An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Be flexible. Leaders must think outside of the box during turbulent times. Old solutions will not always work for new problems. 2020 was a great example of this and the word of the year seemed to be PIVOT. Companies that were able to stay flexible and pivot their operations were able to come through the pandemic in a much more favorable way than their competitors.
As part of our series about the “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Donna Marie Cozine.
Dr. Donna Marie Cozine is a leader, author, speaker and executive coach. She is the founder of Renaissance Academy Charter School of the Arts in Rochester, NY. She grew the school from 194 students and 32 staff members to 506 students and 93 staff members in 7 years. She is passionate about growing leaders and leadership pipelines in schools and districts.
Her first, Amazon Best Selling Book, “So, You Want to Be a Superintendent? Become the Leader You Were Meant to Be!” outlined her DRIVERS approach to leadership development. She has found this approach particularly successful with her colleagues and clients. Her second, Amazon Best Selling Book, “Happy Teachers, Joyful Students, Engaged Parents: A Guide for Building a School Community that Works” outlines her framework for a joyful school. She also hosts the Joyful Educational Leadership podcast which can be found on Spotify and Apple ITunes.
She is the founder and CEO of DMC Consulting, a company dedicated to serving educators who want to level up their leadership to enrich the lives of thousands of children and their families. She works with individual leaders and leadership teams to ensure organizations have a sustainable pipeline of highly effective, mission-driven leaders.
Dr. Cozine has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Social Science from Pace University, a Master’s of Arts degree in Social Studies Education from Fordham University and a Doctorate in Educational Administration and Supervision from St. John’s University.
Dr. Cozine is currently living the dream in Fairport, NY with her husband Craig, daughter Juliet, son Theo and her biggest four-legged fan, Oliver. Dr. Cozine loves to speak with leaders from around the world to help them reach their goals. To reach Donna Marie please email her at [email protected] or go to her website at www.consultdmc.com.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
I am currently the CEO of my own company in which I develop and train educational leaders. I started as a middle school teacher, then became an administrator and then eventually founded and grew a charter school that served over 500 students and employed 97 staff members.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?
I really can’t think of anything….sorry.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
Many people helped me get to where I am today. One person who helped me get to where I am today is Dr. Anglela Laura of The Author Incubator. I knew I wanted to write a book to share the leadership lessons I learned to help others reach their goals. Dr. Angela and her team not only helped me write my first and second books but helped me realize that I could launch a company that supports educational leaders. I am now able to share my skills, talents, and lessons learned with leaders across the country. I am thankful that she helped me find my mission and craft my message.
Extensive research suggests that “purpose driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your company started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?
When I started my company my mission was to help grow more leaders. My purpose is to help educational organizations build individual and leadership teams that are mission aligned and highly effective. If we don’t grow more effective leaders in our education sector there will be no one to step in when leaders step out.This work has become even more important in the face of The Great Resignation which has hit the field of education more acutely than most.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?
When COVID hit the United States no one really knew what it was going to mean for companies and schools. Things were moving very quickly and our school, like so many others, needed to pivot. While figuring out how the school was going to respond, I also needed to deal with the fear of uncertainty our staff was experiencing. Being in NY the numbers in other parts of the state were rising at alarming rates. We knew it was just time before it hit our region hard. I pulled my team together on a Thursday and began planning for an eventual closing. We had a small team that had to create a whole new way of teaching our children. Within 48 hours we were able to create a virtual program that would be ready to launch at the word of closures. We sent our students home with information and resources on Friday afternoon. On Sunday, our governor closed schools in the entire state. On Monday morning, when other schools were scrambling trying to figure out how to proceed our virtual program launched at 8:30 a.m. Over the course of the next two weeks we were able to refine our plan to include more comprehensive online learning, the integration of social emotional learning, and opportunities for our staff to come together virtually. Over the course of the next three months we continually assessed, evaluated, and modified the program as needed to meet the needs of our students in the virtual environment.
Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?
When faced with adversity I never consider giving up, in my line of work the stakes are too high. The children I served as the leader of the school I founded were from underserved populations. The school that I founded enabled the students to have high quality experiences that would help change their trajectory. My motivation comes from my mission to help children by establishing organizations that put children first and developing leaders who focus on the needs of the children and the community that they serve.
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?
The most critical role of a leader during challenging times is to be a model of confidence and resilience. Whether we like it or not, as leaders, our constituents and stakeholders are always looking to us to see our reactions. If as leaders we don’t exude confidence and resilience they will not feel secure and worry about the immediate implications of the challenge facing the organization.
When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?
This is such a great question because it is critical for leaders to be the barometer for their team. Leaders must always make connections and build relationships with their teammates prior to any crisis. If a leader waits until a crisis to show their team members that they care about them, even if they truly do, it will feel disingenuous.
The best way to boost morale is to show people that you care about them and their needs. By listening and engaging with their people leaders will show that they are interested in the best interests of the people and invested in their happiness. A leader who truly listens and takes action to what their team members need will increase morale.
Additionally, a leader who makes decisions that are based on what is best for the organization and its people, and not themselves, will motivate their team. I help leaders focus on making the “just right” decision based on the information that is in front of them at the time. This “just right” decision sends the message that the leader is not about him/herself but rather about what will move the organization forward.
What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?
Leaders need to be honest and transparent when communicating difficult news. I recommend first sharing it with the leader’s executive team and Board. This enables them to support the people within the organization when they hear the news.
When the news is delivered it is also important to acknowledge how it impacts the organization and the team. “I know this is unexpected news and we all need time to process it. The executive team and I are available to meet with individuals to answer any questions you may have. We will reconvene in a day or two to provide an update.”
How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?
The future is always uncertain if not unpredictable. Leaders need to focus on the mission of the organization as they forecast future steps. They must use their resources and trust their team members to help them make those plans. Leaders who act unilaterally won’t have the buy in or support of their team members and stakeholders.
Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?
Be flexible. The world changes by the minute and the ways companies once solved problems may no longer work. Companies that are flexible and deft at coming up with the “next best solution” will be able to be responsive to the changing needs of their team members and customers.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
The first mistake is to think “this too shall pass”. Leaders who think they will just ride out the difficult times will not position their company to be responsive to the needs of their customers.
Leaders who do not think outside of their current solutions will also fail their companies. Effective leaders can find new, innovative, and often better solutions to new problems.
During difficult times leaders need to listen to their people. Sometimes the best answers come from “groupthink” opportunities.
Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?
Some industries are more subject to this than others. For example the restaurant industry was significantly impacted by the COVID pandemic and the restrictions that were placed on them. The restaurants that were able to come out of the pandemic in a place where they could continue to remain in business pivoted and figured out how to provide value to their customers. I think the answer lies in the company’s ability to think differently, be flexible, and create new solutions to old and new problems.
As a leadership coach much of my practice, during the pandemic, moved to an online platform. Although the services offered were virtual I created ways to ensure that the experience was as effective and engaging as if we were in a face to face setting.
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.
- Exemplify confidence and resilience.
When September 11th occurred I was working as a middle school assistant principal in Bergen County, NJ. The families of my children and many of my friends worked in NYC and some were victims on that fateful day. The iconic photo of the two firefighters raising the flag at Ground Zero is a perfect example of exemplifying confidence and resilience. In the face of those firefighters digging for survivors and losing so many of their brethren they stopped and raised that flag to show that as Americans we would persevere. This is the mindset that leaders must have in the face of uncertainty. They must get up, dust themselves off, and let their people know that together they will get through the crisis.
2. Think creatively.
Did you know that Kodak developed the digital camera in 1975 before any other company? Instead of jumping on the new technology they decided to stay focused solely on film. Some say that decision led to the downfall of one of America’s greatest companies. If the company had thought creatively and found ways to capitalize it the company would be in a totally different situation today.
3. Be flexible.
Leaders must think outside of the box during turbulent times. Old solutions will not always work for new problems. 2020 was a great example of this and the word of the year seemed to be PIVOT. Companies that were able to stay flexible and pivot their operations were able to come through the pandemic in a much more favorable way than their competitors.
4. Listen to their people.
I one worked for a supervisor who never listened to his people. He forged forward with what he and only he thought were good ideas. At the time I was second in charge of the organization, under his leadership and was caught in a tough position. The staff did not respect him nor did they get behind his initiatives. They would often come to me to complain about how he was out of touch with the organization.
A leader does not always need to do what their people want them to do but a leader must seek their input. In so doing, the leader demonstrates that all points of view have been considered and makes a decision that considers all possible outcomes.
5. Leave their ego at home.
Someone needs to hear this today, it is not all about you. When leaders get caught up in their own ego, bad decisions often follow. There was a new company that was launching and the COO, went against the board and conducted an interview with the media. When the board asked him about it he was furious and resigned. The board accepted the resignation and made plans to move on. Within a few days the COO tried to rescind his resignation and the board was not interested. When I asked him why he did that his response was “I thought they couldn’t move on without me and they would ask me to come back.” If the COO had just focused on what was best for the organization and not himself the interest of both parties could have been protected.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite “Life Lesson Quote” is “What doesn’t challenge you won’t change you.”
Personal growth happens when we experience discomfort and to grow our leadership we need to lean into the discomfort. If we continue to be in situations that do not challenge us we will not change into a better version of ourselves.
I am a learner through and through and when I invest in my personal growth I go all in. I am the participant who sits in the front, does all of the homework, and volunteers first to try something new. I don’t do this because I like to do it, I do it because I know it will make me better and I want to be a better person tomorrow than I was today.
How can our readers further follow your work?
Readers can follow my blog on my website @ consultdmc.com, I’m also on FB Dr. Donna Marie Cozine, dr_dmc on Instagram, and Dr. Donna Marie Cozine on LinkedIn.
To contact me directly email [email protected]
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Dr Donna Marie Cozine: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
