Facing the (Brutal) Facts

In shadows cast by unyielding light,
Truth emerges, stark and bright.
No refuge in illusions spun,
For brutal facts cannot be undone.

They pierce the veil of comforting lies,
Revealing cracks where hope denies.
Yet within their raw, unyielding grasp,
Lies the seed of change, the chance to clasp

Reality, unvarnished, in our hands,
To build anew on solid sands.
So face those truths, however stark,
For growth awaits where shadows part.

--poem generated by Gemini, Google's AI platform.

Educational institutions can face an array of challenges. Some may be more or less typical and commonplace in the industry--the math wars roiling parents or faculty unrest over a schedule change--while others are potentially far more dire in their implications, such as demographic change or persistent net tuition shortfalls. Regardless, we agree with Jim Collins, who in his 2001 book, Good to Great, advises leaders to face the brutal facts unflinchingly and without trying to put the best face on the circumstances.

We are sometimes the bringers of bad news in our strategic planning engagements. Most often the bad news is not a surprise--someone in the school is at least somewhat aware. Nonetheless, a common reaction of heads and leadership team members is obfuscation and denial. The situation is not as bad as we think or we are listening to the wrong people or no one sees all the good things happening at the school.

To quote the poem, better that leaders, "face those truths, however stark, for growth awaits where shadows part."