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

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

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Listen. I fully appreciate the middle aged-ness of myself. Truly. However, this blog is about being TRANSPARENT as well, right? Not only am I a “seasoned” leader…I also might be have watched the “Eras” tour an OBNOXIOUS amount of times since it has come out.

It’s the perfect thing to have playing in the background while I cook, clean or… scroll. And if you know me, you know I’m not that great at cooking or cleaning. (I like to think it’s ok because at least I am cute and funny…but MT says I’m not that funny. Sigh.)

Anyhoo…I’ve noticed here lately that there are some powerful lyrics that keep getting stuck in my head from Ms. Swift. And the application from them to my leadership experiences just can’t be denied, even I wanted to pretend to not be all Swift’sessed. For those who associate her with pop sugar and bouncy are in for a treat.

First up…in “All Too Well”, we have this gem:

“And you call me up again just to break me like a promiseSo casually cruel in the name of being honestI’m a crumpled up piece of paper lying here..”

Causally cruel. In the name of being honest.

We hear, frequently, that honesty and transparency in leadership is crucial. A necessary trait. Sometimes though, that honesty can be wielded like a sword. The person swinging that sword has the force field of being right, regardless of how deep it cuts.

Not seeing how it could apply?

I’ve written a lot about #thefirstyear, and all the things as a principal I’d gotten wrong and the adjustments I made thanks to the team around me. How though, did I know, how tragically terrible it was going?

I was on my way out to a meeting when I was pulled aside by members of my “team”.  They asked me to sit in one of their offices, while the two of them broke the news. They had finally been compelled “in the name of being honest” to share information I needed to know.

The staff was unhappy. They were looking to leave. The scores and culture on the campus I’d been honored enough to be asked to lead was falling apart, because of me. Because of my leadership.

I was devastated.

But I was also confused. I managed to maintain composure and ask. Who? Who wanted to leave? What? What exactly had I done?

Well…they couldn’t tell me that. Couldn’t. Wouldn’t.

I vividly remember asking, “So what I am hearing is that I am a terrible principal…but you have nothing to offer in how I can get better? Or to change what I am doing?” They didn’t.

I can’t even articulate how devastating it is to not only hear that you’re a failure, but also that there wasn’t anything you could do about it. From people you thought were also on your “team”.

It was a pivotal moment in my principal’ing experience. If you’ve read this from ASCD, you know it didn’t get better right away. But, it did get better. It actually got a lot better before I left 6 years later.

I never forgot, however, how cutting that conversation was, even in all its rightness.

Telling someone they are terrible doesn’t help them get any better.

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What is the goal in “brutal honesty”? Does it set the receiver up to improve? Isn’t that the purpose of feedback? Surely it’s not just for the satisfaction of the person giving it?

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I used to tell my staff to always remember when talking to parents about a concern to always remember that the student you are so worked up over, for whatever reason, is most likely the most important thing in someone else’s world. If you go guns in blazing, no matter how right you are, you aren’t going to be heard.

You can be right all day long and lose every relationship you have.

So today’s lesson is this…worry less about being so honest, and care more about the relationship. YOu can, believe it or not, do both.

Swift singing &

Embracing change for leadership success

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Change can be overwhelming, especially for educators, administrators, or district leaders. But when it comes to new leadership in a school district, change is inevitable. A new leader can bring a fresh perspective, innovative ideas, and a new sense of hope for students and staff members. There are so many opportunities for growth, especially here in Texas so again, change is a given. However, change can be difficult to navigate, and not everyone may be on board. As a leader, it’s important to support our teams during this time of transition and ensure that everyone is equipped with the tools they need to make the most of the “new” in a positive way. (positive way…ya see that part?)  But with the right mindset and approach, you and your team can thrive in this new era of leadership and education.

  1. First up? The transition…transition management is crucial during periods of change, and you can do several things to help alleviate the stress of “new”…
  • Set clear expectations: Clearly communicate the goals, objectives, and timelines associated with new leadership. This helps everyone understand the purpose and provides a sense of direction.
  • Provide support: Offer training, resources, and opportunities to help your team or staff adapt to the changes.
  • Foster transparency: Keep the lines of communication open and be transparent about the reasons behind the change. This helps to build trust and ensures that everyone is on the same page.

Easy ideas? Chip & chat! Open house! Take a snackie snack twist on an “open house”…

 

  1. Communicate, communicate, communicate…Effective communication is paramount to managing change successfully.
  • Be proactive: Communicate early and often. Share information about the changes, including the rationale, potential benefits, and any adjustments in expectations or procedures.
  • Encourage feedback: Create a safe and open environment for team members to share their thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. Actively listen and respond empathetically to their feedback.
  • Tailor the message: Different stakeholders may require different types of communication. Customize the messaging to ensure relevance and clarity.

Easy ideas? Implement a weekly newsletter or blog to provide updates, share success stories, and celebrate milestones achieved during the transition.

 

  1. We’re all in this together… Collaboration is essential during times of change. Foster a sense of unity and teamwork by any means conducive to your personality!
  • Encourage cross-functional collaboration: Break down silos and encourage individuals from different departments or grade-level teams to work together. If you really want to see it happen, SCHEDULE it!
  • Facilitate team-building activities: Organize team-building exercises, workshops, or off-site events that promote trust, cooperation, and shared goals. Know your people! I couldn’t ever get TOO crazy if I wanted everyone to participate based on personality…
  • Recognize and celebrate achievements: Are you a part of our FB group for school leaders? 

Easy ideas? Purposefully schedule cross-functional projects to work on specific initiatives, as you know they’ll be happening. Appreciation, campus communications, green teams, etc. Everyone rows on our boat! This encourages collaboration and allows team members to share expertise and learn from each other in a way that’s different than assigned content.

The good news is that there is ALWAYS something changing…and our world revolves around a school year. The days may be long but the years are short! One of my favorite beginning of the year conversations was that the people in our room, at that moment, would never be together like that again, so take advantage of the opportunity and enjoy it while you can. There may or may not have also been a candle pass involved.

 

#ChnageFan &

 

Recommended books for leadership…new & old!

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We know that readers are leaders and that leaders are learners…don’t we?

Here are four books I encourage you to add to your peruse list this summer. Our dedication to personal and professional growth sets an example for our entire educational community. I encourage you to carry forward the knowledge and inspiration gained from any of these, infusing it into your classrooms and interactions with students, colleagues, and parents alike.

 If you’re new to management or looking to be promoted, The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo is the resource you need to get on the fast track to success. Drawing on her experience managing hundreds of employees as a design executive at Facebook, Zhuo says great managers all focus on achieving the ultimate goal of all managers: facilitating desirable outcomes by inspiring and coordinating the efforts of others. Through Zhuo’s expert tips, you’ll learn how to build a team and motivate them to work together by hiring the right people, building trusting relationships, and running productive meetings.

While the book is not specifically written for educators, its principles and lessons can be applied through the lens of an educator to enhance leadership skills in the educational context.

Zhuo’s book provides a practical guide for individuals transitioning into managerial roles, focusing on key areas such as building a team, setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and fostering a positive work culture. As an educator, applying these principles can help you navigate the complexities of leading a team of educators, administrators, and support staff.

One of the central themes in the book is the importance of developing strong relationships with team members. Similarly, as an educator, building positive relationships with your colleagues and staff is crucial for fostering collaboration and a sense of community within the educational institution. By investing in effective communication, active listening, and empathy, you can create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

Transitioning into a leadership role is a time of excitement and uncertainty. According to leadership development consultant Michael Watkins, whether you thrive or falter in your new role depends on your actions early on. In The First 90 Days, Watkins provides a roadmap for making your job transition smooth and rewarding. You’ll learn how to avoid common pitfalls by gathering critical information, building strong relationships, and achieving initial successes. If you follow Watkins’s advice, you’ll be ready to ease into your new role with confidence and start creating positive momentum for your career and your campus.

When viewed through the lens of an educator, the book offers valuable insights on how to navigate the critical initial period in a new educational position effectively.

The book emphasizes the importance of quickly understanding the educational context, including the culture, systems, and key stakeholders. As an educator, this means immersing yourself in the school community and actively listening to the needs and perspectives of teachers, students, parents, and administrators. By gaining a deep understanding of the existing educational landscape, you can identify areas for improvement and align your goals and strategies accordingly.

 

 

“The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy teaches educators that small, consistent actions and habits have a compounding effect over time. By consistently implementing effective teaching strategies, investing in professional development, and fostering positive relationships, educators can make a lasting impact on student learning. The book emphasizes the power of consistency, personal growth, and cultivating positive habits to drive long-term success in education.

Hardy highlights the importance of recognizing that small, incremental improvements in teaching practices and classroom management accumulate over time, leading to significant educational outcomes. By adopting a growth mindset, staying committed to professional development, and establishing consistent routines, educators can create a positive learning environment and contribute to student success. By embracing the principles of consistency and personal growth, educators can make a profound and lasting impact on their students and the educational community as a whole.

 

 

 

 

What makes a good leader? Some say you’ll know one when you see one; others confuse being a leader with simply having a title. In The 5 Levels of Leadership, John C. Maxwell gives a shape and form to something seemingly indefinable and provides a roadmap to help you reach your full leadership potential.

In this book, you’ll learn how to go from being a boss to a real leader, how to get people to follow you without using your rank, and how to use your leadership to build a legacy that stands the test of time. It begins with the recognition that leadership based solely on position is just the starting point. As educators, we must build relationships and earn permission and influence from others. Delivering results and achieving excellence in education is crucial, but true leadership also involves developing and empowering our team members. Ultimately, the pinnacle of leadership lies in making a broader impact on the education community, advocating for positive change, and shaping the future of education. By embracing these levels, educators can become influential leaders who inspire and empower others to create a transformative educational experience.

 

 

 

Hopefully, this week finds you winding down, wrapping up, and getting to take a well-deserved BREAK! June was my month to close up and reflect on the year…but it’s also when I had the mental capacity to dive into books. Have any you’ve read recently that I need to add to my list?

 

BookmarkN &

Season of feedback: master the art of not taking it personal…

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It can be jarring when your work is criticized but, before you head straight to the socials to lament or begin drafting your resignation letter, let’s think about how you can reframe the advice feedback to think of it as a gift…an opportunity to get better. Your instinctive reaction may be like mine…as an enneagram 3, my entire identity gets all tangled in my ability to be successful.  It’s hard to switch that to pausing and recognizing that someone taking the time to give me constructive criticism is giving me a chance to get better at my job.

 

  1. Embrace the Growth Mindset

    • Adopting a growth mindset is crucial when receiving feedback or advice. Understand that professional advice is meant to help you grow and improve PROFESSIONALLY, rather than criticize your abilities or who you are as a person. Embrace the idea that every setback or critique is an opportunity for learning and development. By viewing advice as a stepping stone to progress, you can shift your perspective and from automatically taking it personally. As a principal, I had to remind myself that feedback from teachers, parents, or district leaders was intended to support the growth and success of our school community. It 100% takes practice to approach advice with an open mind, recognizing that it offers opportunities to improve, especially when you feel like you’re doing the best you can. (Read more about that tragic first year of mine.)

  2. Separate Your Identity from Your Work

  3. Seek Multiple Perspectives

    • When receiving professional advice, it’s important to remember that it represents just one perspective. Seek out multiple viewpoints and opinions to gain a broader understanding of the situation. This helps you recognize that advice is subjective and based on individual experiences and expertise. By diversifying the sources of advice, you can prevent taking any single opinion too personally. I am also lucky enough to have really great, smart friends. Ones I have no problem calling for perspectives and to help me process feedback in a productive way…

  4. Focus on the Intent

    • Instead of dwelling on how advice is delivered or interpreting it as a personal attack, shift your focus to the underlying intent. Assume positive intent. Ask yourself if words are hurtful or are you telling yourself a story about those words? Most professionals genuinely want to help and see you succeed. Consider the expertise and experience they bring to the table, and view their advice as a valuable contribution to your growth. Separate thinking that they may not “like” you and see what the advice feels like then. Could you hear that from someone you trust and handle it well?  By focusing on the positive intentions behind the advice, you can reframe your perspective. Ask for specific examples that illustrate their criticism which can help you identify the root cause of the feedback – for example, being flustered in meetings might spring from not preparing for meetings effectively, an error-filled report might need careful proofreading in the future, and so on.

  5. Reflect and Respond Constructively

    • After receiving feedback that may be hard to hear, take time to reflect on it before responding. The best criticism attacks the problem and not the person. Objectively analyze the advice and see if it matches your campus mission and goals. Does it align with the leader you want to be? Respond constructively by seeking clarifications or collaborating to find optimal solutions. Avoid knee-jerk reactions driven by emotions. Analyze the advice objectively and identify any potential areas for improvement or alignment with your goals. Instead of defending your work or becoming defensive, respond constructively by asking clarifying questions or seeking additional insights. (My favorite feedback sentences are “Help me understand… & Tell me more about…”) This approach demonstrates your willingness to learn and shows that you value the advice without internalizing it personally. (easier typed than applied, promise!)

  6. Cultivate Emotional Resilience:

    • Building emotional resilience is crucial in not taking professional advice personally. Develop techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, or journaling to manage and regulate your emotions. By becoming more self-aware, you can recognize when you are starting to take advice personally and consciously choose to respond in a more balanced and composed manner. Emotional resilience helps you navigate challenging situations with grace and maintain a growth-oriented mindset. Deep breaths, conversations with those I trust…that first year when I got the survey results back and it was filled with such hateful rhetoric? I sent it to one of my best friends. As humiliating as it was, I needed her to summarize it. She then helped me see the three top things I could take to be better. I cried, absolutely, but I was also determined to be the best I could be for my people and that meant making a change.

 

It’s never easy to hear criticism, but imagine the alternative – ignorance isn’t the bliss it’s cracked up to be. As someone now over a department where relationships are “different” and one that is growing by leaps and bounds, I also want to ensure I keep all of the above in mind when I give feedback.

Want to read all about #thefirstyear? You can!

Just some thinks to think &

Leadership (old or new) in the spring…

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Spring is a season of new beginnings; for leaders, it’s an opportunity to reset and refocus their leadership strategies. As the flowers begin to bloom and the world awakens from its winter slumber, leaders can take this time to gear up for a new season of leadership.

So how can leaders use the spring to their advantage? Here are a few tips:

  1. Reflect on the past season.

Before moving forward, it’s important to reflect on the past season. What worked well? What didn’t? What goals did you achieve, and what goals fell short? Taking time to reflect on the past season can help you identify areas for growth and improvement.

It’s important to take the time to review what worked well and what didn’t, to identify areas where changes can be made, and to celebrate accomplishments.

To reflect on the past season, start by gathering feedback from team members, stakeholders, and customers. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one conversations. Ask questions about what they liked and didn’t like about the season, what went well and what could have been improved.

Once you have gathered feedback, analyze the data and look for patterns or trends. Identify areas where the team performed well and areas where there were challenges. Use this information to create a plan for moving forward, and setting goals and objectives for the next season.

It’s also important to celebrate successes and recognize the contributions of team members. Take the time to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in the past season. This can help build morale and motivate team members for the next season.

  1. Set new goals.

Once you’ve reflected on the past season, it’s time to set new goals for the upcoming season. What do you want to achieve? What areas do you want to focus on? Setting specific, measurable goals can help keep you and your team on track throughout the season.

Goals provide direction, motivation, and a sense of purpose for the team or organization. As a leader, setting challenging yet achievable goals that align with the overall vision and mission is important.

When setting new goals, involving the team members in the process is important. This can help create buy-in and ownership of the goals. Encourage team members to share their ideas and suggestions for goals that will help them grow personally and professionally.

Once goals are set, breaking them down into smaller, more manageable tasks is important. This can help team members see progress and stay motivated. Assign responsibilities and deadlines for each task, and monitor progress regularly to ensure that the team is on track.

Communicating the goals and progress regularly with the team and stakeholders is also important. This can help create transparency and accountability. Celebrate small wins along the way and adjust the plan as necessary to stay on track.

Overall, setting new goals is a crucial step for any leader.

  1. Reconnect with your team.

Spring is a great time to reconnect with your team. Plan team-building activities or social events to help build camaraderie and strengthen relationships. This can help boost morale and create a positive work environment.

Reconnecting can help team members feel valued, heard, and supported, which can lead to increased morale and productivity.

To reconnect with your team, start by scheduling one-on-one meetings with each team member. Use this time to check in on their progress, listen to their concerns, and provide feedback and support. Make sure to listen and show empathy for their challenges and experiences actively.

It’s also important to schedule team-building activities to promote collaboration and improve team dynamics. This can be anything from a team lunch or happy hour to a team retreat or volunteer activity. These activities can help team members get to know each other on a personal level and build trust and camaraderie.

Regular team meetings are also an important way to reconnect with your team. Use these meetings to provide updates, discuss progress, and encourage open communication. Make sure to actively involve team members in discussions and decision-making to ensure everyone feels heard and valued.

Finally, make sure to recognize and celebrate team members’ accomplishments regularly. This can be as simple as sending a congratulatory email or publicly acknowledging a job well done. Celebrating successes can help build morale and motivation and show team members that their contributions are valued.

  1. Focus on self-care.

Leaders often put their own needs last, but taking care of yourself is essential for effective leadership. Use the spring as an opportunity to focus on self-care. Take a break, go for a walk, or try a new hobby. By prioritizing your own well-being, you’ll be better equipped to lead your team.

Taking care of yourself makes you better equipped to lead and support your team effectively.

Here are some ways to focus on self-care:

  1. Prioritize rest and relaxation: Make sure to get enough sleep, take breaks during the workday, and schedule time for relaxation and hobbies outside of work.
  2. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and avoid unhealthy habits like smoking and excessive drinking.
  3. Manage stress: Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.
  4. Seek support: Reach out to friends, family, or a mental health professional if you are struggling with stress, anxiety, or other mental health issues.
  5. Take time off: Make sure to take time off from work to recharge and spend time with loved ones.

By focusing on self-care, leaders can improve their overall well-being, reduce stress and burnout, and increase their capacity to lead and support their teams effectively.

A great quote from my favorite show, Ted Lasso is, “It’s the taking part that counts.” This quote speaks to the importance of effort and participation, regardless of the outcome. As a leader, it’s important to recognize and appreciate team members’ efforts, even if the outcome isn’t what was expected. Focusing on the process rather than just the results can help create a positive and supportive work environment.

The spring is a great time for leaders to reflect, reset, and refocus their leadership strategies. By taking time to reflect on the past season, set new goals, reconnect with your team, and prioritize self-care, you can gear up for a new season of leadership. Even as you look forward to the quietness of the summer, here is where you set the tone.

Here and