One time, I had an owner ask me whether there's a universal set of values that all centers should have.

My answer was no, actually, there's not.

Confused? Let me explain.

The truth is that while there are many common values we think we should prioritize, at the end of the day, the values we actually prioritize are the ones that drive our decision making.

Here's an example: Oftentimes, I hear owners say that they value intention in their center. But when I ask whether they would be willing to forego growth for the sake of acting with more intention, the answer is no.

What that tells me is that intention isn't truly a value for them.

And that's okay! Every center has a set of unique values that authentically serves as the foundation for everything they do. 

What's important is learning to stand by your values—whatever they may be—and create policies within your center that align with them.

That's the mark of a strong leader.

As part of a special bonus podcast series, I invited my friend Summer Picha, creator of the  Conscious Classroom Model, to talk about the insights she's developed throughout her career in early childhood education.

Join Summer and I for a conversation about:

• Her early experience running her Montessori school
• The ways her leadership changed over time
• How she decided which values to put in place in her center
• The importance of learning to enjoy the leadership journey

We can learn a lot from people who have gone through similar journeys. I hope you find some useful nuggets of wisdom in my conversation with Summer and spend some time reflecting on how you can apply them to your own experience as a leader.

Connect further with Conscious Classroom here: https://www.consciousclassroommodel.com/

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.