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

Learning gems: principles for all on what good learning looks like!

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We just completed a most glorious fall break. I had several speaking engagements leading up to the break and it was a great reconnection to educators who are SEEKING opportunities to learn and to be better. Even if it means, gulp, changing. We know in education and professional development, the learning journey is never easy, but it’s always rewarding. Whether it’s students mastering new concepts or educators and staff taking on new challenges, growth comes through experience, discomfort, and reflection. As leaders, it’s our role to support that journey, even when it means letting go of team members we admire as they pursue new opportunities.

🤸 Humans learn by doing, through experience.

Think about the skills you use every day—how many did you actually pick up in a classroom? Probably not a lot. We learn best when we’re actually doing the thing we’re trying to master. (please see why I don’t cook for dinner. ugh.) The best learning programs let people bring real work into their learning, and bring learning back into their work.

🚧 We learn best just outside our comfort zone.

Kids are fearless. But as adults, we get scared of messing up, so we stick to what’s safe and miss out on growth. Great learning pushes us just enough—not to panic, but to stretch. When we try, fail, and learn, the impossible starts to feel doable. Professional growth is about gradually expanding our comfort zones until new skills feel natural.

Change is hard, even good change.

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💡 Motivation drives mastery.

We all know talent is needed to make mastery happen, in whatever category we’re talking about. But top-down mandates for learning? No one loves those. The magic happens when we find the overlap between district/state goals and employee passions. When your people have a say in their learning journey, when it taps into their motivations, they engage deeply and learn better.

📖 Learning how to learn is the most durable skill.

The world of education is changing fast—not news there to any of us in the trenches. While Twitter’s talking about AI skills for the future, the real game-changer is learning how to learn. When our teachers (or teams!) know how to adapt, how to break down challenges, and how to keep building new skills, they’re ready for whatever comes next. The best programs help people strengthen those learning muscles.

👩🏾‍🍳 Reflection is the secret ingredient.

Ever wonder why some expensive workshops seem to fade from memory a week later? The problem is a lack of reflection. Spray and pray. They dip you in “new”, shake ya off, and then send you back to doing what you’ve always done. The best learning experiences weave reflection throughout—giving people time to connect the dots and think about how they’ll apply what they’ve learned. That’s what turns a workshop into lasting change.

🏈 Learning is a team sport.

Yes, bite-sized online courses are great for picking up certain skills—like coding. But if we want to shift mindsets, change behaviors, or transform culture, we need each other. We need peers to share with, mentors to challenge us, and managers to support our growth. Learning is more powerful when it happens in community, with accountability, encouragement, and the kind of lessons that ripple throughout the team. (PLC’s anyone?)

 

I have an employee I adore who just left me for a new and exciting GROWN UP opportunity. I am so happy for him, but I wasn’t surprised to hear how hard his first day was. We are all fine with change, right? As long as it’s impacting other people and not us. Ha!

Even when we bring that change on ourselves, even when it’s what we WANT, it’s still hard. Watching someone you care about grow and move on is a bittersweet reminder of how hard it can be to step into the unknown. But growth always comes with a bit of discomfort. And in the end, that’s what makes what we do in education worthwhile—knowing that each step forward, no matter how hard, is part of something bigger. I’m proud of him and excited to see where this path will lead, even if it’s tough right now. I hope you’ve got reminders of why we do what we do surrounding you as well!

 

Always learning &

A new beginning…a new opportunity for culture to be built!

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“A culture is simply a shared vision of what it is you want to do to get to where it is you want to go…It’s up to the coach to create the philosophy.”

Pat Reilly

The culture in your organization is defined by what you tolerate and expect each day. It sets the foundation for your team, and we know the foundation is the most crucial of the beginning pieces.

The best teams? They build a culture rooted in trust, connection, and accountability. Kinda like Pat Reilly’s teams. His culture can be seen through their behaviors, purpose, values, and attitudes.

 

5  Things to think about when you plan for back to school for your campus:

  1. Vision
    Vision provides a unified direction and helps set expectations for everyone. This collective sense of purpose drives motivation and also helps everyone understand the reasons behind their actions. Even if anyone on your team disagrees, it helps when they know where or why a decision was made. We don’t have to tell everyone there isn’t a Santa, but we want to make sure they know they’re getting gifts, right? Consistently bringing everyone back to your vision helps keep the right things, the right things.
  2. Accountability
    Exceptional teams establish high standards and hold everyone to them. Making accountability a core part of the culture helps ensure these standards are consistently met. Holding people accountable creates an environment where excellence becomes the default. We know success takes us all, but that all means all. From vision to accountability, you need all your people on the same page. We each have to be able to do what it takes, even if it means having hard conversations.
  3. Communication
    When communication is lacking, people make their own assumptions. What does Joe Sanfelippo say? When people don’t know what you do, they make up what you do. And when they make up what you do, it may not have anything to do with what you actually do! (He says something like that anyway!;)) Clear is kind. Clarity precedes competence. Can your team members clearly articulate the expectations and attitude of your campus? Effective communication prevents misunderstandings and builds a culture of transparency and responsibility. Handle communication now or handle the chaos later.
  4. Ownership
    Ownership gives individuals a sense of responsibility and investment in their work. When people feel they have ownership over their tasks, they are more motivated and empowered. This leads to a more competent and confident team because they understand what they are responsible for. Hard to drill holes in the boat if you’re busy helping paddle!
  5. Connection
    Strong teams cultivate relationships and a culture of trust and respect. You can’t rush relationships. It takes time to build connections with one another and begin to genuinely care for each other. People want to feel valued and supported and as a leader, this is your chance to help facilitate those actions. This in turn will drive collaboration, unity, and mutual support within the team…all good things!

Simon Sinek says, “A culture is not invented. A culture constantly evolves…which is why it must be nurtured.” If you leave culture building or staff appreciation for when you have free time….you may find that you never actually have any!

How are you fostering your team’s culture? #leadership #teamculture #growth

I hope your beginning is the best one one yet!

 

Missing campus kickoff’s &

Finding Leadership Harmony in Taylor Swift’s Lyrics: Leadership Lessons from Lyrics Wrap-Up

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Well, folks, we’ve been on quite the leadership journey together, diving deep into some of my favorite Taylor Swift lyrics to unearth some golden nuggets of leadership wisdom. As we wrap up this series, here are your cliff notes of what we’ve hummed along to…

Honesty vs. Harmony

Starting with the raw emotions in “All Too Well,” looked at how honesty in leadership isn’t just about being blunt—it’s about being kind too. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. True leaders know how to deliver tough messages without breaking the spirit of their team. While hard convos aren’t necessarily my strength, I stand by the “in your face” blunt style will never be something that wins others over and creates the culture that makes people want to be there.

Honesty in leadership isn’t just about speaking the truth—it’s about packaging it with kindness. #LeadershipLessons #TaylorSwiftWisdom

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Self-awareness is Your Best Friend

In  “AntiHero,” we reexamined the importance of self-awareness. Acknowledging our own mistakes isn’t just brave, it’s essential. It sets the stage for genuine growth and learning, and hey, it shows everyone we’re human too. I had a chandelier hanging in my principal’s office. I’m not scary…come talk to me!

Embrace your inner AntiHero in leadership—acknowledging your flaws is the first step to greatness. #SelfAwareness #GrowthMindset

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You Do You

“You’re on Your Own, Kid” gave us a reason to toe tap to sing about embracing our individual journeys. Leadership can feel like a solo act, but every challenge we face tunes our skills and sharpens our resolve. It’s about owning your story and rocking it, even when the going gets tough. Realizing that everyone has struggles, hits rough waters, or questions their decisions isn’t a bad thing… it’s the actual thing we are doing…leading.

You’re on your own, kid, but that’s exactly where you need to be. Every challenge tunes your leadership skills. #Resilience #EducationLeaders

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Criticism? Shake It Off

Finally, “Ours” reminded us that criticism comes with the territory.

Like T-Swift, we’ve got to shake off the haters and focus on what matters—our people.

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Protecting your team from the noise and focusing on the kids is what leadership looks like in action.

 

This ends my series. Although, with the #TTPD release, I sure could keep going! (I can do it with a broken heart?? Enneagram three’s everywhere are bopping along to that one!!)  Whether you’re facing the thunderous applause of success or the eerie quiet of challenges, remember that your leadership style is your signature—unique, impactful, and wonderfully yours.

Leadership is like songwriting—it’s not just about hitting the right notes, it’s also about touching hearts. #LeadWithAppreciation

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Thank you for tuning in, sharing your thoughts, and dancing along through this with me. It’s been fun!

Shaking a sequin Swift skirt &

 

Leadership Lesson from Lyrics: Shining Through the Hard

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April is flying by, which brings us closer to the “end” of the 23-24 school year. This is where most administrators are already thinking about next year, partly, hopefully, because at this point in the year…life feels easier.

Hot sports opinion: did it get easier, or did you start doing hard… better?

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Every year your tool belt gets a few more tools. We’ve become more adept at navigating complexity and adversity. As we encounter similar challenges repeatedly, we don’t necessarily find that the tasks themselves become easier. Rather, our skills, strategies, and mental frameworks for handling these situations improve.

Which ties in right nicely to these lyrics which I think have one of my favorite leadership lessons.

This week’s leadership lesson from lyrics comes from “Ours”, from way back in 2011.

Seems like there’s always someone who disapprovesThey’ll judge it like they know about me and youAnd the verdict comes from those with nothing else to doThe jury’s out, but my choice is you
So don’t you worry your pretty, little mindPeople throw rocks at things that shineAnd life makes love look hardThe stakes are high, the water’s rough…

While it can obviously be a song about a relationship, some parallels make me think about the evolution of an administrator’s mindset.

Seems like there’s always someone who disapproves, And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do…

These lines sure do make me think about how universal the leadership truth of criticism being inevitable is in education. Everyone has an opinion, and the odds are high they’ve formed theirs based on what Dr. Joe Sanfelippo says, “They’re still jacked up about not getting a second chicken sandwich at lunch twenty years ago.” Self-aware leaders know that disapproval and judgments will come with the territory. Standing firm in what you believe to be best for your staff is where your integrity begins.

The jury’s out, but my choice is you.

Standing beside your team…or in front of them, as the case may be, models again what it means to lead with your team in mind. District initiatives, state testing, critical parents…these are all issues that administrators deal with. But how that trickles back down to your staff is up to you. Early on, I distinctly remember texting certain team members while in meetings, asking questions, trying to get ahead of what was being shared at the district level, and I thankfully, had a rockstar teacher who finally said, “Hey. Stop that. You’re worked up, you get us worked up. Sit, listen, and then bring it back to us to talk about. We got you.”

Y’all.

Taking care of your team means controlling the broccoli. Vegetables may not be your thing, but we all know a balanced meal should include them. YOU are the one who gets to decide how much is on your people’s plate. There is a fine line, especially right now in education, in how full our people’s plates are. Let’s not be the ones who cause it to overflow…show them that you chose them. Control what gets added to their plates. Protect their time, their energy, and above all…let them focus on the students, not administrative minutiae.

People throw rocks at things that shine.

If you’re too “extra”, too shiny…it’s easy to…well…have things thrown at you. In my VERY FIRST principal meeting, I asked someone, another principal, a question, and she said, “People pay you to speak. Why are you asking me a question?”

Ouch.

(Lesson learned. Rock thrown.)

Any disruption of the status quo can disrupt the waters. The millions of images that we see that talk about blowing out the flames of others, or finding your tribe, or how you’ll never be too much for “your” people…all are a manifestation of how hard leadership (in any capacity) can be, especially when you don’t do it the exact same way as others. The crab mentality can be real. (where when one crab might try to escape, but the others pull it back down to prevent it). I’m thankful for the ones I know can see the difference between @8amber8, and Amber the principal, or tech director, or whatever title is attached to my name.  Success…or attention, or accomplishments…is not pie. There is plenty to go around. 

The stakes are high, the water’s rough…

There is a significant responsibility that comes with leadership. In a Pinterest, Instagram happy world it sure is easy to get beat down. You feel like you don’t do enough, no one is ever happy, and lasting wins are hard to come by. I think the hardest part of being an administrator is knowing which criteria defines how good you are at what you do. Is it high test scores? Happy teachers? District support and buy-in? Happy parents? Innovative learning? Happy students? It’s very difficult to have all of those be true at the same time. Maintaining a passion and commitment in leadership can be challenging when the push and pull of external pressures threaten to dampen that drive that you started with. In 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average tenure of principals at their schools was about four years. I can’t imagine it’s increased in the past three years.

The last line I didn’t include, but is, “This love is ours”. Do what you do, friends, the way that you do it.

LOVING what you do is the only way to make sure you can keep doing it.

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Remember, this love for what you do is what will keep you moving forward, no matter how high the stakes or how rough the waters.

 

Shining on &

 

PS: Catch the other posts in this leadership lesson series?? If not, here ya go!

Swift Lessons in Leadership through Lyrics: The Fine Line Between Honesty and Cruelty”

Leadership Lessons from Lyrics: Embracing the Anti-Hero Within

Leadership Lessons from Lyrics: You’re on Your Own, Kid…no, really. You totally are.

 

PPS: Next week, will we dive into #TTPD?? Will I derail the TSwift train and tackle other lyrical masterminds? (See what I did there?)

You’ll have to wait and see!!

 

 

Leadership Lessons from Lyrics: Embracing the Anti-Hero Within

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This is week two of “Leadership Lessons from Lyrics…did you see last week’s post? Loved the comments on Facebook, X, and even on IG of how it resonated with all of my leader peeps. So glad it’s not just me who feels like brutal honesty is NOT how we want to give…or receive feedback!

This week the lesson that has popped up ALL week long is from “AntiHero”, by the TSwift.

It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s meAt tea time, everybody agreesI’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirrorIt must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

I’ve been replaying these lyrics in my mind all week…and it baffles me that self-awareness isn’t a cornerstone of every leadership training program out there. Team members and leaders who can openly acknowledge their own shortcomings set the example for a culture of humility and ongoing learning among their teams and colleagues. It builds an environment where it’s okay to fess up to mistakes and learn from them. However, if you’re in a place where no one seems able to admit they’ve dropped the ball, it will impact the culture, eroding trust and fostering resentment. And when things hit the fan, that reluctance to own up could seriously hinder open, honest communication.

If the expectation is that leaders should step back from the spotlight in times of success but step up in challenging times, shouldn’t this principle be practiced consistently?

Is an unwillingness to accept fault based on a lack of confidence or fear of consequence?

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Being able to acknowledge that you don’t know everything and are willing to reset, regroup, and try again is crucial in education. Every situation and student (or staff member!) is different. They are coming to the table with different experiences and therefore, a different lens.

Just because you are in charge doesn’t mean you always get it right.

When a team member consistently refuses to acknowledge their mistakes, it can diminish both trust and respect. People tend to follow leaders who are honest and transparent about their shortcomings, as it makes them more relatable and trustworthy. By openly acknowledging mistakes, you’ll model a growth mindset and resilience. This behavior encourages others to admit and learn from their errors, fostering a culture where learning from failure is not just accepted but encouraged. It demonstrates that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process, not something to be ashamed of.

Acknowledging mistakes is the first step toward correcting them and preventing similar issues in the future…which your team needs to hear.

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The phrase “I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror” suggests that while you’ll take on other people’s issues, and be willing to tackle tough challenges with others, but aren’t so willing to do so when you are the one making the mistake. Growth as a leader means you have to be willing to check in with yourself as well. I know that ego plays a part in this, and am willing to acknowledge several times that it’s gotten me tangled up as well. I think transitioning from a position where I felt confident in what I was doing to a completely different “lane” of education has allowed me quite regularly to admit that I need help and support. Balancing that with the confidence of leadership feels awfully antihero.

It’s not just about steering the ship with a steady hand; it’s also about being brave enough to admit when we’ve hit rough waters because of our own doing. This journey of self-reflection and acknowledgment isn’t just for the brave or pop singer—it’s for every leader/team member aspiring to foster an environment of trust, risk-taking, and innovation.

Here’s to embracing our inner anti-heroes, learning from our missteps, and leading with a mix of confidence and humility. Can’t wait to see where next week’s lyrics will take us!

Staring at the mirror &