Each year I choose one word to focus on throughout the year; this one word provides some simplicity in focus for a new year. Rather than a resolution that is outcome focused, the one word helps provide clarity through a singular focus point for the year. This year, I plan to focus on L.E.S.S.

L.E.S.S. is a two fold vision for the upcoming year. First, as simply as the word itself, I need to do a little less in my life. I have become so busy (often times with things that are not important) that I have at times lost track of what really matters. I have then too often found outlets to decompress and destress from this busyness that are not always the most healthy way to deal with the stress that comes along with my lack of time. There are times I need to step back and bring a little more simplicity to my life when possible. Emails can wait a little longer, twitter does not need checked, and my phone can be put away.

L.E.S.S. is also an acronym I created to help drive my leadership style. It stands for Love, Equip, Serve, and Self. These are what I believe are the four cornerstones of a truly effective leader. We are at a time in education, where we try to throw new strategies at every problem; we try to incorporate all the new (and best) technology; and we are always pursuing more ideas that can make our classrooms better. While continually looking for ways to improve the quality of our instruction is greatly needed, it does not reach the heart of education. The heart of education is the people; the students, the teachers, and the community that make up a school. If we forget about the people, then we have truly lost our educational system for good.

I feel on this blog, I sometimes jump around from topic to topic, posing some good questions but never really getting to action. I have stated before that I am often writing this blog to myself, trying to find the person I really want to be while sharing my thoughts and learning with others. If I am really going to get to less and “L.E.S.S.”, it is time to stop just writing and really start doing. So, for the next year, I am going to focus on this idea of Leading with L.E.S.S. and really dive into the idea. Some of the posts may be a new spin on old posts and some will be completely new. I hope to spend the next year immersing myself in this idea. Below is a tentative outline for this blog in the foreseeable future. There may be some additions and deletions along the way, but I am going to write about this topic until I really feel it is not just something I put on paper, but actionable components of my life. Maybe this is the start of a book, maybe just more blogging…I am not sure where the next year will take me, but I know it will lead to L.E.S.S.

Leading with L.E.S.S.

• What is L.E.S.S.
• Why we need L.E.S.S.?
• Simple, Not Easy
• What’s on Your List?

Love:

• People First
• Removing Rational Thinking
• Correct, But Not Right
• High Expectations and Accountability
• Actions and Intentions
• Get What You Give

Equip

• Can We Change?
• You Get What You Believe
• Build Skill…You Always Have Time
• The Problems You Want
• Realist, Optimist, and Pessimist

Serve

• Find Your Who
• Retain Hope
• Don’t Give Back, Just Give
• It’s Not My Side of the Boat
• The Big Question

Self

• The Gap — Are You on the List?
• Being Self-ful (Care For Who?)
• One Day Contract
• Time in Five Parts
• Your Attitude Matters Most
• Moments

I hope you join me in this journey to L.E.S.S.!

Until next time…keep learning; keep growing; keep sharing!