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

Everyone sweeps on our team. #leadership #goals

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There’s a story I heard about a man who was arriving for an interview. He was well dressed and came prepared with a briefcase full of references and work samples. As he arrived, there was a gentleman in the front office sweeping around the receptionist. With an audible sigh of annoyance, he stepped around the gentleman sweeping and announced his interview and employment intentions. Upon hearing his declaration, the man finished sweeping and stepped around behind the desk. He put down the broom and grabbed his jacket. He introduced himself as the CEO and with whom the interview would be taking place. He also added that in his company, everyone sweeps. “No job is too ‘low level’ or unimportant for anyone to help with,” he shared. “The basics still matter, and you’ll always be expected to help regardless of how high up you rise or how fancy you think you are.”

(Thanks to Google, I also know that this is a philosophy that Apple shares with its new employees.)

What a powerful illustration of leadership that presents.

Are you one of the ones holding the holding the broom? Regardless of title, role, or experience, I hope to create an environment where we all act with humility and an understanding of what it looks like to wield the broom. The things that I make a priority are the ones magnified by what our campus reflects. The same is true for a teacher in a classroom. If transparency and academic integrity are what you model, that is the tone you’re going to set for your students.

What does that look like?

  • I’m present. What can I do? What needs to be done? Whether it’s lunchtime or field day…I am out, about, and looking for a way I can contribute. Typically, things are flowing along right nicely but what is lost by handing out waters to volunteers? Running a race with a student? Squirting hot Wolves with a water gun? Nothing. I’m there. If I have teachers and volunteers in my building standing out in the sun, I’m out there too.
  • I prioritize. The power of modeling is well documented for its impact in the classroom, but the same is true in leadership.  I don’t shut my door (unless in a confidential conversation) because  I want my people to know that they are my priority. Tasks and to do’s can be taken care of the bulk of the time when my building isn’t full of teachers and students. Does that mean I have to prioritize and be intentionally focused? Yes. But that is the message I want to send. Do I share crazy cat memes throughout the day? No. I share #wearewhitt shout outs & celebrations. I am out front every morning, especially in the rain. I welcome students and families with a smile and a welcome. At dismissal, I am there to wave bye and encourage to come back tomorrow. If I don’t view these times and interactions as important, what am I modeling for my team??? When it’s raining, I’m wet and out there with them, opening doors and splashing in puddles. I’m the first one out, and the last one in. 
  • I provide.  Feedback. Snacks. Optimism. Knowledge. Experience. Ideas. If I know my people…I should also know the best way to fill their bucket. I provide opportunities for them to grow, to vent, to feel heard. I provide what they need to get from their point A to their point B.
  • I’m positive. Our jobs are hard ya’ll. There is no shortness of reasons to feel overwhelmed. My to-do list is never complete and I can’t quite seem to fit #allthethings in and still sleep 10 hours a night, 🙂 There are plenty of reasons we could all be negative at any given point in the day, but that is definitely not holding the broom. That’s taking the easy way out, kinda like letting someone else sweep…but that is not how I want to lead or be viewed. Whether it’s a thank you note, a hug, or a funny joke shared…making positive encouraging connections are an incredibly important part of our role. Does that mean we can’t acknowledge the hard? Of course not, it just means we don’t stay mired in that “little while” place.

 

There’s a difference between those who lead with you and those who lead ambiguously from above you.

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Grabbing the metaphoric broom is modeling humility and transparency in a leadership role…and I’m thankful to have walked beside some who showed me what that looked like. It’s now my responsibility in my role to do the same for those who may be watching.

I can’t imagine leading from behind a desk or a closed door. It’s not how I want to encourage or grow other leaders…and it’s not how I want my Wolves to remember me, big or small.

 

How do you sweep in your position?

Cleaningly &

 

The onus of PASSION…whose responsibility is it? Thoughts co-created by a momma…and a coach!

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Recently I was at a sporting event and noticed that our team was chanting during a tournament.

 

My name is ____ and guess what I got? (what do you got)  I got a team that’s hotter than hot.

How hot is hot? Grand slams and home runs too, (so what’s your point) we’re going to beat the whoopsies outta you, (yea you yea you, the whoopsies outta you)

 

It was a regular ol’sports chant…but while watching the field, I noticed the third baseman was intently listening as the girls chanted. She had tears rolling down her face…I made a comment about how I didn’t know if the chanting was necessary…and a momma nearby responded, “It’s called competition.”  <<insert big eyed emoticon here>>

 

Now…first, let’s pause and commend me for not saying anything back. The score was 16-0…us. The girls? On an 8U team. Not necessarily playing to be in the World Series here. Given the score…what an opportunity to teach our girls not only know how to be gracious winners, but to appreciate that sometimes THEY could be on the opposite side of that uneven score. Our district theme next year is going to be on achievement and the role competition can play…I’m hoping my campus twist can be on that side of the message.

While competition makes us stronger (as evidenced by “Top Dog” a great read if you’re looking for one!) I struggle as a mom and an educator with that line between passion and pushing. Who owns the passion for a sport (or class, or hobby, or task)…is it the child? Or the parent? (or coach, or instructor, or leader?) Is it an age thing? A level thing? A boy/girl thing?

 

Here’s what I know…we spend our days teaching children to be respectful, to be courteous, to be kind. Then we put them in circumstances and situations where aggression and winners/losers are defined…which in a sports setting can be appropriate. (Hello…@8amber8, I’m a huge sports girl!!) but I struggle with the line. But is it? In 8U sports? In 7th-8th grade volleyball? In the classroom?

 

Knowing that a coach, (especially a competitive male coach!) is going to have a different lens on this experience…I’ve asked Coach Lionel Wrenn, who coaches football and girls basketball to co-write this post with me. I have a 16 year old…her “passion” fluctuates with the what seems like the seasons in a year. When I saw her sports “passion” wavering…I was disappointed, I was sad…but mostly I was confused. How do you, as a parent, maintain fidelity to your child’s best interests? Do YOU push them? Do you let them bounce from one thing to the next? Do you trust/expect a coach to help ignite that passion, or maintain it? If it wavers, was it really ever a passion?

 

Mom-ing is hard, ya’ll. And I bet Coach Wrenn will tell us that coaching isn’t even easier.

 

Coach Wrenn:

As a high school coach coaching male and female sports at a competitive level the passion should lie mutually between the athlete and the coach. As a coach, you can only prepare the athlete for the battle, but you can’t win it for them. You can call all the right plays but the athlete has to trust the coach and take it upon themselves to carry out the play successfully. As a coach you try to motivate your athletes to the best of your ability, push them to be their best but at the end of the day the athlete has to want it. It is easy to spot the athlete that has the “it” factor, the one that is willing to do whatever it takes and clearly has the passion deep within. While having amazing coaches and great parental support is beneficial, at the end of the day it is up to the athlete.

In regards to the chanting, I do not support nor promote any chanting or negative forms of communication towards the opponent. I want my athletes to prove themselves through their skills and grit. I always say, let your play do the talking and keep your mouth shut but I do encourage my players to be excited and support their teammates. Not every coach shares this philosophy so when my players are being ostracized or targeted I remind them that this is a tactic used to get inside their heads and bring the morale of the team down. If they fall into the trash talking trap, I immediately remove them until they can refocus their energy back to the game.

As a parent, including a high school student, I think kids should be exposed to a variety of sports or activities at a young age. They should have the experience and opportunity to decide which sport/activity they prefer and feel most confident in. With that said, if at some point the passion fades they do need to finish that season (I won’t allow my child to be a quitter). As a coach we encourage athletes not to quit mid-season, but of course, life happens and sometimes kids just decide to take a different path and call it quits. Passions and interests change, especially as teens are trying to discover who they truly are. Parents, teachers, and coaches lack the ability to force passion into an athlete, sometimes much to our dismay. The high school years are a time of growing and learning about one’s identity apart from family ideals. Too often we see students playing sports only to appease their parents and it usually ends up hurting the program because the passion is not there, and as a coach, it can become frustrating.

In a successful program, athletes will tend to be more committed. Part of our jobs as coaches is to help athletes understand the mental obstacles that occur with losing, much like the adversity of life. 

When things get tough in life, one cannot simply call it quits (life is not fair).

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 Amber again:

I’ve had the benefit of having a daughter play under Coach Wrenn and know that I probably made his life incredibly stressful. there’s a fine line in supporting/encouraging/motivating your teen…and seeing her give less than her best. As a slightly competitive person (cough cough cough) watching someone you love NOT feel the same is hard. I’m thankful for people who push, but don’t break. Who love, but don’t coddle. Who coach, and open to coaching mommas too. #allthethings I’m thankful for Coach Wrenn and his program, in addition to him taking the time to co-write this with me! Give him a follow at @LionelWrenn!

Passion supportN &

 

Win an autographed copy of Shake Up Learning…and EVERYone wins!

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I’ve long been a fan of Kasey Bell and her laid-back approach to #allthethings google. We’ve planned together, we’re brainstormed together, and flat out learned from each other. I call her my #digitalbestie because if there is a question I’ve had in regards to PD, Google training, or regional support from her “real job”, she is always available for me! Her support of empowered learners is a staple of strong and appropriate integration.

When she told me that she was writing a book, I celebrated her wholeheartedly. She is an engaging presenter and easy to follow as a teacher. I couldn’t imagine her book being ANY different. It combines reflection with a call to action. One of my favorite lines in the whole book is “Facilitate the messy!” which can surmise a lot of educators thoughts when it comes to shaking up what they do in their classroom. As a teacher or an administrator, there is great comfort in reading along with not only her journey to be as comfortable as she is in her role now but also how to guide those alongside you, with you.

Chapters range from “a breakdown of the DNA of dynamic learning” and “how to unleash your voice and share your story”, to leadership support with “how to empower your students” and “facilitating with finesse”. It provides examples, reflection questions, next steps and more. It is an easy read and I would love to get a copy in YOUR hands!

 

Empowered educators lead to empowered learners…and that should be the goal for all of us!

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Not feeling lucky? You can purchase it here!

I can’t wait to share her greatness with you!

 

ShakeN up &

Easter Appreciation, an easy way to celebrate your EGGcellent team!

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My principal bestie, Melinda Miller and I have this Facebook group dedicated to Staff Appreciation and Celebration. It’s an entire page for administrators to share and creatively copy all sorts of great ideas, all meat to encourage, motivate and celebrate your teachers/staff. While it can be overwhelming, it does make me feel SO much better to see that everyone’s year has an ebb and flow…and how rarely anyone does #allthethings. There’s such a Pinterest pressure, even as an administrator, to get it all right, all colorful, and all the time…this group has shown that we all have seasons where we need someone else to be a spark in our world!

In light of that, someone shared this seasonally appropriate activity this week, that can be adapted to fit your campus or even your classroom, or office team! You’ll need to purchase some tiny trinkets, think dollar spot erasers, or candy, and some plastic Easter eggs.  (Or jeans passes! or leave early passes!) I’m going to set this up in the lounge next Monday and allow teachers to celebrate each other as they see fit!

 

 

Pages 2 & 3 are generic that you can just print out and use! Thank you, Mandy Ellis, for your version that I used for ours! Spring days can be a trying, “testing” time for most educators. These little treats & tricks can help brighten your staffs days…which in turn, trickles down to our students. 

A happy teacher makes for happy students!

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Seasonally &

When did you last learn something totally new?

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My counselor emails our staff each morning. (I know…amazing, right??) I thought hers today was particularly incredible.

This Spring Break, we went skiing in Taos. On our second day, Sam decided to learn to snowboard, but by the time we got his gear switched, the lessons were full. So, in an attempt to make his day more enjoyable (or less lonely), I decided to join him. I’ve skied quite a while, but snowboarding was brand new.

And you know what? I remembered how hard learning truly is. As an adult, I really only try and learn things that are in my field of study – things  I can master because I have prior knowledge. But this? No prior knowledge, people. And no natural ability. None.

I fell.

A lot.

Sometimes (most times), on accident. But sometimes I fell on purpose (because mama needed a break).

By the end of the day, I was tired and sore in places I didn’t know could hurt. We spent a better part of the day laughing at each other, but there was some crying, too.

Because learning is hard.

There were moments we both thought about giving up, but we didn’t, and I’m so glad because while we ended up loving it (but also kinda hating it), we were in the mess together.

 

 

May we always remember that learning can be hard and painful and exhausting. It can make us laugh till we cry and cry till we laugh. But it is worth it.

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What are you doing to remind yourself what our students are exposed to each and every day? How can you support your team in feeling that growing pain again, and appreciate it?