Celebrated Changemaker
Learn How Lisa Fussell Redefined Leadership
Leadership is challenging, and we believe in celebrating those who excel. Each month, we invite you to join us in celebrating exceptional leaders who have achieved remarkable feats while collaborating with us at It's the Impact. Leadership can be isolating, and recognition is well-deserved. Please reach out to schedule a Discovery Session anytime.
This month, we will focus on Lisa Fussell, Assistant Superintendent of Schools in the Tangipahoa Parish School System in Louisiana.
In the Tangipahoa Parish School System in Louisiana, a remarkable transformation is underway. It is guided by the principle that leadership is not just about decision-making, goals, and management—it's about cultivating an environment where everyone can flourish. This principle is rooted in the profound belief in the power of investing in leaders, an approach championed by Lisa Fussell, the Assistant Superintendent of Schools.
Strategic Investment in Leadership Development
Lisa's visionary strategy has been clear: invest in the growth of leaders to catalyze systemic change. She saw that the culture of the district was holding them back from achieving their goals, and she did something about it.
“We’ve built a common culture through shared leadership development. We’ve built camaraderie — a shared language,” said Lisa. Lisa and her coworkers are able to give each other the benefit of the doubt more frequently and find the positives in each person in the office.
“When something arises, we’re able to say, ‘that issue is bothering that person because of their strengths.’ We know how to react to each person because we know their strengths. It makes for easier collaboration. Even when things aren’t perfect, we understand one another. Invoking our strengths also helps to build consensus and recenter our conversations. Our strengths are always in front of us. We always come back to them,” she said.
The results that Lisa and her team have achieved have been specific, measurable, and outstanding, and we want to celebrate them with you.
Getting Results: Achievements from Leadership Empowerment
Lisa has seen her office become more efficient and productive, having developed the bonds that come through team leadership development. She and her coworkers are better able to focus on “their why” and prioritize the most important work, meaning they spend less time on work that doesn’t ultimately benefit the organization. She categorized the positive results of the collective leadership as:
Cultural Shift: The district has undergone a cultural transformation, moving towards a more productive, effective, and united environment. This shift was not a direct result of singular decisions but the outcome of empowering leaders to instigate change within their spheres of influence, thereby enhancing the overall school experience for students and staff alike.
Collective Problem-Solving: By investing in the development of leaders, the district has significantly improved its problem-solving capabilities. Leaders equipped with a shared understanding of control and a strengths-based approach have fostered a more collaborative environment, enabling more efficient and effective resolution of challenges.
Operational Efficiency: The focus on leadership development has translated into improved operational efficiency and productivity within the district. Leaders are now more aligned and cohesive in their approach and have been able to focus efforts on impactful initiatives, ensuring that resources are utilized in ways that most benefit the students and the organization.
Strengthened Relationships: One of the most profound outcomes of this leadership investment is the deepening of relationships among team members. The emphasis on understanding and leveraging individual strengths has led to a work environment characterized by genuine connections and mutual support, contributing significantly to a positive work-life balance and fulfillment of district goals.
Future-Proofing Leadership: Recognizing the importance of sustainability in leadership, the initiative to develop the next cohort of assistant principals ensures that the culture of transformational leadership will continue to thrive. This foresight ensures that the district's commitment to positive change and development remains steadfast. “They’ll be stronger because they did the process together,” said Lisa, speaking of the assistant principal cohort. “And that will ultimately improve the entire district because they’ll know each other better and depend on each other in a way they wouldn’t have otherwise. They’ll have genuine relationships rather than just being coworkers.”
Investing in Culture
Following her transformative experience with our team leadership support system, 'The Changemaker,' alongside Tangipahoa Superintendent Melissa Martin Stilley, Lisa became a beacon of inspiration. She understood the power of extending the same professional development opportunities to her team members, envisioning a path to significant progress for the entire organization.
“By doing this together, we all learned a great deal more about each other,” said Lisa. “We all started using the language of our individual strengths. It’s truly improved how we work with one another. We had to be truly reflective. What we ended up sharing was highly personal. That helped us to know each other more deeply, in a way we never had before,” she said.
At the time, Lisa had been in her job for less than two years. However, she had already recognized that leadership cultivation often ends once you reach the executive level.
“You frequently don’t have professional development opportunities once you reach executive teams,” Lisa shared, echoing the loneliness of being in leadership that I have heard from many other leaders I’ve worked with. “You don’t have peers you can network with. It can feel very isolating. And it can feel challenging to know how you can get better. But we created our own network. And it has been highly rewarding.”
The Impact of Investing in Leaders
The remarkable transformation within the Tangipahoa Parish School System stands as a shining example of the profound impact that prioritizing the growth and development of leaders can have. "This approach has not only led to tangible improvements in operational efficiency, problem-solving, and culture but has also created an environment where leaders feel valued, understood, and empowered to make a difference. The ripple effects of this investment are evident in the enhanced educational experience for students and the strengthened community within the district.”
Lisa's pivotal role in this journey deserves our heartfelt congratulations and praise, highlighting her as a key catalyst for this positive change. This story is not just about the changes within the district but a celebration of Lisa's visionary approach to leadership development. Her foresight in focusing on the empowerment of leaders has catalyzed profound and broad-reaching change, illustrating the power of investing in people to create sustainable improvements.
Find out how you can improve your organization through team leadership, schedule a Free Discovery Call.