Most Important Skills for an Associate Director of Professional Learning at Rocketship Public Schools
Lauren, Associate Director of Professional Learning at Rocketship Public Schools, emphasizes the importance of "self-discipline" and time management skills for success in their role, creating "a weekly schedule" to stay on track amidst multiple concurrent projects. The ability to "influence and have accountability with people," even without direct management, and to effectively communicate needs to senior colleagues are also crucial skills.
Project Management, Time Management, Communication, Influence and Accountability, Collaboration
Advizer Information
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Lauren Keough
Associate Director of Professional Learning
Rocketship Public Schools
UCLA - 2008
Lehman College - CUNY (2010) - Masters of Arts in Social Studies Education & Stanford University (2019) - Masters in Policy, Organization & Leadership Studies
History, Art History
Education
Education
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Excellent time management and self-discipline are crucial for success, requiring the ability to create and stick to a detailed schedule to stay on track.
2. The ability to juggle multiple projects concurrently, shift gears mentally between tasks, and effectively manage priorities is essential.
3. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively and influence others, even those in senior positions, are vital for achieving results and maintaining accountability.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
I'm sure you have your own time because it's not as regimented as a school-based position or having college classes. No one is here breathing down my neck, asking if I got my work done or if I did that thing.
I can easily not do what I need to do if I don't want to, and that's not great unless you're pretty regimented and disciplined with your time. So, I make myself a weekly schedule where I break down my time into half-hour increments, and I really have to stick to it as much as I can.
I also think the ability to work on four completely different projects at the same time, concurrently, is important. I have to be able to shift gears mentally between those projects and just keep track of progress and outcomes. I need to know what needs to be done, for when, by when, and when to prioritize. That's really important.
Lastly, in this role, I don't directly manage anyone, but I work and collaborate with a ton of different people. So, being able to influence and have accountability with people, even if I don't manage them, is key.
This can be hard and weird when you start working, especially if I'm working with someone super senior to me, like a Chief People Officer. If they need to get a deliverable to me or meet a deadline so I can do my work, I have to be able to say, "Hey Lamar, I really need this thing from you. I know you said you have it today, and I don't see it today." I have to do that without it being weird. I think grounding it back to why I need it and how it impacts teachers and students is how I can do that.