Significant Career Lesson From a Charter School Administrator at a Middle School
Alma, a charter school principal and administrator, learned in her startup school environment and throughout her career to "always come with suggestions, not with complaints," finding this approach invaluable for improving situations and fostering collaboration, from teaching to administrative roles and even graduate studies. This proactive problem-solving strategy demonstrates a commitment to positive change and impactful contribution.
Leadership, Problem-Solving, Communication, Education, Administration
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alma Zepeda
Charter School Principal and Administrator
Middle School
Yale College 2012
Johns Hopkins School of Education, MS in Elementary Education, 2015
Political Science, American Studies
Education
Operations and Project Management
International Student, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Always offer solutions, not just complaints: Highlighting the importance of providing constructive feedback and suggesting improvements rather than simply pointing out problems. This is valuable in any professional setting.
2. Collaborative environment: Alma's experience in a startup charter school emphasizes the significance of collaboration and teamwork in achieving success. This is transferable to various fields.
3. Continuous learning and improvement: Alma's pursuit of an MBA demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and professional development, highlighting the value of ongoing education in career advancement and adapting to new challenges.
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
Beyond being a charter school, it was also a startup environment because we founded and grew the school together. I learned the most from that process: always come with suggestions, not complaints.
This has proven really useful to me at every step of my path, as a teacher, as an administrator, and even now in my MBA, working with administration at UCLA Anderson. If I have a complaint, disagreement, or something I think could be improved, it's not enough to just say it's not great or not well implemented and should be changed.
You have to come with an idea of what it should be changed to, or what you would prefer. This shows you're thinking about how things can be improved and that you're invested in improving them in a way that will serve you, your community, and others like you.
Too often, there are complaints without actual suggestions. This leaves people feeling like things aren't going well, they don't know how to fix it, and they don't know what they could do to help. It's always better to come with suggestions.
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