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

When little things send a big message… #QuoteOfTheDay

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One of my favorite spots in our halls is right in the front entryway. Our building is laid out so that every wing of classrooms branches out off of a long main hall, so to get to where you want to be, you’ll walk right by our “Quote of the Day” spot on the wall.

Each week a different teacher creates a “quote” poster that hangs for all to see. Think anchor chart… of inspiration! I have zero artistic ability, but something about my Wolves, they are incredibly willing to put themselves out there and make it happen, every time I ask.

We used a Silhouette to cut out the “Keep the Quote” part and use chart paper on a rope to roll down each week. (less than $20 bucks, tops!) When a teacher creates the new quote, they get to keep the one from the week before. One of my favorite things is seeing those older quotes hanging outside their door or in their rooms.

Words have such power. They can make us happy, they make us sad. They can make us FEEL.

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Sometimes, when you don’t even have words, just feelings? That’s even more amazing.

My husband tells me all the time that I am very “simplistic”, (which is a different eye-roll worthy conversation in itself) but I know he means that because I allow myself to get so emotionally invested in words…in books or insanely meaningful twitter posts that make me cry…instead of having a staunch stoicism of evaluating whether any of it ACTUALLY matters in life. I’m the girl whose headache goes away when she takes Tylenol, because duh, that’s what it’s supposed to do. When I read something uplifting or encouraging? It brightens my mindset and outlook. It pushes me on. Simplistic or not…it works.

Within our halls, our goal is to encourage and motivate our wolves…from the moment they walk in, till the moment they walk out. The detail of what is hanging in our halls is a part of that.

That’s what these quotes are all about. Encouragement. Motivation. A reminder that words matter.

Use your words for good today.

 

Quotingly and

 

 

 

 

 

PS: Was this post helpful? You might like Melinda Miller’s and I’s book, Lead With Appreciation: Fostering a Culture of Gratitude! The book is packed with ideas to help leaders at any level support their staff and develop a PLAN for making sure climate and culture isn’t the ball that gets dropped when #leadershiplife happens! You can order your copy here, Lead with Appreciation: Fostering a Culture of Gratitude.

How can you make your February FABULOUS for your teachers? #LeadWithAppreciation

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We all know by this point February can be a dip in morale for our teams. It’s cold, it’s dreary, spring break still seems like it’s forever away…what if you INTENTIONALLY make this a fun month for your team? Try having Fabulous Fridays in February!

What began as something fun for me to do to brighten our team’s month has not only become a tradition but at this point, five years into my Whitt Wolf world, my teachers are ASKING for Fab Fridays! I can’t tell you how happy that makes me! It’s been 10 years of Fab Fridays y’all. TEN!! Here are five things I’ve learned to help you make sure your Fab Friday’s go off without a hitch!

5 Fab Friday Lessons!

  1. Plan ahead. My *secretary* knew in September to make sure and watch my 461 (discretionary budget code) line because I always do a few “somethings” this month. I started asking our leadership teams earlier in the month what they had enjoyed in the past or wanted me to make sure and include. We’ve got ours nailed down, added to a calendar and handed out.
  2. Mix it up! I added *more* this year but balanced free things with things I could purchase or do. They love free time, they love the warm-up days…it doesn’t have to be expensive to show your team you’re grateful for what they do!
  3. KNOW your people! We talk a lot about the value in knowing your team in Lead with Appreciation: Fostering a Culture of Gratitude. I have friends who are gluten-free, friends who are vegetarians, friends who don’t eat like a teenage boy as I do. 🙂  We don’t want them to look at these activities as things that they don’t get to participate in, everyone should get excited about Fridays in February!
  4. Leverage your people! I have mommas who love to bake, who love to help, who love to cut and hand out. I make sure I include them this month as well. From finding and cutting out my celebrity couples to donations for that delicious baked treat…I take advantage of this incredible community. Y’all, I managed to ruin not one, but two, dinners this week (it’s just not my gift.) but ya know what? I don’t have to do all of this by myself! The goal isn’t for you to walk away even more tired or despondent because of all that you’ve added to your own personal plate.
    Look around and ask for help!

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  5. Keep it simple! You literally can do one big thing this month…or tons of little things. Do all the free things. Simply cancel a meeting. Remove an expectation. Let them leave early. So many options! If you’re looking for MORE ideas, you can find some of our past years’ plans here, here or here!

 

Are fabulous Fridays in February already here, and to close for you to handle all this thinking and creating? What about Mondays in March or even a “you’re awesome” in April can also work! The main goal is to remind your teachers that you see them working hard, keeping their students at the forefront of what they do and that you just want to, yep, you guessed it, lead with appreciation!

 

 

Fabulously &

 

 

 

PS: Was this post helpful? You might like Melinda Miller’s and I’s book, Lead With Appreciation: Fostering a Culture of Gratitude! The book is packed with ideas to help leaders at any level support their staff and develop a PLAN for making sure climate and culture isn’t the ball that gets dropped when #leadershiplife happens! You can order your copy here, Lead with Appreciation: Fostering a Culture of Gratitude.

 

To be known or to be impressive? #2020oneword

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Twitter is so fun. We have a new-ish pastor. He’s been around now for about a year, but we attend a satellite church, so I’ve actually never met him. We are always entertained and moved through his message though. He also has been fantastic to follow and learn along with through the twitters.  It’s developed a “connection” from afar, and even just that tenuous of one, makes me feel more plugged into his sermons/messages.

While scrolling, I came across this tweet the other day and it made me pause.

 

Just through a quick read, I thought well that’s silly. Can’t I can be super impressed with people I know? I know some pretty impressive people after all… (coughTroycough)

He, so graciously, responded…and I just can’t stop thinking about how very much of THIS KIND of leader I want to be.

 

 

This is why I’m so transparent in my failures and the mistakes I’ve made as a leader. (#thefirstyear, just as a reminder.)

It’s also why I’m so anti “cotton candy leadership”. The notion that our jobs are all about riding tricycles or how giving up our offices is the right & easy thing to do…just kills me. Our jobs are hard! (and amazing and rewarding and filled with the VERY best of lil’people!!) but also, HARD.

Recognizing the multifaceted role that we are charged with…never letting any of those balls drop…being able to be SEEN in the role…means more to me than being impressive. It’s recognizing that sometimes it’s more important to let people see the struggle than just to assume the success. Otherwise its a misrepresentation of the MOST important things we do…change lives.

 

It means being KNOWN. Sharing the good, the bad, the struggles. Sharing the flaws and the failures…always being real.

And being ok with it.

 

My word for #2020 is going to be “known”. To be seen for #allthethings, not just the high light reel that is traditionally shared. (Although, let’s be honest, I’m not really that kinda girl anyway. )

 

Thanks for the nudge, JH! I look forward to ACTUALLY meeting you, 🙂

 

2020 ready &

 

Self care for principals…it should be a priority!

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We’re closing out October. You know…the month with 5,000 events and what feels like just as many days? The first armpit of the school year?

That October.

Recognizing that self care is probably at the bottom of your to do list (as it was originally on mine!) I decided I needed a way to make it a priority! Carving out time for yourself, whether you are a teacher or a leader, is crucial. We’re about to enter TWO important busy months where the focus is easily on those around us. The cliche line of not being able to pour from an empty bucket is a true one, friends. It’s important to remember that you need to take care of you, because honestly, as the leader, that’s not on the tip tops of your coworker’s minds. You make the big bucks remember? You’re usually the one care for those all around you!

My principal BFF Melinda Miller and I included a chapter in “Lead with Appreciation”How can you #LeadWithAppreciation? just on self-care. You have the seasonal ups and downs that our teachers do as well. The intentionality of taking care of yourself is just as relevant for you as it is for your staff/students. Self care isn’t just a trendy topic when it comes to SEL and our staff emotional well being. Burnout is a REAL thing. The pressure of our position is a REAL thing. 

“Self love is asking yourself what you need – every day – and then making sure you receive it.” – Unknown

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Sounds cute and fun, right? The last thing I have time for in the upcoming months is to add one more thing to my todo list, much less something that requires energy and effort to think and plan, right? But…putting ourselves first IS a necessity. And although our lives might seem crazy hectic enough, taking the time to care for ourself is going to aid in the effectiveness of you helping others. Even if it’s something as simple as…one of these ideas! I’ve created a 30 day “Principal Priority” idea checklist that I will be using in November. There are 30 days and here are 30 ideas! Most are free and easy…and all with the idea that you, admin, principal, or leaders of tiny humans, need to take a few minutes each day just for yourself.

 

How can you make self care a priority this month?

(Download your PDF to check off with me here!)

 

Is it possible to do a great job…in all the places and in all the ways- without sacrificing who we are or our sanity? I would certainly hope so. I do know, for a fact, that when I am able to carve out time to do things on the weekends, that I just do for the enjoyment of doing them, that Monday rolling around isn’t nearly as stressful. Self care can be as simple as adopting the mindset that within each day there should be something that makes your physical or mental health a priority. Not that means we can’t have ambitions! (Hello, #ennegram3 here!) It means that we realize for every yes we say to others, we potentially are saying no to ourselves and those who matter. We want to be the yes girl, or the I can do it all guy…but the reality is for the long term that is unrealistic.

Burnout can lead to poor decision making, stretched relationships, and tense campus culture. Nobody wants to work with (or for!) someone who forgets what it means to put themselves first. Being mindful of putting yourself first is the first step in trying to achieve that elusive balance we all seek!

Put YOU on your to-do list!

Allow yourself to put YOU on the todo list. I purposely didn’t pick specific “days” on that above chart because some of these ideas are perfect for the weekends and some are great for a random Monday where you need a smile.  Bottom line, we all need to make time to care for ourselves. Being able to do little things for ourselves is going to improve everything from our social interactions to our productivity. And which of those don’t we all need?

It’s ok to love yourself enough to try and balance out meeting the needs of those around you with your needs.

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That doesn’t make you selfish, it makes you self aware!

 

Calendar checking &

 

 

 

 

PS: Melinda Miller and I put a whole chapter on self care in our recent book “Lead with Appreciation”, if you’re looking for more ideas and context, you can buy your copy here!

October wearing you out? Here’s a fun freebie to encourage!

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Is it me, or is October 5,000 days long?

Feels like it, I’m telling ya!

 

Parent conferences, expectations setting in, data, assessments…feels like there is a little bit of everything we do, crammed into this month. There’s a reason we call this the first armpit of the school year. It’s when the honeymoon is over and our reality has set in. Thanksgiving seems really far away, and it’s all crashing down around us.

Just in case your team needs a boost like I feel like mine might, here’s an easy way to brighten a day. I’m throwing this into mailboxes as hopefully an acknowledgment that not only am I feeling it too but that there is an end in sight!

 

Attach it to a chapstick, and there ya go! Packs are cheap at the Walmart, or you can order from Amazon.

 

Download your copy here!

(Chapstick can be ordered from Amazon in bulk here!)

 

 

10 more days…we can do this!

 

Paddling &