“It can have meaning if it changes you for the better.” —Viktor Frankl Viktor Frankl, the author of Man’s Search for Meaning, was imprisoned and survived Nazi concentration camps. During this time he lost his wife, parents, home, and the manuscript that his entire life’s work had gone into. Yet, he emerged from this horrific … Continue reading Opportunity: Part II

As I think about my time as an educator, I realize that I am as grateful for the trials and tribulations, as I am for the successes and victories because the bad things helped prepare me for the good ones.  The tough times taught me lessons that would later open the door for great opportunities.  … Continue reading Opportunity

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

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

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

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

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

#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

#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

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