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Communication is the Oxygen for Execution

The one thing any school leader never wants to happen is a failure to communicate clearly.

When it comes to communicating the mission, vision, goals and values, and expectations, a leader must consistently communicate with clarity. 

Here is the rule we start from: Once you’ve talked about your mission, vision, values and goals, a hundred times, the average employee has heard and understood it less than ten.

Shocking, right?

But it’s true.

One of the great failures of school leaders happens when they think everyone else ‘just gets it.’

They don’t.

That is assumptive leadership, and it is the most dangerous leadership style. 

As a school principal, you may be passionate and inspired by your mission and vision. Compelled by your WHY! It's the reason you jump out of bed every day ready to change the world.

Here is a newsflash.

Most of your teachers and employees do not. 

To bring them into the mission and vision you created, it must be...

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Being Grateful Reaps Benefits!

#leadership gratitude Nov 25, 2020
 

Being thankful everyday for what you have is a mind altering experience. 

When I think about where I was personally and professionally five and ten years ago, it blows my mind. 

Everyday I wake up right around 5:00 a.m. excited to learn, serve and build a community of like-minded leaders! 

When any negative thought comes in, too much work, too many people need our help, too many receipts to file...I simply say, Isn't that convenient Tom. To complain about the very things that help you serve your purpose. 

If you are feeling the stress and pressures of work or life I encourage you to try this quick and easy exercise every day. 

Wake up and immediately say what you are grateful for.  It could be as simple as another day on earth.  Your feet touching the ground. The ability to breath… or get more involved – and be grateful for a specific person, condition, thing, whatever it is in your life that you are...

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Choose Recognition Over Resentment

#leadership Nov 24, 2020

When you withhold your recognition of another person's contribution to the team's success, you are not just treating people unfairly, but you are depriving people of the emotional payoff that comes with success. 

And they resent you for it. 

One example of this was when a colleague of mine was excited about a grant he received to build an outdoor garden to help the "at-risk" youth he served to build emotional resilience and life skills. 

He told me that his principal came to him very excited and wanted to know all about the grant and the plans. 

Then, she went to the Superintendent meeting and took all of the credit, receiving accolades in the newspaper. My buddy, not a word was written about him or the students. 

He told me that he would never trust the principal and thought about shutting the project down. 

The principal's actions not only impacted his behavior, but now the students would suffer. 

Recognition is all about closure. 

When you...

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Silent Gratitude Isn't Good For Anyone

Uncategorized Nov 23, 2020

Remember, silent gratitude isn’t good to anyone.--

I remember my first few weeks as an Exceptional Children's teacher. I was helping in the car pick up line when this third grade student came to me and said, "I think there is something wrong with our teacher. I think she is sleeping." 

I grabbed a colleague and went to the classroom. It was filled with after-school students and a woman who I had never met slumped in a chair. 

"We have to clear this room," I directed. 

I checked the pulse of the woman. There was no vitals. 

"Call 911!" I told my colleague and slowly eased her off the chair and onto the floor to begin CPR. 

She did not make it. 

As I was watching her get taken away in an ambulance my boss came over to me to thank me for my leadership. He had just gotten off the phone with the woman's husband. 

He told me, "He just kept repeating, I think I told her I loved her this morning. I know I thanked her. I think I told her."

If you are...

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Seven Strategies to Raise Morale and Employee Engagement

organizational health Nov 19, 2020

 

As a school leader you might be “Feeling Powerless” against the issues and challenges dealing with Covid-19.  

Remember, the organization will look to the top leaders to protect them and to be their voice.   

Without this feeling of safety there will always be an impact on culture and morale. 

Here are seven strategies I have learned and am implementing during these times to raise engagement and morale.   

Get Clear!: Leaders need to be on the same page (mission, vision, purpose) with their team. Be sure to communicate daily why the school exists, what we do, how we will be successful and what the future holds!  

Accentuate the positive: Research shows—not surprisingly—that building employees’ strengths is measurably more effective than fixating on weaknesses. Developing a culture that is strengths-based creates the environment in which employees quickly learn their roles, produce...

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Your Real Title As a Leader

communication Oct 22, 2020
This reminder might be more for me, but if it helps you in your daily work, please let me know.
 
I have learned that may appear as resistance by the people you serve, might be a simple lack of clarity and communication, not incompetence or insubordination.
 
Here is what I mean.
 
Communication needs to be internalized. This means that individuals need to hear something between seven and sixteen times to begin to understand.
 
Here is one glaring example. Just this weekend a RunDMC (iconic rap group of the 80’s) song lyric popped in my head.
 
I embarrassedly sang it out loud as I made lunch for the kids. I told my daughter, “This song was on the first cassette tape I ever bought.”
 
“What’s a cassette tape?” she responded.
 
“Alexa, play You be illin’ by RunDMC,” I requested.
 
I was amazed at how I nailed the lyrics and I haven’t heard that...
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To Win in Business, You Need Great Partners like Acadia NorthStar!

#leadership partnership Oct 08, 2020

Acadia NorthStar has been assisting public charter schools with accounting, budget management and compliance since 2001. For over a decade, Acadia's experienced staff has been exceeding their clients' expectations.

Most of you have heard of Acadia.

Many of you have a contract with Acadia. 

But what you might not know is that 365 days a year, the team at Acadia works with their clients to ensure long term, fiscal vitality. 

Here is how I know: Five years ago I was the Executive Director to a charter school board overseeing two charter schools. One of the schools was in financial hardship. It's expenditures far exceeded it's revenue (over one million a year). The school could not pay rent. The school was losing enrollment.

One day I just happened to find a folder that was labeled "unpaid invoices"on the desk of the former principal. In the folder was over $500,000 in unpaid invoices tracking back to the previous fiscal year. 

This was not a problem I, or any...

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The Sweetest and Most Important Sound

#leadership connecting Oct 04, 2020

Unfortunately, this week when I sent out a message highlighting two of our teacher leaders who were special guests on our Empowered Educators webinar; I incorrectly typed the name of one of our teacher leaders, Sarah Douglas. 

Sarah is one of the most valued teacher leaders at East Wake Academy.

My deepest apologies Sarah.

When Sarah let me know about my mistake I remembered what Dale Carnegie most famously wrote in his best selling book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. 

“Remember that a person’s name is to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language”

When I first heard this phrase, I felt it was one of the most valuable pieces of advice I was given. Being an educator for over 20 years and currently a consultant, I have been fortunate enough to meet tens of thousands of people. It is critical that I work to make people feel safe and appreciated. 

With my personality type, according to DISC...

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Build a Strong Culture Through Stories, Ceremonies and Rituals

culture live2lead Oct 02, 2020

Hello my friend, 

My grandmother recently turned 90 years old.

She was and still is such an integral part of my life. She practically raised me when my single Mom would work long hours when I was a child. 

In fact, I was telling my son Matthew that every summer, from five to eleven years old, I would fly down to Florida on my own and spend a month with my grandparents. I told them a story about this giant banana tree that every year I would get my picture taken in front of. I shared stories about swimming and fishing in the lake outback. And how my Grandfather loved to sit on the swing every night and watch the sunset. 

We would finish our summers by driving across the country with their pop-up camper. I got to see the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore and the Baseball Hall of Fame all before I was ten years old. 

Maybe this is why "Living like a tourist" is one of my five goals in life. 

I had not seen her for over a year due to...

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Do It, Delegate It, Dump It

focus time management Aug 25, 2020

I had just left the hospital after my second EKG in two years as a middle school director. It wasn't a heart attack according to the doctor, just a bad combination of high stress, no sleep and dehydration. 

I reached out to my mentor, who too was a former principal, to let him know I was ok and just needed to take a few days off.

 I’ll never forget his response. 

“Tom, what is it do you do all day?”  

I had great answers, “Well I answer emails to teachers and parents, I do walk throughs, I handle discipline, I put out fires. You know, my job!”

Please Note: The worse excuse is a good excuse. 

He replied, “And which of those activities actually improving your school?” 

“Well none,” I said. “But you don’t understand, I have to do them! Otherwise…”

He answered, “The only thing you have to do as the leader of this organization is master three things.”

Do It! ...

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