The Courage to Speak Truth: Direct Feedback in Leadership

As an African American female principal leading a predominantly white staff in a high-poverty, low-performing school, I encountered significant challenges in improving student performance. The complexities of addressing deep-rooted systemic barriers, unconscious bias, and historical low expectations demanded not only strategic leadership but also the courage to deliver direct feedback.

In high-stakes environments, feedback is often met with resistance, particularly when it challenges ingrained practices or beliefs. Yet, speaking truth to power—whether that means addressing teachers, staff, or even community leaders—is vital to transforming underperforming schools.

Delivering direct feedback requires a balance of courage, empathy, and a commitment to truth-telling, even in the face of resistance and discomfort.

The Power of Direct Feedback

Direct feedback is a leadership tool with transformative potential. When used effectively, it fosters:

• Improved relationships: Honest feedback opens channels of communication, creating an environment where staff feel both challenged and supported.
• Increased trust: Trust is built when leaders consistently offer feedback rooted in truth and aimed at growth rather than criticism.
• Enhanced learning and growth: Feedback offers a pathway for professional development, guiding staff to identify areas for improvement and growth.
• Better decision-making: Leaders who are unafraid to provide constructive feedback empower their teams to make informed decisions that positively impact student outcomes.

Direct feedback is not just about pointing out deficiencies; it’s about empowering individuals to see their potential and make decisions that advance both their personal development and the mission of the school.

Challenges of Direct Feedback in High-Poverty, Low-Performing Schools

Delivering direct feedback is not without its challenges, particularly in high-poverty, low-performing schools where historical context and systemic barriers often complicate leadership efforts. Some of the most common barriers include:

• Fear of conflict: Teachers and staff may shy away from honest conversations, preferring to avoid uncomfortable truths.
• Fear of hurting feelings: A leader’s empathy can sometimes lead to avoiding tough conversations, fearing that feedback will demoralize staff.
• Lack of trust: In schools with a history of low performance, there is often a deficit of trust between leadership and staff, making feedback feel punitive rather than constructive.
• Unconscious bias: Cultural and racial biases—both conscious and unconscious—can distort the feedback process, particularly when staff do not share the same lived experiences as their students or leadership.
• Historical low expectations: Schools with a history of poor performance may have normalized low expectations for students, creating a mindset resistant to change.
• Resistance to change: Comfort with the status quo can create a strong resistance to feedback, especially when it challenges long-held practices.
• Limited resources and support: Feedback without follow-through and tangible support can lead to frustration and burnout, particularly in resource-constrained environments.

Overcoming these barriers requires intentional strategies and a commitment to equity, truth, and growth.

Case Study: Direct Feedback in a High-Poverty, Low-Performing School

As a principal in a high-poverty, low-performing school, I had to navigate the complexities of leading a staff resistant to change. When I presented a clear vision and blueprint for improving the school, grounded in data and expected outcomes, I hoped it would inspire buy-in and accountability.

I implemented various wellness initiatives and recognition programs to boost morale, along with one-on-one conferences and grade-level meetings. The "Glows and Grows" approach, which highlighted strengths while identifying areas for improvement, was designed to make feedback more palatable. However, I was met with resistance and even sabotage from some teachers.

Teachers struggled with ownership and accountability for student growth, often pointing to external factors—poverty, lack of parental involvement, and systemic inequities—as reasons for poor performance. While these are undeniably significant challenges, they cannot be excuses to lower expectations.

The broader context of poverty and systemic barriers played a role in student performance, but I knew we could not let that define the limits of our students' potential.

Overcoming Resistance and Sabotage

Overcoming resistance and sabotage required more than just persistence; it required a deep understanding of the root causes of resistance and a commitment to addressing them. I employed the following strategies:

• Building trust and relationships: I made a point of connecting with teachers on a personal level, listening to their frustrations and concerns. This helped to build a foundation of trust that made feedback easier to deliver and receive.
• Addressing underlying concerns and fears: Many teachers were afraid that feedback meant they were failing. I worked hard to convey that feedback was not about assigning blame but about empowering them to improve their practice.
• Fostering a sense of ownership and accountability: I emphasized that student success was a shared responsibility. By involving teachers in decision-making processes and holding them accountable for outcomes, I helped to shift the mindset from external blame to internal ownership.
• Providing support and resources: Feedback without support is hollow. I ensured that when I gave direct feedback, I also offered concrete resources, professional development, and ongoing mentorship to help teachers improve.
• Celebrating successes and progress: To combat the negativity that often surrounds feedback, I made a point of celebrating small wins. Recognizing teachers' progress, no matter how incremental, helped create a culture where growth was valued.
• Addressing systemic barriers: While teachers needed to take ownership of their classrooms, I also acknowledged the systemic challenges we faced, such as poverty and limited resources. I worked with community partners to address these barriers, providing wraparound services that helped both students and teachers.

Conclusion

Delivering direct feedback is one of the most challenging yet crucial aspects of leadership, especially in high-poverty, low-performing schools. While it can be met with resistance, feedback that is given with courage, empathy, and a commitment to truth-telling can transform a school’s culture.

Leaders must embrace the discomfort of direct feedback, knowing that it is through these honest conversations that real change occurs. By building trust, fostering accountability, and providing support, leaders can overcome even the most entrenched barriers to success.

Final thoughts: Direct feedback is not a tool of judgment but a path to growth. In high-poverty, low-performing schools, it takes courage and resilience to use feedback as a catalyst for transformation. Leaders who commit to truth-telling, even in the face of resistance, will find that their efforts yield not just improved performance, but empowered educators and students alike.