Gymnast Simone Biles is a force of historic impact.
She is also powerful proof to women and women education leaders of what is possible when strong women prioritize their well-being and emerge from incredible challenges.
Now the most decorated gymnast in American history, Biles is a champion of champions, an icon in her sport, a cultural touchstone, and a shining example of what’s possible when unmatched talent and dedication meet.
Her well-documented decision to withdraw from the final individual all-around in the 2020 Tokyo games because of mental health concerns elicited understandable surprise and real concern. It also spurred ugly questions about her commitment to the sport and worse, including name-calling that she was a “quitter.” Speculation about whether she would compete again was rampant.
Three years later in Paris, Biles has fully emerged from that crucible, three gold and one silver medal in hand, a model for self-awareness and resilience. Not just for all-world athletes but for all of us.
Women in the spotlight, women who lead in their field are accustomed to being held to a different standard, having their resolve questioned. It’s not right, but it’s also not uncommon. What Biles showed was the same steadfastness in the face of adversity, the same resolve that women demonstrate daily in education leadership.
Biles also shows that leaders must also be self-aware, open, and honest with themselves about what they need in order to preserve their well-being amid immense pressures and high stakes. The challenges can be daunting, and the expectations are always sky-high. Biles’ example teaches us that it’s OK to take a step back, reflect, and prioritize our mental health, that doing so is not a sign of weakness but a mark of true strength, a vital companion to extraordinary perseverance and to our long-term success.
Leaders in education and other fields can learn from Biles. Her challenges mirror many of those that women in top leadership positions must deal with daily. Women Leading Ed, a national nonprofit network for women education leaders, which I founded and lead, released a survey this year that found nearly 6 in 10 respondents who are education leaders think about leaving their current position because of wellness and stress-related issues. Of the women who registered this sentiment, 75 percent said they think about leaving their positions daily, weekly, or monthly.
Much of that pressure and strain is a product of the way that bias plays out in education leadership and the world of work for women. Ninety-five percent of superintendents who responded to the survey said they believed they have to make professional sacrifices that their male colleagues do not. The data show that the need to overperform, to be better than the best, within a system rife with bias is a major challenge to the well-being of women in education leadership.
Central to that is creating an environment where taking time to recover and reflect is encouraged, where leaders can be honest and candid with themselves and others and pursue the individual supports they require without apprehension. When leaders have the space to do that, it leads to sustained passion for and lasting impact of their work.
To get started on this work, districts can implement policies and supports in three key areas that provide family and well-being supports and at the same time address underlying gender inequalities in the distribution of unpaid work and gender stereotypes in the workplace.
- Provide flexibility in hybrid and remote work options. Wherever possible, districts should seek to provide time and location flexibility. Such elasticity is particularly beneficial to women, many of whom too often have to choose between obligations in their personal life and advancement in their careers.
- Provide time for parental leave, child care, and elder care. Women provide a disproportionate share of family care, be it child or elder care. Research shows that organizations that provide child-care benefits have greater gender diversity and retain female employees at higher rates.
- Provide a constellation of high-quality benefits. A holistic approach to wellness, including adequate personal- and family-care leave and mental health supports, sustain all leaders, especially women. Survey data from 2022 show that 70 percent of women say mental health benefits are very or extremely important and also place greater importance on flexible work schedules and paid family leave.
As we celebrate the athletic achievements of Simone Biles, we should also embrace the profound lessons of resilience and wellness that she has brought to the forefront. These lessons are invaluable for education leaders, reminding us that true greatness is achieved not just through relentless pursuit but also through mindful self-care and the courage to prioritize one’s full well-being.
