We Are In This Together – Part 2

I want to continue with the ideas I began laying out last month, and delve more into how we can make disagreements a productive process rather than a negative one. The reason that other people disagree with us is not that there is something wrong with them, but rather that the evidence they are using … Continue reading We Are In This Together – Part 2

We Are In This Together

Maybe it is because we just ended February or because it is an election year, but I have been thinking a lot about disagreement. It is not just that we disagree, but how we disagree that causes so many issues. I wanted to take some time during the month of March to share some thoughts … Continue reading We Are In This Together

What Do You Contribute? Part 4

If you look up the definition of integrity, you find two things. First, integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Secondly, integrity is the state of being whole and undivided.  Integrity, therefore, is wholeness; and as a virtue, it is uniting belief and action.  Breaking that unity (of … Continue reading What Do You Contribute? Part 4

What Do You Contribute? Part 3

I mentioned last week that the Compelled, those that are true leaders, must produce energy for themselves and often for others. This process is the challenge of living compelled. Energy is finite. If you are a compelled leader, you have to find ways to build and recover energy. You cannot give what you don't receive. … Continue reading What Do You Contribute? Part 3

What Do You Contribute? Part 2

I want to expand this week and discuss the opposite ends of the four types of people I wrote about in last week’s post -- The Compelled and The Cynics. The interesting thing when we think about these two types of people in a school is that they are actively trying to pull others to … Continue reading What Do You Contribute? Part 2

What Do You Contribute? Part 1

As described in a recent Tim Kight Focus 3 podcast, four types of people exist in any organization -- the cynics, the compliant, the committed, and the compelled. Each of these people produces a different level of energy. Let's think about each of those people. The CynicsAs Jon Gordon puts it, the cynics are energy … Continue reading What Do You Contribute? Part 1

Remove in 2020 #4

#4 Worrying About Satisfying the Impossible Person Too often, I find myself spending a great deal of time trying to satisfy resistant people. I worry about it; I stress about it; many times, I lose sleep over it. It takes time to recognize the “impossible” person, and it is important not to confuse the slightly-resistant … Continue reading Remove in 2020 #4

Remove in 2020 #3

#3 Suffering Burnout I often work under that mindset that while I may not be the smartest or most talented person, I can earn my way to bettering myself with a relentless work ethic. I get to school early; I leave late; I work weekends -- while at times worrying that it is not enough. … Continue reading Remove in 2020 #3

Remove in 2020

Over the the course of January, I am going to share four mistakes I vow not to make again as a leader. #2 Running Everything Myself We have an immense list of needs as a school, which means we must have a significant leadership capacity as a staff. I can, too often, fall into the … Continue reading Remove in 2020

Remove in 2020

Over the next month, I am going to share four mistakes I vow not to make again as a leader. #1 Giving Into Impatience Patience is a virtue. And, honestly, one that I do not always possess. Impatience has its roots in frustration. It is a feeling of rising stress that starts when I feel … Continue reading Remove in 2020