Q & A with Carlos C. Grant

Carlos Grant recently was named Executive Director of Personalized Learning and Middle Level Education for the Cedar Rapids School District. He will begin in his new role on July 1.

How do you think young professionals see themselves when thinking about leadership?

I think young professionals are spirited and enthusiastic. I believe that young leaders often carry the essence of level 1 and level 2 leadership, as defined by Jim Collins in his book Good to Great. It characterizes leadership into five levels: Level 1 leaders are highly capable individuals who make productive contributions through their talent and hard work. Level 2 leaders are contributing team members who contribute to the achievement of group objectives and work well with others. The other three levels tend to manifest over time with experience. The hope is that young professionals can transcend from Highly Capable Individual to being a Contributing Team Member, then a Competent Manager, Effective Leader and reach the level of Executive leadership.

What are some of the opportunities you were given as a young professional?

I became an assistant principal at age 25. This was relatively young for an educational leader. I was placed in a position to evaluate teachers who were twice my age and had a wealth of experience. I was afford the chance to design instructional practices and mentor young people from an administrative capacity. I was fortunate to have trusting leaders around me that allowed me to grow and experience leadership beyond the managerial roles often seen from assistant principals.

Were there risks involved and if yes, how did you navigate through that?

I was an assistant principal at a prestigious and high socio-economic population high school in Charlotte, NC. Our students represented many racial and economic groups. The stakeholders expected the very best from their administrators and school staff. One could easily commit career suicide by not adhering to high standards and exceeding expectations. At the same time, there was a need also to expose and recognize the fact that many students were falling through the cracks — their struggles masked by the success of their white, affluent counterparts. My work in this area helped me to be recognized by others. I learned early on to surround myself with like-minded leaders. I sought out mentors and had them show me the proverbial 'ropes.'

What have been the rewards of taking on leadership roles?

There are many rewards, but the greatest is understanding that my decisions are helping other people thrive. I have over 13 years of experience as an educational leader and I'm still led by a desire to make a larger impact on the American educational system. I am still hungry to learn and do more, and to engage with like-minded individuals that aim for continuous student learning. As principal of Metro, an alternative high school, I have been charged with transforming the learning environment and guiding the school toward a highly rigorous instructional design. We have made significant progress toward this vision in a short period of time. I am very proud of our accomplishments. In my new role as executive director of middle education and personalized learning, I will develop and advance personalized learning efforts throughout the district. I will work to ensure all our students are benefiting from our key partners.

As you see younger generations getting into the workforce, what are your hopes for them? What leadership advice would you share with them?

I deeply believe that we have a responsibility to prepare citizens to thrive in this world. To this end, the development of leaders should be a cornerstone priority. Because of my background, I have a personal mission to aid in reversing the systematic cycles of poverty which is the source of many social ills. It is truly life-or-death for many of our young people in this country, and I believe that education is the new currency.

I am deathly afraid that our children are not having high-level access to opportunities due to systematic failures. My hope for the next generation of workforce participants is that they are given clear pathways to access the middle class. There are a variety of ways to thrive and live a decent life. As a college-educated man, I still realize that college is not the only avenue in that journey. One particular example lies in our ability to directly impact the shortage of current and future skilled workers in the technical areas of architecture, construction, and engineering.

Exposing students to 21st Century technology will better prepare them for building trade, contractor, and/or STEM-related careers which will make them more marketable in the global economy.

Our students come with many challenges and obstacles to their learning. We have made great strides in this country. However, there is no mistaking the fact that we are not doing a stellar job with all students. I have come to realize that we serve a higher purpose in many of our students' lives.

I mentioned earlier about the need for young professionals to grow and transcend through the various levels of leadership. Therefore, I would finally encourage the future workforce to be courageous enough to build enduring greatness through a paradoxical combination of personal humility and professional will. The four other layers of leadership described earlier (Highly Capable Individual, Contributing Team Member, Competent Manager, and Effective Leader) are appropriate in their own right. However, none with the power of Level 5 (Executive). Individuals do not need to proceed sequentially through each level of the hierarchy to reach the top, but to be a full-fledged Level 5 requires the capabilities of all the lower levels, plus the special characteristics of Level 5: Humility and Will.

• Comments: (319) 588-3563; @MetroGrant