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

Are you thinking about your “next” big adventure?

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Our principal at Wylie High, Virdie Montgomery, is pretty great. He is someone who reflects regularly, praises often, and is always up for a good prank. One of my favorite things he shares is his thoughts on Facebook. This was a post of his from this past week that just made me stop and think. Mediums like this make me thankful so that we all can grow and learn from his voice and varied experiences. We should all have someone like that in our lives.

This semester, my superintendent has started an “Achieving Leaders” Facebook group. Its goal is to connect and grow leaders, both inside our district and out. I truly think its the casual conversations, the opportunities to share our stories, where growth can most easily occur. Principals of varying levels have joined us, sharing strategies that are both relational and transformational. It is practical and easy to apply, as a leader or even as a future leader.

If you’re interested in joining our group and learning alongside us, the link to join is here. We had an episode where we asked people to reflect and think about their stories. Virdie was a guest, as well as our Assistant Supt of HR, Mr. Winn.  We asked to reflect and share on their stories…and think towards their ending and what it looks like professionally speaking. Virdie’s answer was powerful…so powerful that I teared up. He then went on to share it on Facebook and with permission, I’ve shared it below.

Living the Dream! I don’t know what your dream is or when your dream formed. All I know is that we are all on the journey to get there. I live the dream each day, live in the present and am consumed by the present. The dream is not something that is always just over the horizon. It is right now. There are times when the journey is at the beginning but that journey is a part of the dream. There are challenges on this journey and there is a path to the dream we all must go down. Today is the most important part of the dream and it happens every single day. I have vivid memories of when I was in elementary school of wanting to be a teacher someday. Everyone who had ever mattered to me outside of family was a teacher. They had influence and power over me. They molded the very way I think and perceive things. I loved them in a way that was revered. They weren’t my friends….they were above that. They made me work.

They pushed me and they encouraged me without even knowing they were doing it. I could feel it. Even if they were disappointed in me I knew and felt that they knew I could do what they were asking. Disappointment is powerful. Truly, if someone is disappointed in you …that means they expected you to do better. If they were never disappointed in you that to me meant they did not think I could get there anyway. We are a product of our past. I never want to disappoint those that matter to me because that is one high expectation and it takes work. I wanted to teach and the journey there was long and it was not easy. I was living the dream even then because again…the journey is a part of the dream. I take pride in the journey that finally got me there and then I found that the dream was just a continuation of that journey began a long time ago.

Today, I ask if you are living the dream? Where are you in the journey and are you enjoying the journey and overcoming the obstacles that limit or hinder the overall dream? Sometimes the dream changes course but the journey continues. I choose to live this dream daily and I never want to disappoint so I give my best. Sometimes my best is not good enough and yet it somehow gives me a reward because as flawed as I am…it is the best I have to give. That is all we can do and for sure all we can expect of those around us …especially kids. If they are giving their best, how can I ask more of them than I can of myself? I want their best and I will love them regardless of the outcome because that is what I need in my own journey. In my mind, this all makes sense …written? I just don’t know…but I am giving my best every single day on this journey and I am blessed to be living the dream that began a long time ago.

 

Wherever your season of life finds you right now, I hope you’re living your best life.

I hope you’re excited about your present and see it as exciting as your future…that’s what I think Virdie was speaking to. I teared up when he said he couldn’t imagine his future being better than where he was right now. That’s how I want to live…knowing that where I am, personally and professionally, is fulfilling and makes me excited to wake up each day. Once you’ve joined the group, here’s the one I’m talking about, 🙂 

Join us over on “Achieving Leaders”. You’ll learn something each week…and we’ll all grow together!

Thoughtfully, thankfully &

 

 

 

 

 

PS: !!!

The Leadership Vault Reopens Dec. 1st!

Don’t miss your last chance this year to join over our inaugural 100 principals working together to level-up their leadership. We will reopen for a short period to welcome new members starting December 1st. Join the waitlist to get notified we are open before anyone!

 

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!

Ripples of Leadership: who are you encouraging to grow past you?

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When you dip your toe in the lake….say while you’re sitting on a boat…but it’s too cold to get ALL the way in, even in Texas in October…you can see the lil’ripples you make on the surface.

Depending on the size of the body of the water you’re in, you can watch the ripples until they fade away, or as they bounce off the tube and come back to you.

Leadership reminds me daily that there are people watching me, that I want to encourage. That I want to grow. That I want to be whatever it is they want to be when they want to be it. Sometimes it’s an administrative position, sometimes it’s in curriculum. Sometimes its just being stronger at _______ or moving to _________ position. Sometimes they need to hear, “Hey, you’d be FANTASTIC at ________.” Or maybe “I have a skill set in _______,  and can help you.” Maybe it’s “My friend Angela is incredible at ______, let me connect you to her.”

I think it’s my responsibility to not just stick my toe in the leadership waters, but to cannonball in and help my people where I can.

I want big ripples.  I want ripples that last long after I’ve gone. When you treat every interaction and conversation as one that could have a ripple effect, you start to be more conscious of your word choice.

And that’s a good thing.

 

I hope you’re cannonball’ing in this week.

 

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 &

How can you #LeadWithAppreciation?

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Oh friends. It’s officially been a year since Melinda Miller and I signed our contract with Dave Burgess Publishing and committed to sharing our message with whoever wanted to listen.

It was a year of writing, rereading, and more writing.

I opened a HUGE BOX OF BOOKS WITH MY NAME ON THEM TODAY and it all became worthwhile!

It was a pretty surreal feeling.

 

Our amazon blurb:

Make Your Campus a Place Where People Want to Work

Positive recognition and appreciation can transform your school from a place where people have to work into one where they want to work and enjoy bringing their best every day. And that transformation starts with the leader!

Your staff pours time and energy into learners every single day. As a busy PIRATE leader, you know that even the best crews need the direction of a great captain. But what does that look like? And how can you provide meaningful recognition and encouragement when your schedule is full and your budget is limited?

 

You can order your copy here, Lead with Appreciation: Fostering a Culture of Gratitude.

 

As a book bonus, take a selfie with your copy and tag either Melinda or I on any form of social media you’re connected to us on, we’ll send you a fantastic book bonus! Fab February is an idea I’ve talked about here and is a month we spend a chunk of time on in the book. When you buy a copy of Lead with Appreciation: Fostering a Culture of Gratitude, you’ll get a “Book Bonus”  specifically created to help you and your staff kick-off Fabulous February. These ideas are designed to make the month of February more fun than exhausting!

What’s Included:

  •  4 different calendars
    • Wonderful Wednesdays: Maybe Wednesdays are the best days of the week for your staff. Add just enough to get past hump day.
    • Fabulous Foodie Fridays in February: End the week with “snackie snacks” as I would say!
    • Fabulous February OOTD! (Outfit Of The Day.) Give your staff a break from official work clothes.
    • Thirsty Thursdays in February. This is a drink themed week that can be as easy as four water bars or Sonic Happy Hour breaks.
  • Social Media Images
    • Editable images (with examples)
    • Ready to use images

 

We can’t wait for you to read and hopefully LOVE this resource!

 

Appreciatively and