School Leadership & Navy SEALs
A Learning Conversation Exploring Connections
Following is a conversation exploring the connections between school leadership and an experience in the Navy SEALs program.
Bill: How is being a principal like a Navy SEAL? What lessons can a principal learn from a Navy SEAL?
Gary: The driving goals for a Navy SEAL are complete the mission and team survival.
Similarly, a principal, in what we call these VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) times, must keep their focus on the mission: preparing young people for life after high school. In addition, principals must lead and be part of the team that keeps survival foremost in the organisation. John Carse wrote a book titled, Finite and Infinite Games.
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Bill has been an administrator at the middle school, high school, central office and at the university level working in leadership preparation programs and doctoral faculties. As a teacher he worked with self-paced physics, math and chemistry teaching methods. With over forty years of experience in teaching and leading schools, he has actively extended his learning from educational to include business models. He has been a consultant with Cognitive Coaching, Adaptive Schools, Brain Research, Poverty issues, Leadership Development and Conflict to Consensus models. He can be contacted at sommersb4@gmail.com
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Gary is a 20-year veteran of the US Navy SEALs retiring in 2006. During his final tour of duty as a Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Instructor, he continued his education by earning a Master’s Degree in Education. Upon retirement, he was a credentialed teacher and taught eighth grade US history before becoming the Director of Instructor Development for Naval Special Warfare Center (NSWC) where he stayed for eight years. He now dedicates his efforts to helping others improve their performance with his business, Gary Denham Consulting.
