Candor, Creativity, and Critical Thinking: Getting Unstuck w/ Kirsten Richert & Jeff Ikler

Candor, Creativity, and Critical Thinking: Getting Unstuck w/ Kirsten Richert & Jeff Ikler

by | Oct 30, 2019 | Creativity, Culture, Disruption, District Office Leadership, Education, Engagement, Excellence, Feedback, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Teacher Leadership

Getting_Unstuck As we discussed the topic of creativity and we connect it to the field of education, we know that providing space to think deeply is critical. For innovation to be a norm, we need environments that support risk-taking. Feedback is also important, but it should be a conversation rather than over-prescribed recommendations. Too often, leaders associate candor with “too much telling” when it’s really about the compassion to help others improve. We hope that you’ll enjoy this podcast for a discussion of “getting unstuck,” removing yourself from a “culture of nice,” and learning to be candid and compassionate in your approach. You can listen here with Apple Podcasts, or here at the Getting Unstuck website. And if you haven’t read our book, Candid and Compassionate Feedback: Transforming Everyday Practice is Schools, you can get a copy here. You can find more on leading better and growing faster at dereka206.sg-host.com. Don’t forget to like, follow, and share. We look forward to hearing from you. Joe & T.J.
#reviewandreflect: Supporting Creativity as a Leader

#reviewandreflect: Supporting Creativity as a Leader

by | Oct 27, 2019 | #review&reflect, Creativity, Culture, Daily Habits, District Office Leadership, Education, Engagement, Fulfillment, Innovation, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Organizational Growth, Organizational Leadership, Podcast, Teacher Leadership

Creativity Chart This is TheSchoolHouse302’s monthly #review&reflect, wrapping up our focus on Creativity. Our review and reflect series embraces the powerful sentiment from Soren Kierkegaard: “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Take time with this post as we take a deep dive into our leadership content so that you can develop the skills you need to lead better and grow faster.

Skills I need to develop for improved creativity…

This month we focused on creativity, and we introduced the topic through our low-level leadership series. We truly espouse the notion that finding “bright spots” and “soaring with your strengths” are keys to accessing and duplicating superior leadership qualities. However, there is tremendous value in identifying key behaviors that thwart a desired result as well. We often need to know what not to do first, before we can explore what to do.

We liken our low-level leadership series to that of the great vehicle app, Waze, which informs travelers of all kinds of potential obstacles and issues that lie ahead during a drive. By identifying the three surefire “waze” to crush creativity, we provide leaders a navigational tool to help them avoid common hazards.

Passing judgment, over-prescribing recommendations, and limiting risk-taking are all creativity crushers. An effective leader simply responds differently than using any of these three low-level methods. Rather than passing judgment, she supports her subordinates to gain a greater understanding. Instead of restricting thoughts and controlling situations, she collaborates and creates a space to think. Lastly, she rewards the people who are taking calculated and thoughtful risks to support the core of the vision. 

Be Creative

Creativity_Self-Assessment

If you find yourself thinking, “well, it really depends on the person,” then we encourage you to dive into the following great reads. Organizational cultures should not be situational, and organizational norms should not fluctuate based on individuals.

Great leaders are avid readers…

Review: In our #readthisseries we featured books that highlight real people who we can emulate and real wisdom for the courage we need to succeed as leaders.

Our first recommendation is, Steal like an artist: 10 things nobody told you about being creative.. This is a quick read that we feel sparks creativity.

Our second recommendation is from Eric Sheninger and Trish Rubin, BrandED: Tell your story, build relationships, and empower learning. This is a terrific book for school leaders looking to brand their school or district and truly bring their story to life. It offers practical yet creative advice.

Our final recommendation comes from Sir Ken Robinson, Creative schools: Revolutionizing education from the ground up. The bottom line is that Ken’s message challenges us as educators. Only read this book if you are serious about change, creativity, and alternative to the current system of schooling.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQTAMFF_0nk?list=PLEDYf65jBDzZGq4wt4rPO7dsjq9Hi36ti&w=962&h=541]

You can’t miss our #readthisseries on 3 books you need to read now.

Who should I follow…

What does an expert have to say about creativity? If you want to dig even deeper into the mind of a creative thinker, you’ll want to listen to our #onethingseries this month, which featured creativity expert and author of Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon. One simple but magical act you can do each day, according to Austin, is to take a walk. We champion this sentiment because it encourages the need to find our center, to find “me” time, to enjoy nature, and to open the mind to creative thought.

Austin Kleon

Action: This month we asked you challenge yourself through TPA: A Framework for Growth Through Reflection

Think - Plan - Act

To learn more about supporting the people you lead, complete this #ThreeMinuteChallenge.

To become more collaborative, complete this #ThreeMinuteChallenge.

To become better at rewarding risk-taking, complete this #ThreeMinuteChallenge.

Please subscribe! Listen to the entire podcast on iTunes, One Thing Series, and please rate and like (it helps). That’s our #review&reflect for Creativity. Take a look back to take a step forward. TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple and maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster. Please let us know how our leadership posts are working for you, what you are reading to improve yourself, and your thoughts on leadership and growth here on our blog and Twitter. Follow our #onethingseries podcast on iTunes and our #readthisseries on YouTube. Joe & T.J.
#reviewandreflect: Supporting Creativity as a Leader

#TheThreeMinuteChallenge: Don’t Limit Risk-Taking

by | Oct 23, 2019 | #TheThreeMinuteChallenge, Creativity, Culture, Disruption, Innovation, Leadership, Learning to Lead

Creativity Chart

It’s not because things are difficult that we dare not venture. It’s because we dare not venture that they are difficult. ~ Seneca

Organizations that drive innovation, and feed people’s creativity to think in new and challenging ways, reward risk-taking to create new boundaries. And although leaders often realize the importance of creating a culture of innovation and creativity, their day-to-day actions and reactions to the business side of things can communicate the contrary. For creativity to be a norm, people require time and space, which can quickly be compromised in any fast-paced, bottom-line driven environment. Instead of lifting the talented rebels (who were hired to catapult the company forward), leaders can put people in a position to protect the status quo, favoring basic levels of control and compliance.

It’s unfortunate, but creativity is more often stifled than sustained. Even in organizations that do well with innovation, creative minds can learn quickly that real risk-taking will only be questioned to death. Unless leaders are truly willing to support and reward risk-takers, most people will succumb to conventional thinking. In most cultures, the risk, then, becomes in taking risks versus the other way around.

The problem is that without innovation and the freedom to explore, human capacity is diminished and workforce engagement is stemmed. No one enjoys working in a stale environment with the humdrum of tedium. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. With the right focus on creativity, leaders can bring innovative ideas to the surface. It starts with a creativity framework for growth through reflection and change. 

Challenge Yourself–TPA: A Framework for Growth Through Reflection

Think - Plan - Act

Think: When was the last time someone presented an idea that contradicted the current program of work? What is your general response to discord and objection? When someone does take a risk, do you admonish, ignore, or reward it? If you want others to stick their necks out for the sake of doing things differently, you have to do the same.

Plan: Pick one initiative, activity, or program that needs new life breathed into it. Assemble a team of people and push their thinking to make improvements. Then, support the ideas they generate. Being supportive of new ideas is the way that leaders model their expectations for creativity, not necessarily by having new ideas themselves.

Act: Be sure to reward risk-taking by being vocal and supportive of the people who push the existing conditions. You cannot just “allow” creative people to exist, they need explicit support. Next time someone has a new idea, use public praise to back them up.

Stay tuned for more challenges, reflection questions, leadership models, podcasts, and more by following dereka206.sg-host.com. It’s our job to curate, synthesize, and communicate so that you can lead better and grow faster. In a world plagued by nothing but noise, we help you by getting to simple.

TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple by maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster.

Joe & T.J.

 

 

#readthisseries: 3 Books You Need to Read to Support Creativity

#readthisseries: 3 Books You Need to Read to Support Creativity

by | Oct 20, 2019 | #readthisseries, Creativity, Education, Engagement, Innovation, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Teacher Leadership

#readthisseries

Don’t miss this vblog on books you need to read to lead better and grow faster. We recommend three titles that are must-reads on the topic of creativity (for yourself and your organization). You can find our catalog of great leadership books at dereka206.sg-host.com — click on #readthisseries.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQTAMFF_0nk&w=560&h=315]

Kleon, A. (2012). Steal like an artist: 10 things nobody told you about being creative. New York: Workman Publishing Company, Inc.

Robinson, K. (2016). Creative schools: Revolutionizing education from the ground up. New York: Penguin.

Sheninger, E. & Rubin, T. BrandED: Tell your story, build relationships, and empower learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

As always, please like, follow, and comment. If you have books that we should read and recommend, please let us know that as well.

Joe & T.J.

Doing a book study with your team? Check out Passionate Leadership. We would love to hear what you think…connect with us on Twitter. Buy 10 copies, and we’ll join you for a book-talk via Zoom.

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#reviewandreflect: Supporting Creativity as a Leader

#TheThreeMinuteChallenge: Over-Prescribed Recommendations

by | Oct 16, 2019 | #TheThreeMinuteChallenge, Creativity, Engagement, Feedback, Goal Setting, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Long-Term Decision-Making, Motivation, Principal Leadership

Creativity Chart

The moment you feel the need to tightly manage someone, you’ve made a hiring mistake. ~ Jim Collins

Getting stuck in the rut of tightly wound management techniques is easy for leaders to do. When a leader desires a specific outcome or things begin to go awry, emotions quickly take over. Fear of failure, limited confidence in oneself or the team, and overly high expectations can manifest in over-prescribing recommendations versus unleashing the talent in your department. You might aim to hire very creative people, but if you squelch their input, you also significantly diminish their output.

The fact is that all of us can fall into the routines of a micromanager. The minute something seems to go wrong, take too long, or seems far too gone, it’s easy to want to step-in and take over. We allow our emotions to govern our actions. Rather than being guided by sound leadership practices, we manage too tightly and our actions work in the short-term by simply accomplishing a task rather than keeping sight of the bigger vision. The problem is that these low level leadership responses will always crush creativity. Anytime you find yourself micromanaging people, or even taking on the work of a teammate (or subordinate), you’re replacing any of their ideas with your own. Doing so will only erode trust, a social construct between two people that can take years to build but minutes to break.

The only antidote to over-prescribing your directions, orders, and opinions is to create teams where collaboration is expected and the vision is clear. In fact, when teams are empowered through an acceptance of diverse thinking and psychological safety, they do more and faster.

Challenge Yourself–TPA: A Framework for Growth Through Reflection

Think - Plan - Act

Think: Are our projects assigned to teams or individuals? Are our teams diverse and inclusive so that we capitalize on new and creative perspectives? Are people free to express their opinions in a safe environment? As the leader, do I manage the people or the teams too closely?

Be a visionary, not a contributor.

Plan: List the current teams (or individuals) who are assigned to your various initiatives. Plan to add new people or new structures to the project management phase of the work so that you gain maximum creativity from the group. Then step away and appoint only one person to report back the findings and solutions to you.

Too much of your feedback to too many people creates confusion.

Act: Ask for feedback. The more you ask for feedback, the better people will get at giving it to you. Start with a trusted colleague and be direct. Don’t just ask for their reaction to your leadership. Use sentence stems, like “Where do you see me micromanaging?” Or “Where do we have limited creative output?”

Give space and time for a response. Act now.

Stay tuned for more challenges, reflection questions, leadership models, podcasts, and more by following dereka206.sg-host.com. It’s our job to curate, synthesize, and communicate so that you can lead better and grow faster. In a world plagued by nothing but noise, we help you by getting to simple. TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple by maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster. Joe & T.J.
#onethingseries: Creativity & Learning w/ Austin Kleon, @austinkleon

#onethingseries: Creativity & Learning w/ Austin Kleon, @austinkleon

by | Oct 13, 2019 | #onethingseries, Creativity, Engagement, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Motivation, Passion

 

Don’t miss this leadership podcast with Austin Kleon.

Austin Kleon is the New York Times bestselling author of Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work!, and Keep Going. His work has been translated into over twenty languages and featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, PBS NewsHour, and in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. New York magazine called his work “brilliant,” the Atlantic called him “positively one of the most interesting people on the Internet,” and the New Yorker said his poems “resurrect the newspaper when everybody else is declaring it dead.”

He speaks about creativity in the digital age for organizations such as Pixar, Google, SXSW, TEDx, and the Economist. In his previous lives, he worked as a librarian, a web designer, and an advertising copywriter. He grew up in the cornfields of Ohio, spent a dozen summers in Austin, Texas, and now he’s taking a sabbatical on Lake Erie with his wife and sons.

Visit him online at austinkleon.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @austinkleon and on Facebook @Mr.Austin.Kleon.

His interview with TheSchoolHouse302 was fun, engaging and packed with great advice about being creative and much much more. Check it out.

TheSchoolHouse302 · One Thing Series: Being a Present Leader w/ Jon Rennie — #onethingseries
  • Listen to what he says about creating time and space for chaos and how it actually can unlock happiness.
  • He acknowledges that much of his world is influenced by artists and writers. He talked about the incredible and talented Lynda Barry. He also spoke of the uniqueness and depth of Nick Cave’s, The Red Hand Files.
  • Austin talked about the power and intimacy of taking a walk and how there really is something magical in the act of walking. He also described the importance of paying attention to your life’s moments and how a notebook can be a simple tool to help with that.
  • Don’t miss what he says about learning how to speak Spanish and improving his cooking skills. He told us to check out Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.
  • Austin emphasized reading as an important habit, which he desires to do more of.
  • Listen to what he says about how he used to underestimated the existence of luck.

Austin’s interview is a powerful example of some of the simplicities in life that are truly remarkable. His experience and wisdom provide insight for leaders to encourage creativity and to see through their own chaos. Be sure to listen and share so that we can all learn to trust our own growth and let go of some of the control.

Please follow, like, and comment. Use #onethingseries and #SH302 so that we can find you. For more great leadership content, follow dereka206.sg-host.com.

Joe & T.J.