Newsletter

My friends and colleagues have been receiving random emails containing my musings on all things education and leadership for years. This newsletter is just my attempt to formalize the process and add value to anyone’s journey that I possibly can.

Seeking Affirmation Instead of Knowledge

A belief you will not allow to be challenged is only an opinion.  Too often we seek information, data, and other’s support to affirm our beliefs instead of seeking out information and viewpoints that may challenge our current beliefs.  This is easier on our brains. This is easier on our egos. This is exactly how social media algorithms are designed because they understand that the brain enjoys the comforts of those with like-minds instead of consuming content that may push… Read More »Seeking Affirmation Instead of Knowledge

15 + 1 LEADERSHIP TRUTHS

Quick and easy for this edition of the newsletter. 15+1 Leadership truths that I believe in and ask you to consider. 1) Allow nobody to impact your happiness. That means I am not responsible for making you happy and your job is NOT to make anyone else happy. Be kind, thoughtful, and empathetic – but their happiness is not your responsibility and yours is not mine. 2) One goal of leadership is attention. Are you claiming theirs? Are you holding… Read More »15 + 1 LEADERSHIP TRUTHS

Moments Matter

Memories are built by creating moments that matter. The truth is, however, that we need to quit waiting for these moments to appear. If our goal is to maximize our life, our joy, and the impact we have, then we must live as if every moment matters – because it does.  Too often we spend so much time mindlessly cruising through the day, projecting into the future and consumed with worry, or analyzing the past that we forget that each… Read More »Moments Matter

Ownership

I talk about ownership quite a bit. I talk about ownership with my Leadership Team. I talk about it with my family. I talk about it when I am speaking, coaching, or consulting.  The issue with ownership is that it is not easy. Ownership is a lot like accountability – it seems like a great idea until it has to be applied to one’s self. That is when things get complicated.  The reason it is hard is because personal ownership… Read More »Ownership

Think About Your Worst Teacher

In one of my keynotes I start by asking the audience to think about their worst teacher.  Truth be told, I used to ask people to shout it out as a cathartic exercise. This worked well at conferences, but when I tried it when delivering the message to a single district one time it was followed by an eerie hush. Then it dawned on me, ALUMNI. People were shouting out the names of other people in the room!!!!  (SIDENOTE: I… Read More »Think About Your Worst Teacher

The Three Truths

I have a love/hate relationship with the Interest Based Bargaining (IBB) process. While the full description of my feelings about the process would be a much longer newsletter entry, today I want to focus on the most important thing I have learned from the training surrounding IBB – the concept of Three Truths. (Sidenote – the ladder of inference is a close second.) The Three Truths are simple. In every scenario, relationship, or situation where you are dealing with more… Read More »The Three Truths

The Pleasant Reality of Being Humbled

Humbled: To lower someone or something in significance or importance. I present the definition of the word for two reasons. First, it is a necessary backdrop to this newsletter entry. Second, it has become commonplace to state that you are humbled when earning an award, recognition, or accepting a new job. While commonplace, humbled is NOT the correct term in most of these situations.  Twenty-four months ago leaders in education, industry, politics, and every other arena were tossed in the… Read More »The Pleasant Reality of Being Humbled

What Aren’t You Seeing?

The other day I was working with a group of principals and during an unstructured time together they began sharing some of their problems of practice. One principal brilliantly walked her peer through a problem they were facing in a manner the other person had not considered. After receiving thanks for her help, the principal remarked that she was “much better at solving other people’s problems and not her own.”  We all chuckled, but then I started thinking about how… Read More »What Aren’t You Seeing?

Question of Commitment

It has been a rough several weeks in our household. I sincerely do not believe that we have had one day since December 1st where every child and adult in the house has been at school and/or work. While this has been annoying, tiresome, and frustrating, it is not lost on me how much more fortunate we are than many families right now.  I share the bumps in the road that my family has had with you because I have… Read More »Question of Commitment

2021 Top Ten

Tis the Time for Top Ten Lists I have done a TOP TEN list in a lot of different formats in the past. As I went down memory lane this year, there were a few core takeaways that I wanted to share with you before I went into the Top 10 list in earnest.  First, while 2021 was not easy, there was a tremendous amount of joy in the 365 days in my universe. In fact, it was not hard… Read More »2021 Top Ten