Be The Leader You Deserve

Do others often commend you on your abilities, expertise, and accomplishments? Think about the last time you were recognized for an achievement, invited to present something, or join a group.  Did you acknowledge the role your leadership played in that opportunity or did you downplay your abilities? Do you set unrealistic goals and then get upset with yourself when you don't reach them?  Are you overly sensitive to constructive criticism? If so you will not want to miss this episode as I talk about imposter syndrome and ways to combat it. 

As leaders we all want to achieve greatness but sometimes get derailed on our journey to reach it. We must have high expectations for ourselves and others and demonstrate actions that are grounded in servant leadership. When we are realistic about the fact that despite how great things are in our building we WILL face challenges, then we can establish strategies and approaches to successfully deal with them when they happen. In this episode we discuss additional take-aways from Jon Gordon's The Power of Positive Leadership that will support your desire to have a positive impact in your pursuit of excellence. 

Last week we talked about the importance of being approachable as a leader and I gave tips and considerations to think about.  We know now more than ever how important it is for teachers to have a leader they can trust and feel comfortable approaching.

In addition to being approachable, leaders always have to be mindful of their words and actions (unless they are in their office by themselves) because the truth is, someone IS always watching. We are the barometer for our school.  Our staff takes our lead about how to react and approach things. In this episode I discuss the importance of positive leadership and provide strategies from Jon Gordon's The Power of Positive Leadership that will enhance your leadership capabilities and put your positive leadership into action.

Last week we talked about ways to support our teachers post pandemic. In addition to all of the things we talked about last week, we know that now, more than ever, our teachers need us to be available to them. With all of the additional paperwork and pressures we have as leaders, being available has become more challenging than ever before.  In addition, as our secondary or tertiary trauma increases, we have to work harder to maintain our approachability. In this episode we talk about steps we can take to make sure we are approachable for our staff.

It's hard to believe it's been over two years since the pandemic began.  Despite the lift on mask mandates and loosened restrictions around social distancing, schools are still struggling to find or establish their "new normal." So here we are as leaders, trying to navigate a new normal of post pandemic schooling. This includes trying to balance significant increases in student AND adult SEL needs with student learning loss, while at the same time juggling numerous mandates and still focus on school improvement.  Balancing the culture of high expectations with the reduced stamina of students and adults, and the first hand and secondary trauma has become a very slippery slope. This episodes provides 10 tips for school leaders to help support the post pandemic needs of their staff and finish the year strong.

Triaging teacher burnout is a daily task for educational leaders, but what about leadership burnout? Who is helping combat that? During a recent presentation at the National ASCD Conference two things became apparently clear to me.  In this episode I talk about those two things and share ways to take control of your school's narrative and combat toxic positivity. 

If you are associated with any social media then you know you can’t spend any time scrolling without seeing how burned out teachers. You also know what a toll it is taking on leaders to create a culture that combats the negative narrative of being an educator. The truth is, as a school leader we are working to continue cultivating cultures that make our staff feel supported and appreciated, while at the same time leading the charge of supporting student learning loss.  We are in a time when we have to balance the model of continuous improvement and high expectations with adult mental health needs and supports. Being a school leader has never been more challenging. This episode will feature real talk about the burnout that is plaguing school leaders.

Feeling overwhelmed at work and like you have no time for yourself? Are you still struggling to set healthy boundaries and find a better work/life balance? Are you still struggling to say no, even when you are already overextended with your time and commitments?  This episode will provide you with assurances that you are not alone and equip you with resources to take back your life and establish healthy boundaries.

This season we have been focusing on things we as leaders need to do to make sure WE are ok.  Every day so many people look to us to make decisions, put out fires, and provide support.  If we aren’t careful, we will continuously give all we have to others and not save anything for ourselves.  This season we have talked about being triggered by exceptionalism, being addicted to achievement, the importance of positive self dialogue, setting boundaries and ways to have more self-compassion. We have also discussed compassion fatigue and have spent a few episodes talking about how to apply the successful strategies we use with students to our personal lives. In this episode we discuss the importance being intentional about finding joy in all that you do, and how to go about making sure that happens both personally and professionally. 

As leaders we often feel as though we must ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS carry the weight of our organization.  While it is our job to lead our school/district with a shared vision and courage, it is not our job to try to be superhuman. If we are going to withstand the increasing demands of being an educational leader and create sustainability, we must understand the theory behind a wolf pack and decide who should be in ours. We discuss Abby Wambach's #1 New York Times Bestseller, Wolfpack, and how to apply the strategies she discusses into our roles as leaders.