Colleagues, We talked back in December about alignment. Today, I want to share what creating alignment actually looks like.
We began this effort with both district and building level leadership teams. Initial trainings have been reinforced through individual and team coaching, and mini-PD sessions with various groups according to their need, and the terminology used by the consultant (me) and the district are identical. This spring we are focusing on extending the language and concepts to teacher leaders. Speaking the same language and engaging in common strategies creates synergy and helps keep people focused on what is most important. When issues occur, an entire leadership team:
Lessons?
As you work at aligning your organization, think about the frameworks and language you use. Drive common understanding and language throughout your organization. Do good and be well, Frederick
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Colleagues,
At some point today, you will encounter someone who is in desperate need of a lighthouse. Can you be that lighthouse? What does that even mean? What does it look like? We’ve talked about concrete leadership behaviors this week. Here is how you become a lighthouse:
You can apply the same behaviors to virtual meetings but look into your camera to convey the sense that you are looking directly at the person (or people). At the end of today, reflect on these three questions:
Do good and be well, Frederick Colleagues,
One thing I teach school leaders to do is to leverage Power Hour, which is the first hour of the school day. Power hour starts when students begin entering the building and ends some time during the first set of classes. Power hour emphasizes:
It is a bit of a gimmick as there is nothing magical about the first hour of the day, but leaders who have implemented power hour report great success. Why? Power hour works because it describes explicit behaviors. For example:
These behaviors aren’t anything special, but the explicit and concrete call to action helps people to implement. There are two lessons here:
Do good and be well, Frederick Colleagues,
The following thoughts are for those of you who are either new to a leadership position or are working with people who are new to leadership. What does it mean to lead? If you are a regular reader, you might suggest that leading is:
All of those things are components of leadership, but what does leadership actually look like in action? What does it look like to… …influence? …align? …grow? If you can describe concrete behaviors, then you can help someone learn to lead. Do good and be well, Frederick Colleagues,
I am hesitant to admit it here, but life has been a struggle over the past 10 months. There are lots of reasons, but no need to enumerate them as we have all been living through multiple traumas at individual, family, and society levels. It isn’t that I am depressed, it is more a feeling of emptiness. I keep reflecting and interrogating my feelings, but it doesn’t seem to help. So for now, I do the only thing I can think of – put one foot in front of the other and take the next step. Immediately before writing this I was doing the dishes. There was this moment in which I was completely focused on wiping out a pan. I watched the sponge and the water, the bubbles skating around, and I felt the comfortable warmth of the water bathing my hands. For this brief moment, I was content. I was fully present with that pan, and that presence brought a measure of joy. Today, throughout my day, I am going to work hard to be in every moment. I will feel the drumming of the shower on my shoulders, I will smell the aroma of my coffee, and I will focus completely on the people I coach. Being present will not transform my life or banish my struggles, but it will bring me moments of joy and contentment, and that is good. Being fully present will also be a blessing to others, and that is even better. Slow down, just a bit, and be present today. If today’s message resonates with you, please hit reply and let me know. It would help my soul smile. Do good and be well, Frederick |
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