it is something that we've been working on and we've been doing and it is just not working, we don't just hold on to it for the sake of we've done that before.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_01: What we do now is we delete it.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_01: So tweak, seek, delete.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_01: So instead of adding weight, we try to do what I call reinforce the structure.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: And when you reinforce the structure, you make sure that what you're doing is working so that people feel that you care enough to say, you know, say that, you know, if it's not, you know, getting my opinion that it is it working, is it not working, or do we need to find another solution?
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: All right, my last question.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: You connect caring for others with caring for yourselves.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: What boundaries or habits would leader would leaders model so the cultures can stay sustainable and people don't burn out?
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, wow.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: So burnout is something that I think a lot of people are experiencing or have experienced.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_01: You know, after COVID for sure, you know, people just felt that sense of burnout.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: I I heard it a lot as an HR director during those times.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um, as leaders, we actually set the temperature for that.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: If I model a nonstop urgency, constant availability and burnout, people learn that that's the standard.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: And even if I never say it out loud, but when leaders model healthy boundaries, it gives others permission to work in a sustainable way.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, I will say this that I find that, and and and I'm probably you know saying something, you know, I find that if um I decide, oh, hey, for example, I took a um a vacation last week.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I found that my um, you know, staff, they were shocked.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: They were like, you actually took time off during the week.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: It's not spring break, it's not the summer, it's not, you took you actually took time off during the year.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: And they said, You've never done that.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_01: And so by that example, I believe I gave them the opportunity to understand that you have to take time for yourself.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so by modeling that, I'm giving them permission because then this week, um, two of them decided, hey, I need to take three days off.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_01: You know, so I modeled that for them because I think you have to take care of yourself.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um, a few other practical matters that help with um balance is blocking time for deep work and don't apologize for it, setting communication expectations, not everything is a same-day emergency.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: Define what truly is.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_01: I generally tell my staff, hey, because I've had employees who I'm leaving at 4:30, they're leaving at 7:30, they're leaving at 8:30, and I've had to tell them, hey, guess what?
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_01: That same work is gonna be here in the morning.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_01: Don't stress yourself out staying three hours extra when you can come in and work on this tomorrow.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna it's gonna be there.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_01: Unless it's like a deadline that we have to have it completed by tomorrow morning, 8 a.m.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_01: That's different.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: But if it's something that's a normal part, listen, we're gonna we'll see you tomorrow.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_01: Go home, get some rest, enjoy your family, enjoy your grandchildren, because some moments we can never get back.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so we want to make sure that we set those expectations that everything is not the same day emergency.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_01: Create recovery rhythms, you know, sleep, reading, quiet time, whatever fuels you.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, name it out loud.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_01: If it's taking a break so I can show up well tomorrow, that normalizes uh sustainability.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_01: The point isn't self-care as luxury, it's a stewardship.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: If I'm depleted, I lead reactively.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_01: If I'm healthy, I lead intentionally, and that shapes culture.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: So a caring culture is built by leaders who are well enough to be consistent.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I think that's really um, really important as well.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have any final thoughts before we wrap up here today?
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I I just can't help but close by saying that culture is everything.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_01: Culture makes all the difference in the world as it relates to those who will be loyal to your organization, those who will um stick with you when the times get tough, um, and those who truly believe that you care about them beyond the work.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_01: I think that is so important to care for people beyond the work.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: You know, celebrate their birthdays, celebrate their children's uh graduations and celebrate those things that matter to them other than just you work for me.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: We work for each other, we work together, and we support each other, not just at work, but we support each other through life.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: And when even when somebody gets ill or a family member gets ill, you know, it's important to show empathy and show care during those times.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I just think that's so important.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I'll close with this.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_01: You know, my mother died of cancer um several years ago, about 10 years ago.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I took the time to be there for her.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: I took the time to be there whether she needed me at the hospital or whatever.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I don't regret it.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_01: And I tell people all the time you only get one mother, you get one family, you got to take care of that.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_01: And so we just have to make sure that we do those things.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_01: A caring culture will show people that you care and they will show their loyalty to you because you care for them.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: Wonderful.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Wendell, for sharing your insights and promising practices with our members.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: We invite you to join us next month and every first Wednesday of the month for our promising practices podcast series, where we will explore best practices for your district.