In his book, The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle highlights the importance of catchphrases to develop successful culture. Coyle admits they are often “corny, obvious, and sound dumb,” but believes they are essential in leadership. Though we didn’t call them catchphrases, three statements were central to our work in the EAB High School before I read the book: We Do What We Say We Do, No Surprises, and High Expectations, High Support. Since reading The Culture Code, we added We REP!, to remind us of the HS Learner Expectations to be Responsible, Engaged, and Principled. The last one is so cringe-worthy as to make it unforgettable and it has quickly become a part of our common language.

The four catchphrases above are widely known in the HS Community but there is a fifth that I largely keep to myself: Solid Before Shine.

I’m not sure how it happened, but a few years ago, I started saying, “You have to be solid before you can shine.” This catchphrase clarifies my work as a high school principal: Hire great people, nurture a solid environment in which expectations are clear, everyone feels safe and appreciated, and the trains run on time, and immerse both teachers and students in a culture that empowers them to shine. Solid to Shine.

When walking through Brooklyn in February to see the Nets play the Warriors, my friend Jeff shared that his school uses the Kano Model to define basic needs, performance needs, and “delighters.” Though I didn’t say anything at the time, I thought what Jeff was describing sounded quite a bit like my Solid to Shine Model.

I did some research, and sure enough, about the time I was in junior high, a gentleman from Japan named Noriaki Kano created a model to demonstrate customer satisfaction.  

To Kano, there are things that an organization does – delighters – that are unspoken but bring an unexpected joy or thrill to customers. It is a moment when a team, division, or school community performs at a level above what is expected. It is when that organization shines.

Each year, all EAB Sophomores engage in a unit called Hostile Audience. Created years ago by EAB’s Director of Teaching and Learning, Mr. Andy Jones, Hostile Audience epitomizes what it means to shine at EAB. This year, we brought in a film crew to capture the power of the Hostile Audience by highlighting not only the unit but also the six speakers the G10 students voted as the best. That video is above. The speeches included an anti-sugar/soda speech to the CEOs of Pepsi and Coke, mandatory sex education to conservative mothers, mandatory Christian prayer in schools to a religiously diverse audience, the benefits of fur clothing to animal rights groups, banning tackle football for all kids below the age of 12 to the Texas state legislature, and making medical school free to the Harvard Board of Directors.

What does not come through in the video is that, although we ask the students in the auditorium to be respectful listeners, in the classroom, all grade 10 students are subjected to the jeers and harshness of their “hostile” peers. It is an incredibly authentic and powerful experience that has become a rite of passage in our school.

There is little more rewarding for school leaders than seeing their students and faculty shine more brightly than is the norm and the Hostile Audience Unit brings me a tremendous amount of joy, satisfaction, and pride every year. So, congratulations and thank you you to all EAB Sophomores for their skill, courage, and grace under pressure. You are fantastic! And, of course, congratulations and a huge “thank you” to Andy Jones and Mr. Mark Bowen for their great work making the Hostile Audience happen again this year.

I can’t wait for 2025!

David