In some of the work we do with students, we may have to help them interpret the actions of others or help them understand how they’re coming across.
 
Within the context of executive functioning, this is known as perspective-taking.

This is an essential life skill in both our professional and personal lives; which is why we need to keep developing this skill through adulthood. 

With the life coaching industry growing, this has triggered discussions about “mindset”. It can include the way we attach meaning to things that happen around us; as well as the way we interpret the intention behind the actions of others. 

This conversation is about how we can improve our own ability to use perspective-taking skills in the work we do. 

As I support members of IEP teams, I’ve seen scenarios come up that involve potential disagreements or misunderstandings; and my first instinct is to get to the bottom of what’s going on so I can understand how they can best approach the others involved.

That’s why I invited Lynn Hardin, retired principal and life coach to episode 132 of the De Facto Leaders podcast. She shares how to be proactive as a member of your school team and how to approach conversations intentionally, improve relationships, and decrease burnout. 

Lynn was an elementary school principal for 25 years, and became a life coach because of her deep love for educators. As a principal she struggled to clear a desk of work, to take care of her mental and physical health, manage time, and balance work with life. She wanted a different life of purpose to support educators and students, so she became a Life and Leadership Coach.

In this conversation, we discuss ways that people working in schools can create more balance in their work and have better relationships with their team.

We discuss questions like:

✅What’s driving the decisions building administrators make regarding building-wide policies about service-delivery?

✅What should members of the IEP team do if they have concerns about policies and procedures being implemented in their buildings?

✅What should team members do if the IEP isn’t being fully implemented by members of the team?

✅How to mitigate the primary causes of burnout among educators: Trying to control things, perfectionism, and not asking for help.

You can connect with Lynn on her website here: https://www.lynnhardin.com/ 
and learn more about the Principal Purpose Podcast here: https://www.lynnhardin.com/podcast

You can sign up for her free “Healthy Work-Life Balance” guide here: https://www.lynnhardin.com/guide

In this episode, I mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, a strategy for improving time-management, future planning, and executive functioning during daily tasks like academic assignments or daily routines. You can learn more about the Time Tracking Journal here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal

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