Charm School

Southerners--I consider myself a Southerner second only to being a Texan--have a wonderful ability to charm with words. Where else in the world can you berate or denigrate someone and have them thank you for it?

I was facilitating a two-day session to teach employees how to use a new Web content management system when I worked for a teaching hospital in Texas. During the first day, a very strong minded Texan, who believes everyone is entitled to her opinion, frequently reminded me that she was no fan of the new Web design.

As our time together was drawing to a close, "Dora" piped up again, "David, I really just think the old site was better. I just don't like this."

I flashed a big smile, clasped my hands together to keep from lunging at her, and, in my sweetest Texas drawl I could muster, cooed "Well, Dora. I just suppose there ain't no accountin' for taste, is there?"

Dora chuckled while I proceeded to explain the logic behind the new design and reiterate the benefits to her of using a content management system.

Meanwhile, my supervisor, who was sitting directly in front of Dora, stared at me in wide-eyed disbelief.

I was running late the following morning, so I was last to arrive in the training room. Before I could even put my materials down, Dora enthusiastically summoned me with a wave. "Oh, David, I'm glad your here." She pushed a stack of pages toward me. "I think I know how I'm going to organize my Web pages."

Dora never complained about the Web design again.

* * *

During a meeting to brief the D.C. Council on his plans to close 23 schools, Mayor Adrian Fenty managed to alienate council members again, according to the Washington Post.

Sounds like Fenty could use a brief lesson in charm. And he better do it quick because as the head of D.C. schools, he has less than five years on the clock to accomplish his goals before he's ousted.

You see, superintendents--for all intents and purposes, Fenty is now the District's de facto superintendent--have a love-hate relationship with the boards that hire them. In this case, the council is the board because they approved Fenty's take over of the schools.

First comes the honeymoon. The board is in love with the superintendent because, after all, they practically hand picked him. But time eventually changes the face of the board through elections, scandals, and retirements. As the board changes, so do its values and its love for the superintendent.

A superintendent who loses favor with the board becomes a lame duck. Or a dictator. Soon, constituents will be clamoring for a change and the superintendent is forced to leave one way or another.

Fenty, for the most part, has made a favorable impression on me, but I'm concerned that if he doesn't learn to better handle school issues he's going to have a very short career because his role as superintendent is now tied to his role as mayor.