Challenge — Thinking in the Future — Asking What If? #TheThreeMinuteChallenge

Challenge — Thinking in the Future — Asking What If? #TheThreeMinuteChallenge

by | May 21, 2020 | #TheThreeMinuteChallenge, Action, Communication, Core Values, Courage, Decision-Making, District Office Leadership, Engagement, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Long-Term Decision-Making, Organizational Growth, Organizational Leadership, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership

Challenge — Thinking In the Future — Asking What If? 

“The future depends on what you do today.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

It seems that great leaders can actually predict the future, but that’s not really the case. Rather, they ask the right questions in the present to better understand what the future holds. They exemplify presently leading and tuning in by courageously accepting the realities they must face in order to move forward. By asking meaningful questions and listening, we begin to understand our circumstances from multiple perspectives, and that’s how we can see the future before it unfolds. 

In Louis Gestner’s book, Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance, he describes the process he used to truly understand the problems IBM was facing when he became CEO. He met with customers and executives, asked probing questions, so the necessary steps needed to save IBM could be executed with precision. The future for IBM was grim, many even predicted it’s failure, but Gestner took a customer’s approach to the problems and worked to solve IBM’s mainframe issues, which “more than 90 percent of the company’s profits came from these large ‘servers’ and the software that ran on them.” 

We don’t want to oversimplify Gestner’s incredible achievement with IBM’s turnaround. The expectations he outlined, the enormous decline in mainframe costs, and the incredible team he formed are what made these accomplishments possible. The critical first step, though, when confronting issues in the present is asking the right questions. When we successfully navigate our current circumstances, we can better predict what will happen in the future. 

Predicting the future requires a thorough understanding of the present. The situation itself should never dictate the vision or where you are heading. Instead, it merely adds clarity and helps create a clearer map for how to get there.

  1. Reflect: Think about a current issue or problem that you are facing. What additional information do you need to fully understand the situation from multiple perspectives?
  2. Identify: Knowing who to talk to and what to ask are vital in gaining an accurate picture. Identify a diverse group of individuals who you should talk to regarding the situation and create a list of key questions to ask them.
  3. Do: Set up meetings with these individuals and work through your questions. Listen intently. Be sure to take notes and define the themes or ideas that emerge, especially those that were different from your own. Once you can see all sides of the equation, you’ll know what to do next and just what the future holds.

Pro Tip: Engaging with key people creates the opportunity for you to investigate and uncover key details regarding the specifics of any current problem. Don’t jeopardize this precious time with them by talking too much or sharing your perspective. Ask questions and don’t interrupt. 

Reach out and share your story with us.

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.

3 Books You Need to Read to Be a More Present Leader — #readthisseries

3 Books You Need to Read to Be a More Present Leader — #readthisseries

by | May 17, 2020 | #readthisseries, Action, Communication, Core Values, Courage, Decision-Making, District Office Leadership, Engagement, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Long-Term Decision-Making, Organizational Growth, Organizational Leadership, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership

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 being a present leader. 

The Leadership Pill by Ken Blanchard & Marc Muchnick 

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

I Have the Watch by Jon Rennie 

Let us know what you’re reading by contacting us at [email protected]. 

We can’t wait to hear from you. 

Joe & T.J.

The Person Leading is the Present Leader: Appointing an “Initiative Lead” — #TheThreeMinuteChallenge

The Person Leading is the Present Leader: Appointing an “Initiative Lead” — #TheThreeMinuteChallenge

by | May 14, 2020 | #TheThreeMinuteChallenge, Action, Communication, Core Values, Courage, Decision-Making, District Office Leadership, Engagement, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Long-Term Decision-Making, Organizational Growth, Organizational Leadership, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership

The definition of leadership is influence. The challenge of leadership is conflict. The result of leadership is change. Actually, nothing about the pure essence of leadership requires a position of authority or power. We once heard Vicki Clark say it best: “anyone who influences anyone else is a leader.” 

We call this “presently leading” for two reasons: 1. The definition demonstrates that the individual who is influencing others, addressing challenges, and creating positive change is a leader regardless of title. And, 2. Effective leaders are available for those they lead and work with. They show up each day (even if it’s on Zoom). 

With that said, there is a leadership pitfall that we have to be cautious about, which is the default to micromanaging. Being present doesn’t mean that you’re always at the forefront of the decision, hanging around to get asked the next question. This is actually one way that leaders put a lid on the growth of an organization and paralyze progress. Instead, one key to being a present leader is sharing the responsibility of the situation and allowing others to take charge. The following 3-minute challenge is designed for you to appoint an Initiative Lead to spread your ability to be present in the best way that you can. 

Being a present leader means that you have people on the team who can take the lead so that you can have more flexibility in your day and so that others can take the reins. If you’re always in the midst of the decision-making protocols, not only will you be bogged down, unable to truly show up, but you’ll be stuck in management mode versus leading groups of passionate people. Take the following challenge and you’ll ironically step out of the way to be more present. 

  1. Reflect: Think about a recent task or initiative that consumes too much of your time. These tasks are keeping you from other important work, and you might not even be the most informed person about how they should function. 
  2. Identify: Identify a subject matter expert (SME) who you know has the skills and information to lead the task or initiative. This is typically already your go-to person for this work. 
  3. Do: Put that person in charge as the Initiative Lead. Even without a title change, they can become the center of control regarding the decisions and workload. Communicate to the rest of the team that you trust and support this person to lead the changes. 

Pro Tip: We mentioned “subject matter expert” or SME above, which is primarily a business term, used infrequently in education. But the concept is viable. What it means is that you need to build your SMEs–making sure that people are the experts on any given topic. Use the example of advanced placement coursework. Your AP SME Initiative Lead will be the person who you send to any and all (virtual or otherwise) conferences to be the most informed in that area. If you serve them as the expert, they can serve the team with their knowledge and newly found presence. 

Reach out and share your story with us.

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.

The Person Leading is the Present Leader: Appointing an “Initiative Lead” — #TheThreeMinuteChallenge

Staying Tuned in as a Leader: The Habit of Noticing — #TheThree MinuteChallenge

by | May 7, 2020 | #TheThreeMinuteChallenge, Action, Communication, Core Values, Courage, Decision-Making, District Office Leadership, Engagement, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Long-Term Decision-Making, Organizational Growth, Organizational Leadership, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership

Having a keen sense about the world around you is critical for leaders who want to show up and be responsive for their team. In its simplest form, understanding your surroundings requires us to “notice,” and when we have the habit of noticing, we stay tuned in to the needs of our people. The problem is that noticing, and a consistent ability to be situationally aware, takes an extreme amount of energy and focus. Because of this, the human brain likes to relax when we feel things are normal or that we understand something that we haven’t totally digested yet. We tend to do our best “noticing” when we encounter something new…or something that we think is new. Even then, we typically allow the new experience to drain our senses versus fueling them. But that doesn’t have to be the case. 

The facts are clear. Noticing more can be energizing versus depleting; noticing more can help us to stay positive; and, noticing more helps with speed and productivity (Langer, 2016). The following 3-minute challenge is meant to help you get better at noticing so that you can be a present leader in your organization. 

Being a present leader, one who notices the details of each interaction closely, requires practice. It’s not that some leaders are better at being present and others just aren’t. It’s that present leaders practice the skill. That’s what leading better and growing faster is all about. You can take the following challenge to improve your skills. 

  1. Reflect: What is one thing that you are scheduled to do this week that you feel is pretty normal for you? This is something that you don’t need a lot of planning to be able to execute. It could even be something that you feel is mundane. 
  2. Identify: During the activity you selected above, identify one, two, or three new things about it. Especially in a time when “everything” seems new, these new experiences shouldn’t be too hard to enumerate. 
  3. Do: Look at each of the items you identified in Step 2 and decide how to react to the new insight. It might just be using a mindset of forgiveness if it’s something that someone else did or said that upset you, or it might be that you need to reach out to someone to do a quick check-in because of their body language or facial expression. 

Pro Tip: When addressing something that you “noticed,” start the conversation with “I noticed that…” That gives you an opening to ask questions about perspective. Present leaders notice more but they also seek perspective before casting judgement. 

Reach out and share your story with us.

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.

The Present Leader: Showing Up When It Matters Most

The Present Leader: Showing Up When It Matters Most

by | May 3, 2020 | #SH302, Action, Communication, Core Values, Courage, Decision-Making, District Office Leadership, Engagement, Leadership, Learning to Lead, Listening, Long-Term Decision-Making, Organizational Growth, Organizational Leadership, Planning and Preparation, Positivity, Principal Leadership, Service Leadership, Teacher Leadership

3 Pillars of a Present Leader

Approximately 95,000 years ago, humans developed the distinct ability to think abstractly about our world. Our systems for communication evolved into the language, reasoning, mathematics, science, and other forms of meaning-making that we capitalize on today. Our social connections became stronger and our tribes grew. In general, we have learned to think more about our purpose and reflect internally about our thoughts and actions, including how we fit into the larger context of our community.

But this type of abstract and philosophical thinking doesn’t come without its challenges. When we find ourselves searching or lost in an internal dialogue, we also tend to manifest stress and worry about the present and future dangers that we (might) face. The problem is that if we’re left to our natural instincts, we can do more harm than good. Our concerns create anxiety, our anxiety develops into apprehension, and our apprehension begets paralysis. Then, when our inaction is at its worst, we lose the ability to be present with others. Instead of projecting a faithful present and a positive future, we’re stuck on a carousel of unwanted, inaccurate, and misleading assumptions about our self and others.

The good news is that this state-of-mind doesn’t have to be our reality. Great leaders learn to be present in both mind and matter. They harness the mental strength to stay focused in the moment. This is not an innate ability to connect with people and live in the moment. The belief that any soft skill, like being present as a leader, is native for some and foreign to others is simply not true. Great leaders actually plan to be present. They hone the skill of presence with strategy and practice. This essential skill is only done with strength and ease when we become deliberate about it.

As the world has increasing become more chaotic, there has never been a more important time to be present as a leader. The further apart we feel from one another, the more intense the need for connection becomes. The following pillars are the necessary aspects for being a present leader.

pillars of a present leader

Are You Tuned In?

The simple definition of being tuned in is “noticing.” This is what some leadership experts have deemed as mindfulness, not to be confused with meditation practices, although meditation goes a long way in helping with our tuning abilities. “This process of noticing comes naturally when we’re exposed to something we think is new, and it’s energy-begetting, not energy-consuming.”

Effective leaders treat every situation uniquely, even the ones that are similar to what we’ve encountered in the past. People who tune in are less judgmental and more authentic by not making assumptions or jumping to conclusions based on past interactions or previous circumstances. Mindfully tuned in leaders are present by extending trust and enjoying authentic relationships with friends and coworkers.

 

Who is Presently Leading? 

Presently leading has a dual connotation. First, it means that you’re present, in the moment, rather than stuck in the past or the future. Present leaders don’t allow themselves to be trapped by dwelling on their past failures or projecting their future fallouts. Second, it means that whomever is “presently leading” is a leader. Titles don’t make leaders. Leaders are the people who show up to do the work, to make a difference, and to bring about the best in others.

“The industrial era, struggling for the last decade or two, is now officially being replaced by one based on connection and leadership and the opportunity to show up and make a difference.” Presently leading just means that someone has taken the reigns, ready and willing to do what it takes to move forward.

 

What are You Forecasting for the Future? 

Effective leaders who identify what the future will look like are typically making that prediction based on the future that they intend to create. “In an unstable world, the best option is creating the future now.” Great leaders can’t see into the future better than the rest of us, but they are tuned in and leading in the present to create opportunities that bring about what they want for tomorrow.

Forecasting the future requires us to be steadfast with our beliefs and behaviors regarding the here-and-now. With an unwavering focus on our vision, we become clearer on what needs to be done in the present. The actions of today are the fruits of tomorrow.

Leaders know that when we’re tuned into the world around us, when we stay present for our current scenario, and when we work to make the best future for ourselves and others, we reap the benefits of a positive and productive relationship with our community. When we shed the futile consumptions of our abstract thoughts–the negative feelings of doubt and disaster–we push forward into the world that we want and that, ultimately, we’ve designed. That’s what it means to be a present leader–the one who shows up when it matters most.

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The Three Minute Challenge: Experiential Learning for Teacher Leader Development — #TheThreeMinuteChallenge

The Three Minute Challenge: Experiential Learning for Teacher Leader Development — #TheThreeMinuteChallenge

by | Dec 11, 2019 | #TheThreeMinuteChallenge, District Office Leadership, Education, Feedback, Learning to Lead, Planning and Preparation, Principals, Teacher Leadership

Experiential learning takes place when a person involved in an activity looks back and evaluates it, determines what was useful or important to remember, and uses this information to perform another activity. ~ John Dewey

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning, or learning by doing, is a critical step in the teacher leader development process. This quadrant is about leadership refinement. We liken this work to that of the stone sculptor, who systematically removes pieces of stone to create a specialized work of art. The routines and norms established for foundational training, such as book studies and case studies that can be discussed at leadership team meeting, are perfect for general leadership growth. Once established, it’s time to move forward to more specialized experiences for teacher leaders. This is not to say that they’ve mastered the foundational knowledge quadrant or that they’re experts in their roles. It just means that they need more development experiences that put them in a position to actively engage as a leader, reflect on their engagement, and use that information to improve a skill (such as feedback conversations and department meeting debriefs about findings from classroom visits).

Teacher Leader Isolation

One challenge in providing experiential leadership development for teachers is that most teacher leaders are classroom instructors, allowing very little release time to draw on experiences beyond the classroom walls. However, this is where school administrators need to be creative, since the benefits far outweigh the obstacles. Having teacher leaders join administrators, specialists, and other coaches for learning walks, instructional rounds, and other classroom visits are the only ways for them to gain access into the eye-witness accounts of what happens within the department they lead. The key to experiential leadership development is that it takes prior planning to ensure that it can happen seamlessly within the teacher’s day. Take the following challenge to support your teacher leaders.

The Three Minute Challenge

  1. Identify a problem-of-practice (POP) for a department or initiative that is being led by a teacher leader. Let’s take for example our world language department where we’ve identified the need for teachers to spend more time in the target language. Prior to setting up instructional rounds, we review this POP with the world language department head–what it looks like when done well and any other associated practices.  
  2. Next, schedule a day for the department head to get release time to conduct instructional rounds (visit as many classrooms as possible to see how often teachers are in the target language). If possible, visit classrooms across multiple schools for perspective. The idea is that the teacher leader gets to experience as many classroom visits as is feasible. 
  3. Lastly, leaders should visit classrooms together. The subsequent conversations and reflections are where the real learning occurs. The leadership lessons are what gets applied in the upcoming world language department meeting, not just the learning that takes place on the day of the rounds. Be prepared to debrief as a school leadership team but also with the department of teachers you visited. The feedback conversations are more important than anything for both teacher leadership development and growth for the teachers in the department.

Technical Tip: Don’t be bound by a walkthrough tool for giving feedback to teachers. Supervisors and coaches should be able to provide narrative feedback aligned to the overall instructional focus during walkthrough visits. That said, instructional rounds are different. Use a tool that helps the teacher leader to collect data about how often teachers are speaking in the target language.

Leadership Development Continuum Model

Leadership Development Continuum Model

Reach out and share your story with us.

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.