my version of transparent, collaborative leadership...with a Teamann twist

Providing encourageMINT to those around you!

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When I am needing a treat for my staff or for those I want to celebrate around me, I have two qualifiers…are they easy? and are they cheap? One of the easiest (and cheapest!) little pick me ups that Melinda and I are including in our upcoming book is that of sharing encourageMINT.

Who doesn’t love a good box of tic tacs? Who doesn’t need a lil’pick me up every now and then? This idea combines the two to make it easy to share! I’ve seen these given as “elf vitamins” near Christmas or as “Mint to be” treats near Valentine’s day…but I like a good positivity quote for mine!

First, you’ll need sticker paper. I’ve used this one, and it’s cheap and gets the job done. You can always print out regular paper and add double sided tape, but again, I like EASY. Sticker paper lets you just cut, peel, and apply. Within the printer settings make sure to check print “actual size” and then if you can choose “high quality” on “matte photo paper” for the best look. Then trim out each label. There are 8 per sheet.

Here is a blank template that you can edit as you want to for your team.

Want one already completed? Thanks @jjmottsy for sharing!

Finally, you need tic tacs! You can get boxes at your favorite big box store or you can order here!

 

These work out to be less than a dollar each, and again are easy peasy! If you’re looking for a March themed idea, here’s an idea you can borrow from Vanessa Brady. I don’t do bathroom humor, but maybe you do!

 

Keep sharing the encourageMINT, friends!

fresh breathed &

Likeable vs Trustworthy Leadership

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We had the opportunity to hear from Anthony Mohammad today as a leadership team. (How very fortunate am I that we have these kinds of opportunities as a district?!) It was a great presentation on the four skills of a transformational leader.

I don’t know anyone who is a principal who wouldn’t want to be thought of a transformational leader…typically, same as our teachers, we WANT to do a good job. We show up, we work hard, we make strong decisions for our students and our staff. We listen, we support, we encourage. I would say the same things about our staff.

One of the pieces today that gave me pause was when we stopped down to parse out likeability versus trustworthiness. He cautioned against doing things that may make us liked, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into trustworthiness. As in confusing the two, in regards to what and how we made decisions. You can like someone you don’t trust, and you can 100% trust someone you don’t actually like. Don’t make decisions to be liked, if it compromises your trustworthiness.

I’m going to ASSUME you can also be liked and trustworthy…but those statements seriously gave me pause on the things I do for our staff…do I do them to be liked? Could that be sacrificing likeability OVER trustworthiness? If the intents are seen as less than genuine (tho as my 2 on the Enneagram will tell you, THEY ARE ALL GENUINE!) could that make me be seen as LESS trustworthy if so?

It made my head spin around for quite a bit. You can like me all day long, but if you don’t trust me, then can I be effective at impacting practice, pedagogy or instruction? If you don’t like me, would you want to commit 100% to be on our team, a team where I, by definition of position, am a cheerleading face for? Can you be open, and vulnerable and grow with someone you don’t LIKE?

 

At the end of the day, I hope that I can answer both. There’s a great line in “A League of Their Own” that says…both? Can’t we do both?” and that’s what I am going to go with. I am going to go with where my heart is…which is trying to accomplish both. Being consistent with a “best for kids” mentality, while supporting a love you where you ARE, but never allowing you to stay there for our team…trying to be trustworthy, but not unlikeable.

 

Are you a “both” kinda leader? Or do you think one is sacrifice-able for the other? Sidenote…do males struggle with this? I need to find a male principal, who is a 2…this would be a fascinating conversation to have!!

 

Ponderingly &

Fab Fridays in February, 2019

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My principal bestie (and future co-author) Melinda Miller always shares that October and February are the two worst months of the school year, in fact…she calls them the armpits of the year! (which is both gross and awkwardly appropriate!)

I’ve done these Fab Fridays with her for a NUMBER of years and while the activities vary from year to year (including a great new addition from Melissa K this year!) the message is always the same.

We see you.

We appreciate you.

We want you to feel supported, loved and encouraged.

Now you can do these things ALL the time of course, but there’s something about alliteration that just makes my heart happy!

Here is this years version…

I’ve had some inquiries about how we fund these…and the answer varies as much as the activity. For the soups, I have parents signed up to bring soups and fixings, the fruit & nacho bar we’ll use our discretionary money for, and the book reading will be FREE…minus some fun new book titles I need. 🙂

Here are other years of ideas, and if you’re an admin you can always join our appreciation and morale group on facebook!

Have any fab ideas to add? Share!

Staff loveN and

Kick off January with #oneoword2019 and other activities with your class/campus!

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We get back to doing what we get to do on Monday. Our staff has a day of in-service and while the bulk of our day will be spent in planning, both vertically and as grade level teams, we do have a time set aside for us to come together as a staff and do a few fun things.

 

First, Stefanie MConnell over at Principal Principles had a great activity to make a wish for the new year involving glitter, which is always a win! Added fireworks and viola! We’re ready to make a wish as a campus and I literally am so excited about glittermagedon. Stefanie is a great follow and has plenty of inspiration for campus leaders!

 

Second, we’re going to talk about our #oneword2019 as a staff and the power of living life with intention. Darren Hardy wrote an AMAZING book called “The Compound Effect” where he talks about the impact little, inconsequentially, daily choices can have on the rest of our lives. Choosing to focus on one word can help remind us of our path and re-center us as we need it. I made bookmarks that we’ll hand out an hopefully, will become a visual reminder as we go through our semester. Download your copy here!

 

If you’re looking for a great book to kick off your new year with a purpose, his is a great one!

 

Lastly, we’ll have a toast…with ACTUAL TOAST, hahahahaha! I’m bringing all kinds of breads, butters, jams, and jellys! 🙂 We’ll have orange juice and toast to the new year together…I can’t wait! #snackiesnacks

 

 

I hope that your break was full of all your favorite things and you’re as ready to get back to work as I am. I have missed all my Wolves, the small and the tall! 🙂

 

Proud principal &

 

Looking for a seasonal thank you note? Here ya go!

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It’s that time of year where we may be inundated with gifts of thoughtfulness, and I try my hardest to get thank you notes written for each one! I went digging on Teachers Pay Teachers today, and thankfully, found several FREE ones that met my needs! I thought I’d save you the hunt and share with you here!

 

Free Holiday Thank you Notes from Fourth Grade Frenzy

Holiday Thank you Notes from Sailing into Second

Holiday Thank you Notes from Maureen Prezioso

 

 

Happy thanking!

 

 

Note writing &