Dr. Tricia Mooney on Balancing Authority and Collaboration

  The Ruckus Report Quick take: Discover how a veteran superintendent transforms traditional power structures into collaborative leadership, proving that giving away authority actually strengthens your impact as a leader. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Tricia Mooney brings 30 years of educational experience to her role as Superintendent of Hermiston School District. A relentless advocate for student achievement, she's dedicated to creating multiple education pathways for students both in the classroom and beyond graduation. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Dr. Mooney challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: Reimagining Positional Power What's broken: Traditional hierarchy where titles create barriers and centralize decision-making The shift: Intentionally giving away power and maintaining approachability ("I'm still just Tricia") Impact: Created a more collaborative culture where team members feel empowered to innovate and take ownership Key Insight #2: Trust-Based Leadership What's broken: Micromanagement and the superintendent's need to "know everything" The shift: Building strong teams and trusting specialists to lead in their areas of expertise Impact: Developed a system that runs smoothly even in leader's absence, with increased innovation and specialized excellence Key Insight #3: Strategic Resource Allocation What's broken: Prioritizing budgets over community needs The shift: "We budget our priorities, we don't prioritize our budget" Impact: Successful implementation of innovative programs like the Think Big Space and comprehensive summer programs serving the community's unique needs Quotable Ruckus "Your job is to develop another leader. If a sniper takes me out tomorrow, what's going to happen? The system should run so well that you don't notice whether or not I'm here." – Dr. Tricia Mooney Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Identify one decision you can delegate to empower your team This Month: Map out your team's strengths and begin aligning roles with natural abilities rather than traditional expectations This Semester: Launch one innovative partnership program, starting small and building based on community needs Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: Link 🔗 Follow Dr. Mooney: LinkedIn | Email: tricia.mooney@hermistonsd.org 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Learn how to Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here. ruckusmakers.news/subscribe   Today's Pod in Partnership with: Quest Food Management Services: Creating joyful learning environments starts in the cafeteria. Quest brings 40 years of expertise in crafting scratch-made meals that nurture both body and community spirit through innovative student engagement programs. 🔍 Learn more: www.questfms.com IXL: Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more: IXL.com/leaders Twelve Practices LLC © 2024 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?