Tag: Relationships
Managing Up
In the recent Mafost Mashup episode (5 Ways to Jump Start Next School Year), I offered 5 strategies and 5 friends offered strategies to really level up over the summer break. One of these strategies was managing up, which is a crucial aspect of context switching (see link at the end). Not only does this…
What’s a Connection Worth?
We know that not all teams are the same. Some cooperate and others collaborate. We also know that cooperation is not the same thing as collaboration. However, there’s a third dimension not often discussed in PLC lingo. It’s connection. Collaboration is not the same thing as connection. My question is, what’s a connection worth to…
Immediacy, 5 Ways to Use It
Immediacy is an important concept to school leadership because it is an actionable way to lead with empathy. It has impact. But what is it? Read More here.
What do kids like?
A friend of mine was hosting a Twitter chat this weekend and asked, “Kids don’t learn from teachers they don’t like – what are some ways for kids to ‘like’ their teachers?” Well, what is it that kids like? Chocolate. Fun. Feeling successful. The safety to fall but not get hurt. These are all good…
Backstories and Why They Matter So Much
The power of backstory is that it shapes our behaviors. The power in sharing them is that it builds trust on teams. #culturize @mafost Click to Tweet In the recent podcast episode and post, we discussed leading with vulnerability. I received a few questions regarding the how-to. I’m sure there are experienced coaches out there…
The Fringe of Conflict
There’s a fringe where valuable creativity resides. It’s the same space where conflict also resides. It’s in this fringe where you’ll find high-performing teams. Conflict is where teams who improve must exist. On the healthy side of the fringe of conflict, teams make consistent and valuable progress. They wrestle with tough problems, talk about their…
Fester Then Transfer
Steve is an experienced AP who works on a team with two talented and qualified school leaders, but there’s a tension in the team. It’s a good tension built around ideological differences. It’s not about personalities or any wrong-doings. However, Steve seeks to keep the peace and avoids addressing the tension. A few weeks pass…
To Orlando #naesp18
This day a year ago, I wrote the article Finding a Place Among Connected Educators, and stated, “It’s the relationships that make learning come alive. It’s the connections with others that add value to ourselves and those we serve.” It’s a simple idea that still carries opportunities for each of us. That said, let’s connect…
Forgiveness as a Leadership Skill
Forgiveness is like the coolant in an engine. High-performance engines generate a lot of heat. Without coolant, the engine will be destroyed in a few minutes. The parts and components will warp under the pressure and heat. They will cease to function efficiently, and ultimately they will burnout. Forgiveness and empathy cool the culture. Forgiveness…
Empathy
Empathy is probably the most important skillset to develop. It is more crucial than curriculum and instruction, by far (Episode 6 has the research). The dictionary says empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. That’s a great definition for everyday usage. However, for principals and school leaders, there is a deeper,…
When Mistakes Happen
When mistakes happen, own them. You already know this, but it happened to me yesterday. I made a horrible mistake yesterday. You may not have received the post on The Capacity of Your Property. I really love this post and think it’s critical to analyzing culture data and making school culture shifts. Listen in on four…
An Amazing Daily Question for Principals
At the end of each day I try to ask myself. “Were people the most important part of my day?” If not, how do I change that for tomorrow. Some days are tough. This work is tough. But teachers and students need us! -Tracy BrattonSometimes it’s the simple things that make the biggest impact on learning…
Empowering People, Bring Out the Best
[pullquote align=”normal”]You don’t empower people by showing how powerful you are, but by showing how powerful they are. Marlena Gross-Taylor [/pullquote] When a leader steps out and serves, she quickly discovers people are not judging as much as you might think. Putting others first – putting people first is the surest way to build a culture that…
How is Organizational Trust Built?
What was it that made humans, or the ancestors of humans, so primed for survival – no, more than survival…what was it that made them so ripe for thriving? It was the innate ability of a tribe to unite and support each other. To understand that self-interest was only filled when the interest of the…